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The European Commission has declared 2009 the Year of Creativity and Innovation. At a conference taking place today in Brussels, participants discussed whether and how EU-funded projects could contribute to increasing European innovation.

The discussion is particularly relevent in the context of European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering’s statement, last week, that the Commission intends to increase its budget for research-related projects in 2013-2021.

“I have always been a strong supporter of the 7th EU Research and Technology programme. I can assure you all here today that this programme is here to stay and I would be confident that for the next EU Financial Perspective 2013-2021, the European Union will allocate an even greater proportion of the EU annual budget for research, technology and research programmes,” said the Parliament president.

Mr Pöttering added that innovation would be key to Europe’s recovery from the current financial crisis.

EurActive writes that the Czechs intend to shine a spotlight on entrepreneurship during the upcoming presidency of the European Union in January-June 2009.

“In the Czech Republic we lack private money in support of entrepreneurship, incubators and research projects,” said Czech Education Minister Ondrej Liška, adding that the problem was the same in all other EU countries. He wants each government to analyse the barriers in their own countries and make the appropriate changes to overcome obstacles to enhanced business-education cooperation.

The Czechs don’t plan to pass any new legislature to promote entrepreneurship, but rather reduce the amount of bureaucratic red tape that is already hindering business owners. Now that makes sense!

Continue reading ‘The Czechs are taking over – and they mean business’