25/04/2005

The exhibition of innovative products and services, entitled "Technology in the land and the sea", which was organised in Athens from 18 until 20 April 2005, was visited by the President of the European Commission Manuel Barroso. The exposition was organised by the Ministry for Development (General Secretariat of Research and Technology - GSRT, Special Secretariat for the Competitiveness) in the frame of events for the Year of Competitiveness 2005.

Mr Barroso, who was guided through the exhibition by the Minister for Development, Dimitris Sioufas, and the General Secretary for Research and Technology, Professor Ioannis Tsoukalas, was welcomed at the entrance of the exposition and greeted in English by the robot LEFKOS of the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas.

The exposition included exhibits of research and technology centres that are supervised by GSRT (Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Centre for Research and Technology-CERTH, Clothing Textile & Fibre Technology Development Company-CLOTEFI , Institute for Language and Speech Processing - ILSP, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas - FORTH, National Centre for Scientific Research ''DEMOKRITOS'', Centre for Renewable Energy Sources, National Observatory of Athens - NOA), as well as the National Agricultural Research Foundation - NAGREF (supervised by the Ministry for Rural Development and Food), the Hellenic Institute of Metrology (supervised by the Ministry for Development, General Secretary for Industry) and companies from the private sector.

At the entrance of Zappeio the visitors were "received" by the Submersible (THETIS), (with its robot), the first neutrino telescope in the world and the pontoon of the POSEIDON system. The exhibits that were presented are results of research and technology projects, realized in the frame of the Operational Programmes "Competitiveness" and "Information Society" (3rd CSF) and were co-financed by Community and national resources.

Mr Barroso stressed that in the frame of the Lisbon Strategy, the European Union gives particular accent in research, science and innovation, sectors that contribute to the growth of economy. He characteristically underlined: "I was happy to find out that Greece is already applying this very important priority that should be implemented in research methods. We should make Europe more competitive, we should invest more in science, research and innovation".

From his side, Mr Sioufas referred to the performance of Greek research centres and enterprises that collaborate between them and with research institutions in Europe, pointing out the need of linking research and technology with production. At the same time, he underlined, addressing to Mr Barroso, "You have seen tangible evidence of national resources but also Community resources being put to effective use".

Source: Ministry for Development