Guide Booklet - Knowledge4Innovation

Conference Sessions - Brussels
“Transatlantic Innovation Cooperation in a Globalized World”
11 October, 19h45 – 21h30, European Parliament, Brussels
Facing global competition and emerging economic powers, the US and EU 27 have to reassess their
efforts in order to maintain their lead in innovation. The high-level dinner debate on the ‘Transatlantic
Innovation Cooperation in a Globalized World’ will discuss how and in which innovation related areas the
United States and Europe should cooperate and why improved cooperation will be beneficiary for both
sides.
As the title suggests, Europe and the United States must join forces in a robust free-trade alliance in part
to increase commercial linkages, where better cooperation can be achieved, but also to preserve the
principles of international trade on fair and free competition and put pressure on strategies that harm
global prosperity, coming particularly from Asia. United States and EU 27 are like-minded countries committed
to the principles of free and fair trade and cooperation is needed in fostering constructive innovation
policies that promote a sustainable economy.
While aiming for a better and fairer international trading system is a very important principle, it is not
enough. Both Europe and the United States need to ensure that their domestic policies do a much better
job of supporting innovation, productivity and competitiveness. They should also work together in some
economic sectors, where better results can be attained through a transatlantic effort.
Traditional alliances between EU member states and the US should be revived and fostered. The international
approach towards the pursuit of economic growth must change and countries should embrace
views that are sustainable in the long-term and that do not distort global competition. Europe and the
United States should work together towards achieving these common goals and setting the right standards.
During the dinner debate, high level representatives from politics and private sector will discuss
how both EU and US can benefit more by fostering cooperation in innovation and in which areas this cooperation
is needed and desirable. Practical examples of cooperation projects and flow of knowledge as
an essential condition for supporting large-scale innovation and research projects will be also presented.
Issues
• ‘Innovation Union’ vs. ‘Start-up America’: different approaches, similar results?
• Strengthened EU-US innovation cooperation - a key to addressing mega-challenges.
• Cooperation has to be balanced and based upon mutual trust, interest, and benefit.
• Examples of successful major new programmes between EU and US.
• Neither export-led growth strategies nor sole reliance on emerging high-technology industries are
the path to sustainable economic growth. It is ‘innovation economics’, which holds that the path to
higher incomes lies in raising productivity by boosting innovation in all firms and all sectors.
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