EU Science Commissioner Quinn on EuroFora Citizens Debates project, Innovation New Deal +AC platform

EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn (2010-2014), speaking to "EuroFora" after a Conference opened by EU Parliament's President Jerzy Buzek and organized by "Atomium Culture" EU permanent Platform linking Top Scientists, Industry and Media, whose honorary President is experienced former EU Conventiion and f. French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing, expressed a crystal-clear interest, and her readiness to eventually participate to "EuroFora"s project to develop regular EU Citizens' debates with MEPs and other key EU Decision-makers before main EU Choices, particularly in the run up to October 2010 EU Heads of State and Government Summit which will define Europe's policy on Innovation as a Crucial, Strategic key-component of EU's roadmap to lead out of the current Global Crisis and shape Europe's Economic and Social Future up to the 2020 Horizon, due to be boosted by "a New Contract between Science and Society", as she highlighted.

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 - "Yes, Absolutely, absolutely, I do". "I do, indeed" believe that, positively stressed EU Commissioner for Innovation, Mrs Maire Goeghegan-Quinn in reply to "EuroFora"s Question if she thought that our project to boost European Forums to regularly debate with EU Citizens before EU Decisions are taken on Science, could be "helpful" to her general approach for a "New Deal" between Scientists and Society, where she just anounced inter alia her wish for "every Laboratory to become a Forum".   

 - "If there are such kind of Debates, Yes, why not", I would certainly consider Participating either physically or through Internet, EU Commissioner on Scientific Research, Maire Geoghegan - Quinn, also replied to another, and more concrete EuroFora"s Question on the Practical organization, for which "you can get on" her competent EU Commission's link, as she advised.

    - Today, EU "Citizens must ...better participate at the Policy Debate", and, therefore, they should "be better trained in Science and Technology so that they can  ..better evaluate the risks and the benefits of new technologies", Quinn stressed earlier in this regard.

    - And "Researchers must become better at explaining what they do. Universities ...must become a Forum for Debate and a Dialogue between Scientists and People", while, also "we must have responsible reporting of science in the Media".

    - In particular, "there must be a New Contract between Science and Society, a New level of Trust", she stressed. I.e. "Scientists must commit themselves to behaving Ethically. They have the right to intellectual Freedom, but they must also be Socially Responsible", the new EU Commissioner on Science, Research and Innovation underlined , to which "EufoFora"s question referred (See supra). Obviously opening new room also for crucial BioEthical and other current issues to find new ways to seriously deal with them by responding to People's concerns in ways which, instead to diminish, on the contrary could even give a new boost and develop further EU Science. (Comp. also  EU Parliament President Jerzy Buzek's reply to a relevant "EuroFora"s question, infra).

    - Because, for an "Ambitious approach" on EU Innovative Science to "succeed", EU needs "the large scale commitment of Civil Society and the Public at large", with "much better Communication between Science and Society to build support for our public Investment and Research", which is "necessary because" it "is the route to (Economic and Social) recovery" to overcome the Global Crisis heading towards People's "Future Well-being". For that purpose,"its Vital that the People can appreciate an understand the results of Research", because, otherwise, "that’s not easy", Quinn already observed in her speech to "Atomium Culture's Conference at EU Parliament.

    -  "I prefer to speak about "Responsible Science", also stressed to "EuroFora" EU Health Commissioner John Dalli,  after a Press Conference in EU Parliament on BioEthical issues and the way to organize Organ Donations with EU Parliament's decisions, (Comp. specific Draft News already sent to Donors/Subscribers). - "We must be careful in such issues, not to stir some recent "Anti-Science" movements",  the specialized EU Commissioner warned.
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    -  But, "Yeah, Yes. It could be ! I think so", Positively replied also EU Parliament's President Jerzy Buzek to "EuroFora"s Question on how f.ex. BioEthics may lead "Not to Less, but to More Scientific Research, if someone raises a legitimate BioEthical issue". (See also earlier "EuroFora"'s NewsReports about "Whistle-blowers" on BioEthic issues and CoE's April 2010 Resolution, as well as "EuroFora"s idea presented initially to an EU Commission's Representative at CoE's landmark November 2009 PanEuropean Conference on the 10th Anniverary of the International Convention on Bio-Medicine and Human Rights, known as the "Oviedo" treaty, signed in Spain).

    - "In some main EU Countries, there were draft proposals, f.ex. now in France, which provide, whenever there might be something seriously Controversial" on BioEthical or other Crucial Social concerns or stakes, "for Solutions which don't block all Research" on the controversial area, "but, on the contrary, Fund Precautionary Research, f.ex.. support Research aiming to find out if there might be real risks, or not, and, in that case, how to protect People and Society's elementay values. "Do you think that it might be interesting (also) for other EU Countries ?", "EuroFora" had asked Buzek before getting the above-mentioned, carefully Positive answer.

