Varga indicated that Hungary, just like other EU member states, had in recent years taken measures to increase R&D spending "in line with the Lisbon Strategy". The minister's ambition is for his country to establish a "national innovation system" to become "the leader in Central and Eastern Europe".
Accordingly, he specified a number of areas where Hungary is strong in terms of innovation, taking the current crisis into account. "The key knowledge-based industry sectors that can represent the breakthrough points for us are in IT, the car and vehicle industry, the pharmaceutical industry and logistics," the minister said.
The instruments to achieve these goals are contained in the Economic Development Operational Programme (EDOP) of the New Hungary Development Plan (NHDP), which is co-financed from the EU's structural funds.
The minister also specified a number of EU programmes that have benefited these targets, notably the EUROSTARS and AAL ('Ambient assisted living', a programme drawing on information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve the quality of life of the elderly) initiatives.
EU needs 'real' innovation-friendly business environment
Varga argued that in the current economic turmoil, it is of "utmost importance" to keep R&D and innovation spending high on the agenda at EU level.
"I am convinced that in the long run, public and private investments in R&D and innovation are essential for helping economies to stabilise and get out of the crisis," he said.
In this context, he argued, further efforts are needed to create a "real" innovation-friendly business environment in Europe.
"The role of venture capitalists and seed capital are essential in this process," Varga noted, adding that "further reinforcement of co-operation between the state and the private sector, facilitating the growth of private capital's proportions" is also crucial.
Finally, the minister argued that "better coordination between EU member states firmly moderated by the European Commission" could "accelerate the process" of getting large pan-European projects from the preparatory stage to the global market.
