Electronic invoicing and a renewed innovation system to boost European competitiveness

Networked Business and Government - Something Real for the Lisbon Strategy - a two-day conference that ended on Tuesday, 24 October in Helsinki attracted a total of almost 200 specialists from the public sector, research institutes and businesses of various EU countries.

Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen emphasised in his speech that the conference was important both because of its theme and its timing: one of the main issues at the Lahti Summit held last Friday was the EU's innovation policy. Prime Minister Vanhanen urged the conference to consider proposals for concrete measures to promote the union's innovation policy.

Implementation of the Single Euro Payments Area, introduction of a European-wide electronic invoicing system and participation of the SME sector in the development of digitalisation were highlighted in the speeches and debates as key concrete measures contributing to European competitiveness. The relevance of public sector procurement in the development of innovative services and products was also emphasised.

The first concrete measure to reform the union's innovation system is the launch of a European Network of Living Labs during Finland's EU Presidency. In the Living Labs network, businesses, the public sector, research institutes and citizens cooperate to develop information society products and services and operating models related to innovation.

As in the Lahti Summit, this conference also focused on the role of European-wide open standards and copyrights as regards European innovativeness. 

On the basis of the conference, a Helsinki Manifest aiming to develop European competitiveness will be drafted and published on 20 November at the Dipoli Congress Centre in Espoo, Finland, in connection with the launch of the European Network of Living Labs. The Helsinki Manifest is to be submitted to the forthcoming EU Presidencies and to the European Commission. The Manifest will be prepared in close cooperation with the Commission and representatives of the Member States.

The conference organised as part of the official programme of Finland's EU Presidency focused on cooperation between public and private sectors, digitalisation of business, enhancing productivity, reform of the innovation system, and information society development in public administration. 

Attendants of the conference had an opportunity to affect the preparation of the Helsinki Manifest through three online votes that utilised Response - the wireless audience response and voting system. The audience chose their own favourites among the concrete measures to boost European competitiveness proposed by the speakers.

The conference was organised in cooperation with the Finnish Government Information Society Programme, the Center for Knowledge and Innovation Research (CKIR) of the Helsinki School of Economics, the European Commission and several businesses.

Further information:
Katrina Harjuhahto-Madetoja, Programme Director, tel. +358 9 1602 2363 and
Susanna Hyvärinen, Programme Coordinator, tel. +358 9 1602 3405, Government Information Society Programme, Prime Minister's Office