     - "But the most important is How we use EU Funds"  for Scientific Research and Innovation which, at least until recently, it's true, they "are not enough", Buzek, who is also an experienced former EU Rapporteur on the 7th Research/Development Framework Program added in reply to another "EuroFora"'s Question if he was satisfied by the current level of EU's investment in Schience/Technology.

    -  I.e. in particular, "If we try to change them into Innovations. Research is not enough, it's not the End of our Work. We (EU) should change (transform) all Research into Innovation", Buzek explained in his reply to "EuroFora". For that purpose, "It is necessary to involve our (EU's) Industry in this. Otherwise, it will not work" " in real practice. So, "it's absolutely necessary" to create better Science - Industry links for Innovation,  EU Parliament's President added.

    - "Times of Crisis, (are) the best moment to think about Research and Innovations, in order to be Cheaper and more Competitive; because more Innovative", he also noted earlier in his opening address to the Conference organised by "Atomium Culture", which, as Buzek observed, has already started to create relevant links between "1 million Students, Publications to Newspapers and 10 Million European Readers, the most Important", as well as to develop their "Contacts with Industry (which, currently) are not enough", as he noted.

    To put it in a nutshell, for Buzek, it's not enough for the EU to get today a new Aristoteles, because it also needs a kind of new Prometheus and Jules Verne :
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EU Commission's Director General on Communication, Sorensen, to "EuroFora" : - "Yes, EU Science needs a Prometheus or Jules Verne's Spirit !"
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    Claus Sorensen, Director General for Communication in EU Commission, speaking afterwards to "EuroFora" on its Project to develop regular EU Citizens Debates before main EU Decisions, applied in the Science - Innovation area, was even more specific : - "I think that they could be Interesting, You have to be sure that the Scientists can actually speak to Citizens, which is sometimes a problem. But there are many ways (in which) you can publicize these matters"

    Sorensen was replying to a Question about ""EuroFora"'s  Project' .(which)... is to create original EU News' sources by organizing Public Debates systematically, not only once, before important EU Decisions are taken", as we reminded. "Do you think that this could make an interesting contribution for Debates with EU Citizens and between Scientists, in order to create Links, also by Internet, between EU Citizens, Politicians, Scientists, and Businesses, to regularly exchange views before and after main (EU) Decisions on Science are taken : F.ex. before and after EU Heads of State/Government October Summit on Innovation ?"   

    - "Yes, yes of course"."Yes, I think that all that helps ...(in order to) have a Momentum" on Science and Innovation EU-wide.  - "But it should not come from me. It should come from the Scientists and the Journalists, etc.", Sorensen added in his reply, advising also "EuroFora" to get soon in touch with its Communication DG in EU Commission for practical aspects.

      - "To overSimplify things, do you think that we need a kind of .. Prometheus or Jules Verne's Spirit ?", "EuroFora", also asked EU Commission's Director General on Communication, about the way to advance in this direction.
    
    - "Yes, of course ! That's absolutely" what we (EU) need(s), Sorensen positively replied. to "EuroFora". For that purpose, many interesting "Stories" "are in the Drawers of the Researchers and of Labos, among a lot of similar settings", "if it's OK, .. if they get Results out".  But, "the Product which goes to the Newspapers should be very Differend.from what is in a Research Report : (We must) manage to get the Scientific Report and change it into a Product that Normal People can understand".  For a start, " if all the (interested, EU-wide) Media publish in August, and September (2010) Articles on Key (Science) issues, I think that it's good" for the October EU Innovation Summit, he observed.

    In fact, "the Good thing about EU Research, is that there are Thousands of Amazing Stories, that just are there, waiting to be brought to EU Citizens. But, somehow, we didn't manage to do so" yet. "This is a pitty !", Sorensen had denounced earlier at AC's Conference.
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    Both Quinn, Buzek and Sorensen, spoke after "Atomium Culture" Executive Director, Erika Widegren, presented, in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, the new EU permanent Platform's Report on its "Vision" for "what can the EU Civil Society Leading Institutions do for the European Research and Innovation 2020" strategy, which contains several Interesting points going largely in the direction of "EuroFora"s complementary project :é

    

    - "To radically change the mentality of Europeans towards Research and Innovation, there needs to be an attitude Shift", which could be greatly facilitated by "increasing European and interdisciplinary communication and interaction between researchers and universities", as well as "University - Business cooperation at a European level (to) transform research into innovation", while also "engaging the Public at large", because, "if we want to invest heavily in creating a knowledge society, (this) has to be understood and accepted by Society at large", "Atomium Culture"s 2010 Report stresses from the outset.

