EU leaders give nod to European technology institute
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
European leaders gathering in Brussels on March 23 for the 2006 spring summit gave a cautious go-ahead to the concept of a European technology institute (EIT). They now plan to ask the European Commission to draft firm proposals by the end of the Austrian presidency on how the EIT should be managed and financed. The EIT is the Commission's proposed new flagship for excellence in higher education, research and innovation. Its aim is mainly to help Europe improve in translating R&D results into commercial opportunities. This is particularly critical in the medtech field, where a glance at the US in comparison shows that the EU is very active in research, but is failing to maximise the potential of its research outcomes through product development.