Brussels, 22/01/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission is expected to adopt its strategy and action plan aimed at making the European biotechnology sector more competitive, unless the decision is postponed as no sufficient agreement has been reached at the College of Commissioners. Circles close to the European Executive were saying, on Tuesday, that two cabinets were still reticent about the text submitted to them. As we pointed out yesterday (p.13), some members of the Commission were sensitive to the arguments of the Member States where research on human embryos is banned, and which therefore do not wish to finance such research elsewhere through participation in Community budgetary lines attributed to research.
The Community's biotechnology strategy takes as its starting point the fact that the sector is does not perform well enough in the EU to present to enable it to play the role set out by the European Council at Lisbon, namely to make a significant contribution to turning Europe into the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. Looking at life sciences and the potential of biotechnology in areas like healthcare, agri-food, materials, energy, pharmaceuticals, enhancing the environment and sustainable farming, the Commission's services argue that the full potential of biotech cannot be sustained if R&D (Research and Development) is not beefed up (and published). The Commission insists that investment in R&D, education, training and new approaches to management will be key to this process since scientific excellence is not enough in itself - there has to be a way of translating knowledge into new products, industrial processes or services so that society as a whole can benefit and new jobs can be created. The Commission's services feel that job creation will involve supporting the research and innovation process in order to attract and train research scientists, attract new investment and create a balanced legal and regulatory framework. A network of biotechnology stakeholders needs to be created and public authorities need to monitor their policies to ensure they do not lag behind advances in the sector.
With one eye on the public debate on the development of life sciences, the document sent to the College on Wednesday highlights the need for dialogue and public information, supporting ethical changes that fit society's aspirations. For this reason, with reference to the controversy over genetically modified products and their labelling, it notes that consumers must have free choice. Other than the "safety" dimension, the strategy raises a problem for the environment of biotechnology, considering that public confidence needs encouraging in the role played by science in our society, provide protection by effective patents to innovators and involve all the parties concerned in drawing up legislation. Concerning the principles governing the latter, the Commission services cite the application of the precautionary principle, safeguarding the internal market, informed choice for consumers and the regular update of provisions. Faced with the "patch-work" formed by different regulations at different levels of power in the Union, the need to ensure coherence in policies and legislation also needs emphasising and introduce a monitoring process allowing for the anticipation of emerging problems in defining policies. Finally, the strategy places emphasis on the Community's international collaboration and its responsibilities to developing countries.
The college will also be called on to look at the 30 actions that form the "action plan" associated with the strategy. Among the most important: - strengthening efforts regarding education and training; - measures aimed at avoiding a brain drain; - increasing the research effort through implementing the 6th framework-programme; - the creation of an effective Community system for the protection of intellectual property; - better access to venture capital for the industry; - networking of operators in the sector; - strengthening inter-regional co-operation; - "proactive" role for public authorities (monitoring, good practices); the setting up of a structured dialogue between all parties concerned; - adoption of pending proposals on GMOs.