This was the title of the speech I gave recently during the annual Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) Conference held in Stockholm. I was speaking to all the main actors from the Member States, industry and the research community and, in advance of the upcoming Copenhagen conference, this was a good opportunity to discuss how Europe should address climate change issues and invest strategically in clean energy technologies.

Concern about climate change is not just the hot topic for today. It is an issue that will have …

This week we celebrate an important event. It is the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the European Commission’s first research site: the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra on Lago Maggiore in northern Italy. I will be involved in a number of activities organised to celebrate this half century of scientific achievement. What’s more, I am pleased that the main thread of all these activities will be international scientific cooperation and, more precisely, cooperation with the United …

It is with great pleasure and pride that I’ve attended the inauguration of the European Research Council executive agency few days ago in Brussels. It was a special moment, where I could show my recognition of all the extraordinary work accomplished by those who made the dream of creating an ‘EU Champions’ league’ for research come true. For those who want to read the whole speech, you’ll …

I’ve been back from my summer break for a week now. Batteries recharged (with renewable sun energy) for the new challenges ahead! But to start with, my agenda takes me far away from our continent, on a mission to promote a topic very dear to my heart: science in Africa and African science. As you know, the European Union launched a new Science Partnership with the African Union last October. We, the European Commission, together with the African Union Commission have started to implement it swiftly in …

This wasn’t my first trip to Malta, but it had a special significance because I have now, as Research Commissioner, visited every Member State. And Malta is a special place – full of history and absolutely beautiful.

I enjoyed a highly interesting and informative visit, thanks in no small part to Joanna Drake and her team in the EU Representation in Malta and with the very able help of the Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs, George Pullicino. I was very well looked after with some excellent Maltese hospitality.

I …

I’m delighted to announce that we have now launched the feasibility study for a pan-European pension fund for researchers. The stage has now being set for a thorough legal and technical analysis which I hope will lead to the promotion of this ambitious initiative.

The idea of a pension for researchers isn’t new. It is part of the work we have been doing for years, in building a European Research Area, to try and make better use of the excellent European human potential in research. The need to act …

I was in Belgrade at the beginning of the week participating at an EU Research Information Event that the Commission’s Directorate General for Research and Joint Research Centre organised together with Serbian Ministry for Science and Technological Development. The city was in preparation to host a big event for the next two weeks - the Universiade 2009, which is besides Olympic Games the biggest sport event gathering students from the entire world. But unfortunately I could not participate at the opening, since it starts on the …

As you might recall, I visited the International Paris Air Show two years ago to launch a project called ‘Clean Sky’. Last week I had the chance to visit Le Bourget, France again during the centennial edition of the famous Air Show. Well, I didn’t get the chance to fly any of the planes, in fact I hardly had time to watch the dizzying displays of aeronautical acrobatics, but I did celebrate the first steps of this special partnership that the Commission has with the aerospace industry.

The …

Does Europe have the will—not only the wish—to support sustainable development? This is the provocative question posed by the Scientific Committee in their Manifesto for the 2009 EU Conference, “Sustainable Development: A Challenge for European Research”. Over a thousand researchers, policy analysts and civil society leaders came together over the course of three days at the end of May to debate the ways in which research can support sustainable development, whether through research policy, public health, environment, or business. How can we make sustainable development a …

Last week, the European Research Area took a step forward: thanks to the joint efforts of research ministers and the European Commission, a number of major research projects will soon be able to register in a new legal form which will be exempt from value-added tax (VAT). I’m talking here about really large-scale projects in which at least three European countries work together: they could be cutting-edge observatories for environmental sciences, genomic data banks, state of the art super computers, lasers, reactors, colliders and even social science and humanities …

For science and research to succeed; to advance our knowledge and understanding with the ultimate aim of making life better for all, few things are as important as the enthusiastic commitment and dedication of our researchers. They are the lifeblood of science, without which it grinds to a halt.

The spark of their passion for science and research – for the creation of new knowledge through study, investigation and experimentation – is ignited and nurtured in the classroom. Education is thus …

Hello to all,

A topic that is increasingly being discussed in European circles is about how to evaluate and compare universities’ performance. We have recently asked a group of experts to advise us on this subject. Professor Wolfgang Mackiewicz of the Free University of Berlin, the chair of this expert group, presented the group’s interim report at a workshop I had the pleasure of attending today.

Despite its very complicated sounding name - the Multidimensional Assessment of University-based Research - the group’s report refers to something commonplace - the use of rankings and how to best measure …

Whether I am reading newspapers, blogs or discussing with friends and colleagues, people are talking about the G20’s plan for the global economic crisis. Last week, it delivered a groundbreaking statement: leaders from all over the globe declared their commitment to green technologies and called for a ‘resilient, sustainable and green recovery.’ I’m happy to see that the message we’ve been repeating for years is being heard: we need to invest in R&D, especially in clean technologies. Since the beginning …

One of the best things about being a European Commissioner is the number of exciting initiatives from all over Europe that I get to hear about and be involved in. It’s inspiring to know how many motivated people are out there, doing the best to make Europe - and the world - a better place. That’s why I was very happy to accept when I was asked to be the Patron of the European Science Parliament, an ongoing discussion forum dealing with current socio-political topics related …

A few weeks ago my Office arranged a lunchtime debate with my Services to discuss “the world in 2025″. I think prospective thinking is necessary. Don’t French-speaking people say: “Gouverner, c’est prévoir” (Good government needs good foresight)? This lunch session confirmed a lot of ideas I have been putting forward for a long time. For example, we can be pretty sure of the trends in climate change and ageing of the population, and they will have serious consequences for public policies in Europe and beyond. My services also …

While it came as no surprise to me, I was very pleased to receive good news recently from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) here at the European Commission. An independent report on the JRC’s work from 2002 to 2006 under the Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP6), shows that the JRC is moving in the right direction. As it fulfils its mission – …

As an economist, I’m always happy when I get the chance to get back to a bit of real number-crunching. Some days ago, along with my colleague Vice-President Verheugen, we presented the latest statistics on the EU’s performance in R&D and Innovation. There’s an impressive amount of detail in the 2008 Science, Technology and Competitiveness Key Figures report (PDF - 9 Mb), but I can tell you that the headline message is this: the EU is moving in the right direction, but it should …

Imagine. Create. Innovate. This inspirational message is the motto of European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009 (EYCI), whose launch was marked this Wednesday with a conference in Prague. It’s good to see innovation getting a high profile from the Czech Presidency: it’s been clear to me for a long time that innovation, along with research and development, is an essential part of a European success story. One of the EU’s major achievements is to have established the freedom of circulation of goods, services, people and capital around …

One of my favourite sayings is that “those who don’t study history are condemned to repeat it”. Although technology and innovation might make everything move faster and make us more inter-connected, we should not think that we have nothing to learn from the past.

I was reminded of this as we hit the financial crisis and parallels were drawn with the New York Stock market crash and following economic downturn. At that time Sir Henry Royce was developing his legendary “R” engine, which went on to …

I’m lucky enough to have just had a couple of weeks that really brought home to me the importance of the work we do here for science and research. Last week I was in Prague to prepare for the Czech Presidency of the EU, which starts in January. While I was there I had the great pleasure of meeting one of the Czech Republic’s most distinguished scientists – Professor Antonín (Toni) Holý, whose work on antiviral compounds has made important breakthroughs in treating AIDS and Hepatitis B. Standing …