Brussels, 29/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - The Competitiveness Council, chaired by the Slovenian minister for the economy, Andrej Vizjak, adopted, on Thursday 29 May, a series of conclusions in favour of competitiveness, innovation and sustainable economic growth. Mr Vizjak takes the view that innovation is a key element that will allow European industry to raise the challenges facing it. Conclusions nonetheless set out a series of other imperatives such as: - the need to take the necessary measures to support growth markets (online health, protective clothing, sustainable construction, recycling, bioproducts and renewable energies); - the elimination of obstacles to crossborder investments by venture capital funds; - growth in the contribution made by standardisation to innovation in Europe; - the promotion of pre-commercial public procurement, that is, during the research-development phase; - the need to implement measures to combat climate change while safeguarding the competitiveness of industry, in particular, the metals industries and forest-based industries, which are particularly energy-generating sectors; - the need to bring together adequate conditions with a view to reducing fragmentation of European venture capital in the internal market to contribute to overcoming the own funds deficit and increase the flow of start-up capital for innovative SMEs; - and the improved competitiveness of European defence industries. (O.L.)