Est. 1min 11-02-2002 (updated: 05-11-2012 ) Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: Français | DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram The President of the European Commission, Mr Romano Prodi, has called on Europe to capitalise on its strong academic and fundamental research capabilities by improving the cross-border diffusion of innovation. Mr Prodi spoke of the ‘rebirth of the entrepreneur’ and of the EU’s efforts to address the barriers to entrepreneurship, and the gap between the EU and the US in this area. Read more with Euractiv EU Member States call for reform of agricultural policy before enlargementThe Netherlands and Denmark have indicated their desire to negotiate the reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) before further enlargement. A mid-term review of the CAP, planned under Agenda 2000, is foreseen for the second half of 2002, and is to be followed by a thorough reform in the following years. Subscribe now to our newsletter EU Elections Decoded Email Address * Politics Newsletters BackgroundDuring a speech in Spain, where he received an honorary degree, Mr Prodi stated that one of the causes of the poor dissemination of innovation is the lack of financial market integration and venture capital. He added that the absence of a Community patent discourages entrepreneurial companies from making innovations. He stated that schools and higher educational bodies should be used to teach values such as creativity, risk taking and responsibility. Mr Prodi added that national government requirements hamper the process and claimed that the Commission's economic mission is to "foster the construction of a vast and vibrant economic space supportive of entrepreneurship". In the run-up to the March 2002 Barcelona European Council, the European Commission convened a meeting of its Enterprise Policy Group, a high-level advisory group to the Commission. Much of the discussion also centred on the role of entrepreneurs and small businesses as engines of growth and innovation. They did this because, according to recent Commission studies, regulatory complexity, dissuasive tax systems, rigid labour markets and lack of recognition of the social contribution of business continue to hamper the development of small, innovative businesses with growth potential.
