Comment Neelie (Kroes)

Making speeches talk

Comment Neelie
[...] I want to show procurement agencies across Europe the benefits of buying innovative technologies, even before they hit the market. Show them how they can save taxpayers' money – and stimulate a new generation of technology leaders at the same time.
47.8, 10.2833 - Dietmannsried GERMANY
Alexander Adolf
"before they hit the market" is an important aspect (IMHO), which seems to be missing from all the other statements in this section. Of course politics wants to invest in products. This is the safest bet for keeping the money in the market for as long as possible and the easiest to quantify (and therefore justify) the success by counting the jobs it created. With all due respect, but this might be seen as short sighted to some extent. Industry has let go of all 10-year research plans, and is focussing on quarterly reporting and shareholder value. Folks like those at Apple and Google didn't become successful by focussing on quarterly reporting. They have a long term vision. This is where I perceive a lack in the EU. Our parents dreamt of flying cars; and all we got was 140 characters? We need an environment where it becomes possible to get big things done. This (big things done) is where EU has excelled in the past and has a competitive edge (for cultural reasons). We should try to leverage on that.
Alexander Adolf, 25/09/2012 21:14