“More science in politics”

From the ageing population through to climate change: according to Dekkers, innovations are urgently needed in order to address the current most important challenges. Innovation also plays a decisive role for international competitiveness. As an example, he cited China: since 2000, China has increased its share in scientific publications in the field of chemicals from 7 percent to 28 percent. He warned that Europe must not rest on its laurels: “We cannot allow ever more technologies to be lost to other regions”.

In addition, Dekkers underlined that public scepticism vis-à-vis new technologies is growing in Europe. Companies must work to counter this scepticism: “We in industry have a duty to take public fears seriously and convince people of the advantages of innovations”.

Dekkers believes that policy-makers also have a duty. Even if innovation was ultimately generated in laboratories and companies, the key to success was still above all an innovation-friendly environment: “Scientific progress and technological innovation must go hand in hand with an appropriate degree of regulation.” To make innovation the top priority, an “innovation principle” must be integrated in the European legislative process: it must in future be verified whether new regulation has the effect of inhibiting innovation. “The precautionary principle should be complemented with the innovation principle. That would enable better regulation and more innovation.”