“More than two thousand years have passed since the famous Greek mathematician and physicist Archimedes took to the streets of Syracuse, crying excitedly ‘Eureka!’ (I have found it),” were the opening words of the address delivered today, at the EUREKA Ministerial Conference, by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and current President of the European Council, Mr Janez Janša. The Prime Minister emphasised that the concept underpinning EUREKA – linking industry and scientific institutions with State authorities – was also that embodied in the Slovenian EU Presidency watchword of Si.nergy.
(Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)
“In former times it was electricity, penicillin, the steam engine, the internal combustion engine – nowadays, computers, mobile phones, navigation systems, digital technology, diagnosis of heart disease, etc. Many of the latter ideas are also the result of EUREKA projects,” observed PM Janez Janša. In recent decades, the world has witnessed major technological, economic and social changes, and dynamic technological development has influenced production, consumption and communication patterns between companies, countries, regions and individuals. “We speak of the challenges of globalisation which we all face. And our place in the world production of goods, performance of services and generation of knowledge will depend on our response to these challenges,” said the Premier, expressing his conviction that the European economy – accounting for 22% of world GDP and therefore representing the largest economy in the world – was capable of addressing these challenges and becoming the most competitive business environment in the world.
(Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)
The European Union has adapted the new three-year cycle of the renewed Lisbon Strategy, launched at the March European Council, to the aforementioned global challenges, focusing especially on establishing more effective links between knowledge and the economy. In the Prime Minister’s view, the Lisbon Strategy represents a well thought out and balanced development strategy aimed at achieving sustainable development, with development, social and environmental components as well-balanced as possible.
PM Janez Janša said that, in 2007, the European Union had set itself highly ambitious goals in the area of environmental protection. In this regard, bringing CO2 emissions down to a sustainable level could, according to certain estimates, cost from €500 billion to €1000 billion a year. “This is a great commitment and opportunity. We should seize it and ensure that the very area of energy and climate change will be among those areas at which research and development efforts to find next-generation technologies will be directed. We must make every effort to reduce the negative effects of the changes that have already occurred and, in particular, to develop new solutions with a view to securing, in the long term, environmentally sound and sustainable development,” he stressed.
(Photo: Srdjan Živulovič/Bobo)
In his address, the Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of the movement of knowledge, which should become a ‘fifth freedom’ in Europe. The cross-mobility of scientists, researches, students and professors should be facilitated and access to knowledge and information should be improved. “Above all, we should change our way of thinking and accept the fact that the transfer of knowledge and ideas into practice is much more important than discovery itself,” maintained PM Janez Janša, advocating that we should already be starting to consider a post-2010 strategy.
