On June 20, 2013 a panel meeting of the working group “Innovative Development As Global Priority” took place at the summit of “Business Twenty” (B20) in the frameworks of the SPIEF. The meeting was leaded by the chairman of the group, President of the Skolkovo Foundation Viktor Vekselberg.
At the meeting the group discussed the recommendations that were entered today in the “Green Book” – it is this book that will become the basis for the “White Book” which will be presented to the political leaders of G20 countries.
Participating in the discussion were co-chairmen of the group: President and CEO of “Schneider Electric” Jean-Pascal Tricuar, Head of research programmes of Johnson & Johnson, Board Co-chairman of the pharmaceuticals department of Johnson & Johnson Paul Stoffals, ENEL Director General Fulvio Conti, as well as Infosys co-founder and Board Chairman Chris Gopalakrishnan. The following participants also gave speeches: Ericsson Director General Hans Vestberg, President of the JSC “OMZ” Vadim Makhov, Alstom Director General Patrick Crone, Senior Vice-President of SAP Alex Atzberger, Intel Regional Director for Middle East, Turkey and Africa Aysegul Ildeniz, Chairman of Council of Energy, Environment and Water Suresh Prabhu, Chairman of the Stolypin Center of Regional Development Nikolay Sluchevskiy, Novozymes President and CEO Peder Haalk Nilsen. The meeting was moderated by the Senior Vice-President of the Skolkovo Foundation Igor Drozdov.
The group saw its main task in offering efficient tools for stimulating innovations and giving powerful impulse to the development of the world economy and its steady growth. Participants came to the conclusion that huge work has been conducted in three directions, priority for the innovative development – energy, biotechnology and information and communication technologies.
Recommendations in the sphere of energy included suggestions on the functioning of free energy markets, development of energy efficiency through innovations and state support of new researches and developments as well as development of new models, including in the sphere of state-private partnerships. Attention was focused on establishment of optimal energy balance of countries in the conditions of increasing consumption volume: for various countries this can be natural gas or renewable energy sources.
In the sphere of healthcare and biotechnologies the group prioritized the necessity to increase duration of healthy life. Recommendations also included suggestion to re-orient state costs in the sphere of healthcare for development and implementation of innovative solutions. These costs must be perceived not as social load but as investments.
Sub-group of Informational and Communicational Technologies (ICT) suggested accepting the role of ICT as the catalyst of entrepreneurial initiatives and the most active creators of jobs; use the possibilities of integrated informational platforms with the aim of more efficient state management and in every way assist creation of universal broadband access – through new business models and corresponding regulatory system.
The main recommendation prepared by the Skolkovo Foundation which included all priorities of the working group was intellectual property. In this sphere the group suggests developing coordinated measures for balancing global approach to intellectual property with the aim of stimulating innovations and growth with consideration of interests of both developed and developing world. In particular, decrease of barriers in receiving and realization of rights for intellectual property and creation of tools for counteraction against monopolists on a global level – for improvement of global competition at innovative markets.
Group chairman, President of the Skolkovo Foundation Viktor Vekselberg stated:
“In Russia there is a very constructive dialogue being formed between the authorities and business, this gives me the confidence that those recommendations we have created will be heard by the leaders of the Great Twenty countries. I hope they will be implemented in concrete actions and agreements which the world economy needs so much today. It will be easy for Russia to present a consolidated position of the group because many recommendations already find practical application in our country. We highlight the main directions for consolidation of efforts but between the lines it is also clearly declared what we do not support – any form of national protectionism. All tools aimed at protection of a national economy lead to nowhere. Transparence, openness, cooperation in the framework of international institutions, expansion of free trade zones – these are the elements that create the basis for dialogue. We continue making changes and accentuating recommendations for the “White Book”. And I am sure that our cooperation won’t end here, consultation mechanism will be transformed into a permanent forum for solution design on innovative development – solutions the whole world needs today.”
Business Twenty (B20) is an informal union of business associations, cooperating with the aim of supporting a continuous dialogue between the business community, governments of the G20 countries and international institutions. In 2012 Viktor Vekselberg was offered to establish a target group on priorities of development of innovation and become its chairman. The group began its work on December 12, 2012. Co-chairmen of the group are: Infosys Co-founder and Board Chairman Chris Gopakakrishnan; Schneider Electric President and CEO Jean-Pascal Tricuar; Head of research programmes of Johnson & Johnson, Board Co-chairman of the pharmaceuticals department of Johnson & Johnson Paul Stoffals and ENEL Director General Fulvio Konti.