    In order to help "create this Consciousness", "Atomium Culture"'s "permanent Platform", among various other practical Measures,  also aims to support actions "making accessible comprehensive, intersectoral and interdisciplinary Debates on Topics of Public Concern", and to "create Links between Europe's leading Scientists and the Public at large". This includes, In particular, "the Accessibility of the latest and most forward-looking research results, by the Public at large, and the Interactions between Researchers and Society", "Informing and Engaging the Public at large regarding the activities supporting research and innovation created and supported by European Institutions", "Seminars on Innovation Journalism", and to "create comprehensive, intersectoral and interdisciplinary Debates to comme up with Perspectives shared by the differend participating sectors, and possible innovative Solutions", by "Transparent Forums for sharing Knowledge and coming up with innovative Ideas on how to concretely address the main Challenges of today", "on current Topics of Public Interest and .;Challenges Society needs to face", "bringing together the knowledge, expertise and interests of all the stakeholders, in order to create ..realistic and sustainable solution(s) pushed forward by society at large".
    
    But, at least for the moment, AC aims to do so by using as main Tools particularly "High Level Worskhops, in cooperation with Universities, Media and Businesses engaged in the Platform, and with the Government holding the EU Council's (rotating) Presidency", as well as the creation of the "ResearchBase.eu" ICT Netowork... for Researchers' online cooperation", and the development of a "Dissemination" Network between leading Newspapers and EU-wide Media "coming together to bring to their readers the most Interesting,  Innovative and Forward-looking Ideas",; on "today's challenges", "coming from the Best European Research".

    This obviously leaves a large space still Open for "EuroFora"'s Complementary approach, (which is obviously larger, encompassing potentially all main EU Decisions of interest to EU Citizens, but naturally includes key Science/Innovation issues of obvious Economic, Social and/or Ethical interest to all Europeans), concering EU Citizens Direct and interActive Participation to Regular EU-wide Debates areas before and after the most important EU Decisions affecting their Lives and Future, (Comp. supra, and "EuroFora/EIW"s 1997-2007 initial, original project, as already presented officially to EU Commission in Brussels as early as since a 1997 draft project submitted together with other experienced EU/CoE Journalists, ("EIW" initial project), that we highlighted also (after its revival became obviously Topical, and more Needed than ever, since the 1999-2004 Majority Abstentions to EU Elections, and the 2005-2007 "No" to 3 Euro-Referenda in France, the Netherlands and Ireland, etc), at a 2006 EU Parliament's Press Conference in Strasbourg, as well as in Letters send to main Political leaders since 2007, including "EuroFora"s 2007-2010 Website, etc.
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    Speaking later with "EuroFora", the Executive Director of "Atomium Culture", Erika Widegren, positively considered that, "if it's in line" with AC's declared aims, helping to "raise Awareness" on EU Science and Innovation potential, "we (AC)'d be Glad to collaborate" with "EuroFora"'s original News and Debates complementary project, particularlmy "to disseminate" such Ideas,  not only before, but also after the forthcoming October 2010 EU Innovation Summit. (+ Brief Updated Addition of 31/5/2010 : See brief specific Text on that particular point).
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    In fact, the best Analysis of current EU Needs on Science/Innovation and of a Strategy able to help find Efficient Solutions in the foreseeable Fuure, was presented in EU Parliament in Strasbourg by "Atomium Culture"s Honorary President, the experienced former EU Convention Chairman, former French EU President, the Academician Valery Giscard d' Estaing :     

After dressing a Critical but Positive overall view of EU's current Problems and Potential, often presented as a "Crisis" in Economic-Monetary EuroZone issues, amidst the Global Financial Crisis, but also in a Gap between EU Institutions and EU Citizens, (See other, relevant "EuroFora"'s NewStory, specifically consecrated to VGE's deeply penetrating observations on EU's Economy and Institutions), Giscard focused on today's challenges on the relations between EU Science, Economy and Society :   

 - "in this Wider Context, it's easy to understand that one of the great  Lacunas in the European System is that we didn't develop enough its "Internal Tissue", (internal Social Fabric).  

 -  "Social, Intellectual and Scientific fabrics continued to Co-Exist, side by side, somewhat better, but without creating a common tissue, VGE observed from the outset.     

- "And, if we don't make enough efforts there now, the Competition in the forthcoming Years or Decades will be totally won by those Countries who will pursue major Scientific and Technologic Developments", he warned.

 
     - "F. ex. at a recent meeting with a Chinese Think-Tank consulted by the Chinese Government, they warned me that EU risks to lose the race before 2040, if we look at the Proportion of what is devoted intellectually in (EU) Universities and Labos for the Progress of Science and Technology now, compared with what happens in other major players in the World, there is a risk to delay so much, that it could become very difficult to catch up later..

