Brussels, 30 May 2002
Danish and Belgian science and industry can play a strong role in the European research and innovation area if they team up to build on each others' strengths, according to Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin.
The stimulation of networks is at the heart of the European Commission's action plan for biotechnology and the Sixth Framework programme, said Mr Busquin, and Danish and Belgian researchers and entrepreneurs are well placed in the European biotechnology league.
A study by Ernst and Young shows that in the period 1995 to 2000, the number of biotechnology patents filed by Denmark was four times the EU average. Belgium came third in the league table.
Of the 1,570 biotech companies in Europe, says the study, 66 companies came from Denmark and 69 from Belgium, which means the countries rank third and fourth in the density of companies per population. In 1999, Belgium and Denmark also ranked second and third in the table of venture capital invested in biotechnology per inhabitant. Denmark invested a record 95 euro of venture capital per inhabitant in the year 2000.
Mr Busquin said that the central message of the Commission's strategic vision for biotechnology 'is the need for coherence among all policies involved, such as research, industry, environment, health, internal market, trade and education.' He called on Member States to organise a public debate on the content of the plan.
Mr Busquin also highlighted a range of Commission activities to boost research and development in biotechnology, including the new four-year Framework programme (FP6) which is due to kick off at the start of 2003. 'FP6 is now designed to shift into higher gear and to help realise a true European research and innovation area,' he said.
Mr Busquin said that past Framework programmes have also contributed to the formation of links between researchers and companies in Europe. Under the Fourth Framework programme, 120 million euro went to fund SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) in the biotech sector. This amount has more than doubled to 250 million euro under the current Fifth Framework programme.
Biotechnology has the potential to be a major driver of innovation and wealth creation in Europe, Mr Busquin explained. 'The understanding of life and the responsible use of this new knowledge is today's industrial revolution. Europe cannot afford to miss this new, global revolution. It will happen with or without us,' he said.
For further information about Commissioner Busquin, please consult the following web address:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/commissioners /busquin/index_en.html