Dear Ambassador,
Dear Jesper Svejstrup,
Dear guests,
Thank you for inviting me here today.
It is a pleasure for me to get opportunities like this to talk about European research and innovation.
The two main priorities of the Danish EU Presidency are a secure Europe and a competitive and green Europe.
And research and innovation play an absolutely crucial role in both ambitions.
In the world I grew up in – and this is probably true for many of you present here today – we believed that the liberal world order had fundamentally triumphed.
That the world was continuously moving towards more freedom, more openness, more democracy.
Now, everything seems to be a bit more up in the air. Alliances are more fragile. There is a war on our continent. Our democratic values are no longer self-evident.
Fundamentally, this means that Europe can no longer rely on others to come to our rescue when things are difficult. Whether it concerns gas for the radiator, microchips for the factory or protection against authoritarian regimes.
Our strategic autonomy is becoming increasingly important – not because we want to turn our back to the world. But because we want to and need to stand stronger in it. To take responsibility for our own security and future.
I’m reminded of a quote by Jacques Delors who was President of the European Commission from the mid 80’s to the mid 90’s.
He was a proud Frenchman, of course. But also European with a capital E. And in a speech at the College of Europe in Bruges in 1989 he said:
“Soyons assez puissants pour nous faire respecter et pour promouvoir nos valeurs de liberté et de solidarité.”
Or in English:
“Let us be powerful enough to command respect and to promote our values of freedom and solidarity.”
This is what we talk about when we talk about competitive power and strategic autonomy.
Since the Second World War, we have worked to create some of the best societies in the world. Societies built on democratic values.
Societies that respect the freedom of the individual. Societies that take care of its people’s needs.
Modern Europe was built on freedom, trading, democracy and human rights.
This is what we are protecting. This is why we need to get stronger.
And it will require hard work.
If we are to compete on a global scale, we need absolute top research to do so. And we cannot achieve that without the ERC.
For almost 20 years the ERC has delivered significant results and granted incredible opportunities to some of the brightest minds in Europe. It has become a brand we can all be proud off.
And I think we are extra proud in Denmark as the idea for the ERC was born during the Danish presidency back in 2002.
A grant from the ERC is a seal of approval. It opens up many doors for a researcher. And the ERC has quickly become a vital part of the research and innovation ecosystem of Europe.
Europe is privileged by having some of the world’s most talented researchers and innovators. There is an abundance of ideas across our continent. And this is key.
What we need to get better at is setting a direction.
More of our ideas and research results can and should be transformed into businesses and products that can compete on the market and make a difference.
That is also why I am particularly happy to see that France and Denmark are working closely to deliver European answers.
We have what it takes to keep Europe in the global tech race.
Because technology development is about mutual trust, partnerships and shared ideals.
Just recently, a new partnership was announced in Copenhagen at the Niels Bohr Institute. A European collaboration between Denmark and France to produce photonic chips. A step on the way towards making Europe the global leader in quantum technologies.
This is a great example of a journey from basic research to industrial capability. And what can happen when we fund basic research while also being deliberate and strategic.
It shows that we are the strongest when we work together across borders.
Much has been said about the times we live in. It is hard to stay calm when strong winds are shaking the very foundation of Europe.
But the storm has also blown open some doors that were previously closed.
We are again seeing politicians across Europe get their blue and yellow EU flags out of the drawer.
We are seeing an enormous willingness to cooperate and invest within the EU.
We are seeing consumer movements who want to support European businesses and products.
It is when the winds blow the hardest that the foundation must prove its strength.
And fortunately, all things suggest that the European foundation is quite strong.
The stakes in research and innovation have never been higher. It concerns the very future of our continent.
It is about everything we have built together. It is about who we are – and who we want to be.
And because of this we also need to safeguard the ideals of research.
Academic freedom and international research collaboration are increasingly affected by great power interests and political control.
We see this in China where academic freedom often gives way to ideological conformity.
Unfortunately, we also see it in the United States where political tensions and culture wars interfere with universities’ freedom to research and teach.
That is why it is so important that we do not take academic freedom for granted.
We must protect the values that form the basis of free research and free education.
It is the foundation for scientific integrity and public trust. I also believe it is a competitive advantage.
Europe is an attractive place for some of the world’s brightest minds, because we stand firm on our values.
Europe has a strong tradition of free thinking. We’ve had it since ancient Greece invented democracy. We’ve had it since the first university was founded in Bologna nearly a thousand years ago.
This is our legacy, and it cannot be overlooked.
When we invest in European research, it has to come with a shared vision for what research should be:
Free, independent and enlightening for society.
There are many challenges before us. But there is also a rare opportunity. An opportunity to stand taller in the world.
Europe has always been at its best when we dared to think big. When we held fast to our values even as the winds shifted. When we chose solidarity over division.
Our task now is not only to defend what we have achieved, but to shape the future. A future where research is free, innovation is bold, where businesses thrive.
And where freedom, democracy and human dignity are not just words, but lived realities.
If we can stay true to who we are, while having the courage to change what must be changed. Then Europe will not only endure these turbulent times – we will emerge stronger.
Thank you.