Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013
505. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the parameters of the discussions held with Ministerial colleagues at the Informal Competitiveness Council meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania on 23 and 24 July 2013; if he will detail any agreements reached; if he will provide an update on matters discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37413/13]
View answerEach EU Presidency usually convenes an informal Competitiveness Council meeting. No decisions are taken at these meetings but they provide Ministers with an opportunity to discuss current policies and issues in greater detail than is possible at formal Council Meetings and with contributions from external experts.
My colleague, the Minister for Small Business, Mr John Perry, T.D., attended the Informal Competitiveness meeting of Internal Market and Industry Ministers in Vilnius on 23 July 2013. A senior official of the Department represented my colleague the Minister for Research and Innovation, Mr Sean Sherlock, T.D., at the Informal meeting of Ministers for Research on 24 July 2013.
The theme for EU Internal Market and Industry Ministers meeting was the Modernisation of Public Administration, especially digitalising of public procurement, as a means to foster competitiveness in Europe.
The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Economy of Lithuania, Mr. Evaldas Gustas. The European Commission was represented by the Vice-President and Commissioner in charge of Industry and Entrepreneurship, Mr Antonio Tajani, and Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, Mr Michel Barnier. Keynote speakers included officials from the Commission and the OECD. During the meeting Ministers broke into three parallel break-out sessions and discussed Smart Procurement, Transparency and Accountability of State-owned Enterprises and SMEs: the Application of the Think Small First Principle.
Minister Perry chaired the break-out session on Smart Procurement which included e-procurement and the stimulation of innovative procurement. Ministers discussed how end-to-end e-procurement integrates all phases of procurement from the electronic publication of notices to electronic payment. It can maximize the efficiency of public expenditure and become a new source of economic growth. The procurement of innovative products and services was also discussed as a key driver of the modernisation of the public sector. Minister Perry also reported back to the Council plenary meeting on the outcome of the discussions held in the break-out session.
During the break-out session on state-owned enterprises (SOEs), Ministers stressed the economic importance of SOEs and maintaining competitiveness. Ministers agreed that it would be useful for the Member States to share recent experiences of SOE reform. During the break-out session on SMEs, Ministers underlined that public administrations have to be responsive to the needs of SMEs. Member States were invited to apply an SME test in legislation and to simplify business licensing procedures. The topic for the lunchtime debate focused on female entrepreneurship as source of economic growth and new jobs. Women make up 52 per cent of all the European population but they account for only one third of self-employed people or those starting new business in the EU. Ministers discussed measures to promote women’s entrepreneurship, creativity and innovative capacity.
The second day of the Informal Competitiveness Council on 24 July 2013 discussed research and innovation policy items which focused on the necessary skills required to be able to serve science and innovation in the future. The discussion was guided by a paper from the Lithuanian Presidency based on the type of future skills required, national level initiatives and measures at European level. The Ministers also discussed skills mapping, skills development and skills matching.
The meeting was chaired by Lithuanian Minister of Education and Science, Mr Dainius Pavalkis, and the European Commission was represented by European Commissioner for Research and Innovation, Ms. Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.
Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn addressed the Council on the subject of the greater role of Horizon 2020 in skills development and the short-term need to address unemployment, particularly of young people at European level. Dr. Donald Dingwell, Secretary General, European Research Council, moderated the ensuing Council discussion. Ireland made the following points:
- There is a clear need not only to increase the availability of researchers but to enhance their skills to meet European targets for EU 2020 and the European Research Area, particularly in the areas of knowledge transfer and exchange and in innovation and entrepreneurship;
- While across Europe there is a widespread level of activity and a growing number of examples of training schemes at doctoral level, there is also a need for skills training for more established researchers;
- Horizon 2020 will play an important role in meeting Europe’s needs for appropriately skilled researchers; the agreement reached between the institutions on the increased budget for Marie Curie Actions in Horizon 2020 is welcome;
- Another element to support meeting Europe’s needs for skilled researchers is addressing recruitment, selection, careers and promotion issues. The work of the Steering Group on Human Resources and Mobility on these issues has been valuable in analysing the problems arising, identifying best practices and fostering mutual exchanges and learning among Member States and Associated Countries on these issues;
- Euraxess plays an important role in supporting researcher mobility and careers.
The Council concluded that there was a clear need, not only to increase the availability of researchers, but to enhance their skills to meet European targets for EU 2020 and the completion of the European Research Area, particularly in the areas of knowledge transfer and exchange, and in innovation and entrepreneurship. While across Europe there is a widespread level of activity and a growing number of examples of training schemes at doctoral level, there is also a need for skills training for more established researchers. In that regard, Horizon 2020 will play an important role in meeting Europe’s needs for appropriately skilled researchers.
