May 23, 2002

The Commission of the European Communities has released its "Life sciences and biotechnology - a strategy for Europe" report to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. The Commission, together with the Council, was asked by the European Council in Stockholm in March 2001 to "examine measures required to utilize the full potential of biotechnology and strengthen the European biotechnology's sector's competitiveness" as a knowledge-based economy.

The EU proposes in the report a strategy for Europe to benefit from the positive potential of life sciences and biotechnology, to ensure proper governance, and to meet Europe's global responsibilities.

In addition, the Commission also recommends a 30-point action plan of concrete measures by the Commission and the Community, as well as recommendations for other public and private actors. These include the following:

• Investing in people by strengthening a broad education and understanding of life sciences, as well as developing a skilled workforce,
• Enhancing support for research, technological development, demonstration and training activities,
• Creating self-sustaining networks of biotech company managers,
• Creating a strong, harmonized and affordable European intellectual property protection
  system,
• Strengthening the capital base for the biotech industry,
• Supporting a commercial biotechnology web portal for Europe.

The full report is available at
http://europa.eu.int/comm/biotechnology/pdf/policypaper_en.pdf