ISSN 1022-6559 8 April 1996 The contents of this bulletin are based on RTD-News, updated every day, and other CORDIS databases. DEBATING INNOVATION CONFERENCES TO DISCUSS COMMISSION GREEN PAPER The European Commission is organizing a series of conferences, to be held in all European Union Member States, plus Iceland and Norway, to fuel debate on the recently-published Green Paper on Innovation. The conferences will provide an opportunity for local ■ Promote innovation and absorption of new technoparticipants in the Innovation process, particularly logies by SMEs, in particular at regional level; businesses, to make their views known. Comments ■ Adapt the role and modalities of public action and opinions arising from the conferences, together regarding innovation. with other reactions to the Green Paper, will be taken Plan of action into account by the Commission in the formulation of an action plan. The innovation issue is expected to be raised by European Commission President, Jacques Santer, at All seventeen conferences will be held during the next the European Council to be held in Florence, Italy, on few weeks, so that their conclusions will be available 2122 June 1996. The Council of Research Ministers by the 10 May deadline set by the Commission for will also have an opportunity to see the Commission's reactions to the Green Paper. Each conference will outline plans at its meeting in June 1996.