Antonio TAJANI, EP President, participates in the joint conference titled 'EU Research and Innovation in our daily life'. The event, which brings together researchers and politicians to reflect on past and present achievements and talk about the challenges ahead, takes place in the European Parliament in Brussels and focuses on how the 200 billion euros invested over the past 30 years have affected citizens' daily life.

Brussels

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

conference

EU Research and innovation (T)

High-level conference on EU research and innovation in our daily life: extracts from the opening statements

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, The main priority that citizens want us to focus on is to give a bright future to our citizens through creating jobs. If we want to boost our industrial base and create jobs and make sure that we have high value added jobs as well and make sure that we can keep up with the enormous changes that are occurring, then it is extremely important to focus on innovation. Our ambition should be to become the biggest and most appealing research area in the world. To create, to innovate and to develop technologies is part of our DNA.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, So much is said on the need to change Europe. We are aware of the fact that there is a need for reform. But the main reform that we have to push through, which doesn't entail revising the treaties and that doesn't involve the formalities within the institutions requires something more. And that's a return to politics. If Europe has the courage to become a political guide and show the way, then it will be bold enough to invest enough in key areas that will allow us to become protagonists in the world once again, and to help improve the lives of so many millions of European citizens. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Carlos MOEDAS, Member of the EC in charge of Research, Science and Innovation, In 30 years we've handed and invested more than 200 billion euros and so many lives have been changed because of it. But the impact is not always visible. You are the ones that have to tell the story. You are the ones that have to tell the story of Europe. You know the former ambassador of the US in Europe Tony Gardner used to say that the EU is like a window. You only realise its there when there is a crack or dirt. But it always protects you from the wind and the cold. But otherwise you don't see it. So today is our chance to make the European Research and Innovation that is a little bit more visible.

SOUNDBITE (English), Heinz  FA&#223;MANN, Federal Minister of Education of Austria, Horizon Europe brings many novelties even if the Commission has stated that it is more and evolution than a revolution. But it is a very intelligent evolution if I may say this compliment. A novelty will be a the recently proposed five missions which will probably be part of the specific programme of Horizon Europe and which guarantees research with impact. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Bertrand PICCARD, United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, I want to tell you something. When I was flying over the Golden Gate in San Francisco, with soaring pulse, I was proud. I was over the so called capital of innovation in the Silicon Valley. But the aeroplane I was flying on was flying around the world on solar power and was European. And we should not be shy here in Europe. We have so much asset. But we don't dare to be proud. And we should. 