Brussels, 11/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - Just ten days from the opening of the Spring European Council, the European Commission has adopted a communication whereby it recommends the refocusing of innovation policies. The Commission gears its reflection to "entrepreneurial innovation", a multi-dimensional concept that goes beyond technological innovation to include, for example, new methods of distribution, marketing and design. A concept that does not necessarily coincide with research and development. The Commission notes that not all research leads to innovation and all innovation is not based on research. It stresses that the weaknesses with regards innovation are also responsible for the slow progress made towards achieving the Lisbon goals like the low level of R&D spending. In this context, the Commission proposes mechanisms aimed at coordinating innovation policies at Community level, often defined at national or local level. It also insists on the need to conduct innovation policies specific to some sectors (ICT, textiles, biotechnology) and to include the innovation dimension in other policies (competition, finance, labour management, environment, trade). EUROPE will come back to this communication in greater detail.