Tag: eco-innovation

Car manufacturers will receive "recognition" if they fit their new cars with approved 'eco-innovations' under legislation adopted by the European Commission yesterday (25 July).

European companies will remain world leaders in developing green technologies even in times of economic recession, but Europe must work on attracting more venture capital to bring these products to the market, business leaders told a European Business Summit session last week.

Concluding a four-month stakeholder forum in Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced a raft of new measures, including a freeze on the construction of new roads and airports as well as a moratorium on new GMOs.

In January 2004 the Commission launched an action plan to stimulate the development and use of environmental technologies. The action plan aims at removing financial, economic and institutional barriers to the development of environmentally friendy technologies. The Commission sees it as a bridge between the EU's sustainable development strategy and the Lisbon agenda.

Stimulating the competitiveness of SMEs, fostering and promoting eco-innovation, energy efficiency and renewables, and accelerating the process leading to a fully-fledged information society are the objectives of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme 2007-2013.

EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas exchanged views with top business leaders and academics on how to turn green investments into profits.