Eureka 2008

Mr. Chairman
First of all thank you to the Slovenian Chairmanship and the City of Ljubliana for arranging this Ministerial Conference

Norway has taken part in Eureka from the beginning in 1985..

The world has changed dramatically since Eureka was established. We see new Challenges and new opportunities. Globalization has made the world smaller and cooperation closer.

Maintaining our environment is of the highest priority of the Norwegian government. We consider sustainable growth both possible and necessary. This is our most important job as political leaders.

Environmental technology can be a tool to bridge the aims of economic growth and sustainable development. The Norwegian government is currently working on a white paper on innovation, in which future initiatives on environmental technology will play an integrated and central part.

International cooperation on Research and Development is of the outmost importance to help develop new solutions and new technology; and Eureka can have an important role
European R&D has also changed dramatically. Since the establishment of Eureka The European Framework Program,  has grown over the years. However, the main changes have taken place during the last five years. New initiatives have been taken - from the industry, from Governments and from the European Commission. Today we see Technology Platforms, Joint European Technology Initiatives, a special program for innovation - CIP, and ERA-NETs and Eurostars.

All these new initiatives need to develop their own systems and structures. But, in my opinion, Eureka with its 23 years of experience is a unique network that could be used in this context.
 
 
Eureka is a political initiative, based on a government-to-government agreement. Eureka is a unique network and we should exploit the experience and potential that Eureka represents. Let us look into how Eureka, can serve, coordinate or assist new and other European initiatives. And perhaps most importantly in my opinion – we should establish more programs after the model of Eurostars.

We have to strive towards making all the R&D initiatives more integrated with the industry and business in Europe and Eureka has the competence, the network and the will to do this !

Thank you!