     - But, "Europe was, from its Origins, the Greatest Concentration of Cultural, Intellectual and Scientific Ideas in the History of Humanity"... "There are there, (in addition to EU's Greco-Roman, Judeo-Christian a.o. roots) also Polish, Italians,  Spanish, Dutch, (German), Brittish, French, etc.
"And this represents a considerable European Potential", Valery Giscard d'Estaign optimistically reminded.

    - "It's by taking all that in consideration, that ...I invite you to participate, encourage and cultivate ...exchanges of views ...in the Time and Space required by Intelligence"; VGE concluded, launching an appeal particularly to EU Parliament's President, Jerzy Buzek, and EU Commissioner on Science, Research and Innovation, Maire Geoghan-Quinn, but also to various other Top MEPs, University Experts, Business' Executives, National and EU-wide Media (including "El Pais", "EuroFora", etc), and other key participants to "Atomium Culture"s 2010 Conference at EU Parliament in Strasbourg.

    - In particular, "what is interesting in (the "Atomium Culture" Project) is that this concerns something which ignores (National) Borders, and extends throughout all the EU without any preference on these or those borders, but it points at the entire European System as such". So, "this Project corresponds to one of the major Lacunas of the situation (existing) in Europe today", VGE noted in his speech.

    - "Scientific Research and Innovation aren't among the issues often seen at most Mass Media headlines, but they certainly are the most important questions for Europe's Future, he stressed.

    - "Our aim is to make known the best achievements in Scientfic Research, mainly by Publications to the Media, in order to inform both EU Citizens and Enterprises". F.ex. creating also 2 on-line Networks, between the 120.000 Scientific Researchers of Partner Universities, Media and Enterprises.

    At the beginning, this doesn't have to disperse action to all European Universities, but to start by focusing on EU's Best Universities, from the point of view of Science, Research and Innovation. In parallel, we'd better focus also on serious Media, favorable to Publications on Science, and whose Readers are interested not only by Football, but have an Intellectual curiosity in European Science and Technology, adding also "Quality" to their influence : A Media Network which should be further completed.
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    + This should also include fex. research on Demography, still considered as "Tabu", because many problems of nowadays' World are, in fact, directly or indirectly, provoked by a Demographic Boom" in the 20th Century : F.ex. Raw Materials (including Energy) scarcity wouldn't emerge if the Population had been kept at the level of almost 1 Billion 600 Milions of People who lived at the begining of the 20th Century. The problem of natural Waste, which is proportional to the Population, is growing according to its augmentation. Moreover, there is a well-known relation between Economic Growth rate and Population Demographic growth : F.ex. in some big Countries, as China, the earlier restrictions on 1 Child have been recently watered down, while in the EU and elsewhere there is an opposite trend", (towards less kids), VGE added.
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    - In conclusion, Giscard praised the European Platform "Atomium Culture", which is destinated to work "in a purely European space, focusing on Excellence", with the "aim to help create a Network of direct links and relations between the Best Universities, Media and Innovative Enterprises, in a Trans-Border way".

    Significantly, VGE said that at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, in a meeting focused on the need to develop Europe's Historic Scientific, Cultural and Technologic Innovation Potential, as a New Fabric for European Society and the Winning recipe in the galoping World Competition in the next Years and Decades, while also expressing his belief that     EuroZone Countries have the capacity and the Responsibility now to launch the Economic Governance which was already expected since the Creation of Euro Currency. (See other, specific "EuroFora"s NewStory).
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      An Historic "Anecdote", described by "Atomium Culture"' President, Michelangelo Baracchi-Bonvicini, (who apparently inspired himself from today's discussions on Climate Change and Global Warming, etc), resumed its concrete approach : - Back in 1898, World's 1st Urban Planning Conference at New York, went desperate about problems of "Horse manure", denounced by London Times, which estimated that, "by 1950 every street in the city would be buried 9 feet deep in horse manure", with "s public health and sanitation crisis of almost unimaginable dimensions looming. And no possible solution could be devised", because "Horses were absolutely essential.. for transportation" then.   

 However, only 2 or 3 years larer, motorised "Cars started to be distributed at the beginning of the 20th century and eliminated that problem altogether... BUT ..it was not sufficient to invent it: First a Change in Mentality was needed", in order to change transport habits, and to convince the Banks to fund Cars : Even in the USA, back in 1907, the Morgan Bank ..refused to finance a man who, imagining the future, wanted to open a Car Factory: the man who requested the loan –and who subsequently after a lot of difficulty found another bank- was William Durant, founder of General Motors !", Bonvicini denounced.                    

 Today, for "a gradual Change in Mentality that Europe and the Europeans ..towards Research and its importance", EU needs "a stronger and more dynamic cooperation between the different sectors of the knowledge society and ...the leading institutions of civil society, without passing through the governments".  Thus "is only the Chance ..to begin to act starting ...with a different Mentality that goes beyond the national and sectoral interests for a common European good", he concluded.