On Thursday 15 January, Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) discussed biotechnological innovations to ensure European competitiveness. It warmly welcomed the ‘biotech’ package presented in December by the European Commission (see EUROPE 13774/14).
“If Europe wants to lead, approval must be faster, clearer and more reliable,” said Niels Flemming Hansen (EPP, Danish), praising the “important groundwork” done by the Commission. He stressed the need to communicate effectively on this subject: “Too often, the discussion in room like this, and the incredible technologies we are talking about are lost in EU language. If people outside this building cannot understand why biotech matters for jobs, industry, and everyday life, the risk of losing public interest and political support is severe.” “The fact that there are only eight or ten of us in this room today shows that we need to broaden communication to show just how important this is,” added Morten Løkkegaard (Renew Europe, Danish). He also stressed the need to have as broad a scope of application as possible.
Carlo Ciccioli (ECR, Italian) spoke of the need for skills. “We need to have support for the workforce. We need to stimulate the research at universities,” he stressed. “Our universities are competitive, but they don’t see the work implemented in industry. We need to prevent a brain drain.” He argued in favour of “a framework for legislation that is as free as possible, where you have ex post controls”.
“Europe can offer stability and predictability compared with the other side of the Atlantic and everything that happens there,” said Nicolás González Casares (S&D, Spanish). “We need to make an effort so that this industry gains weight and gets the capacity of attracting European talent and from elsewhere.” (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)