Sir, Regarding ‘Regional ‘stars’ rewarded for innovative projects‘: The EU’s integrated ‘innovation chain’ has never been complete and therefore will never work. For if we have a broken link in any connected chain or necklace, it will always inextricably fall to the ground. The only way to fix that link is to connect the two [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘Brussels pushes for electric cars‘: Eurobat, the association of European storage battery manufacturers, supports the main themes of the Commission’s communication of 28 April 2010 on clean and efficient vehicles. Our members represent all major manufacturers and are up to the challenge to serve this fast growing market. They will continue to contribute [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘Stone centre teaches old hands new tricks in Spain‘: I was really happy to read about the Andulusian stones of Spain and the technology centre. I think it would be good if representatives of the centre were to come to my country, hire a hall and speak about their work. They may get [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘Electric cars push needs’careful thinking’‘ The discussion about electric cars is very narrow. Many people around the world question the Western lifestyle, with its huge mobility and huge consumption of energy, including fuel for the transport sector. Any action should start with questioning transport ‘needs’ and look at how we can maintain essential [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘EU to convene ‘sub-group’ of innovation commissioners‘: Convening a subgroup of innovation commissioners is an interesting idea. But I think important organisations like the European Patent Office (which has been successfully dealing with intellectual property for over 30 years now) should be invited around the table. Patrick Bodart Principal Director European Patent Office

Sir, Regarding ‘Lawmakers rethinking EU stance on China‘: On 29 April, [European Commission] President [José Manuel] Barroso will travel to China with an impressive delegation of commissioners and high-level delegates. Apart from celebrating the opening of the World Expo, this visit is a good opportunity to present European concerns and ambitions towards the second-largest economy [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘Creative cities at centre of EU 2020 goals, says Barroso‘: The EU will never excel in the innovation stakes when compared to its eastern counterparts. The reason for this is that they take innovation far more seriously than the EU. For the only real way that the EU can ever excel over the [...]

Sir, Most countries in Central, East and Southeast Europe emerged from the trough of the crisis at the end of 2009. Several leading indicators point to a modest upswing. All countries in the region will only begin to grow again by 2011. Growth may accelerate slightly in 2012, but will in general be slower than [...]

Open letter to Commissioner Andor on a youth dimension in the EU 2020 strategy I would like to draw your attention to youth unemployment problem across Europe. Close to six million young Europeans are not able to find a job and thus earn a living. This depicts a dangerous trend and all efforts should be [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘EU innovation ‘manifesto’ turns spotlight on funding and skills‘: The idea of expanding the ‘scale and ambition’ of the European Union’s structural funds towards strengthening investment in research and knowledge is in itself excellent and necessary. However, one must be careful to make sure that the structural funds are invested directly in science [...]