Friday 26 February 2010

Commission innovation: Critical questions in their own documents

When I read EU communications or information notes like this one regarding "A public-private partnership on the Future Internet", I always have questions: What does all that mean? Does anyone care? Has anyone any idea what these things are you are talking about?

So I am grateful that the Commission has moved, with the note linked above, to a development stage where it raises the questions on its own. I'm sure one could extend this strategy by putting critical questions after every bureaucratic sentence welcoming the unimportant declaration XYZ and the forgotten strategy ABC.

But so far, I am glad with this start:
"3. Industrial and innovation dimension - The European Commission encourages industry-academia partnerships sharing research roadmaps. (does someone know what the last four are ?) For instance five European Technology Platforms are currently active in coordinating among their constituency Future Internet-related technologies and systems."
To repeat the question: "Does someone know what the last four are?" - Answers are welcome, maybe we can help the Commission answering its own pertinent questions in its own information documents...

PS.: I suppose that this is an internal comment not deleted in the final document. But it's great to see that internally these questions are raised - it's just sad that nobody cares.