On 1 March 2011, the Department of Economy, Science and Innovation publishes its annual report. We have chosen a different approach. No traditional book, but an entire website for the 2010 annual report. You will learn more about it as from 1 March on www.ewi-vlaanderen.be.

The 2010 Entrepreneurship Action Plan is from now on online available for consultation. The action plan provides an overview of the measures within the Economy, Science and Innovation (EWI) policy area to support the entrepreneurship in Flanders. The action plan’s focus is on raising the awareness of entrepreneurs and guiding them during the first life phases of their company, that is the pre-start-up and the start-up phases.

On 31 December 2010 the Belgian Presidency came to an end, and the torch of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union was handed on to Hungary. The launch of the EU2020 strategy was the connecting thread throughout the Presidency, but Belgium and Flanders also focused on their own priorities. As a result of the rotation system, Flanders was spokesperson for Belgium in the European Councils of Ministers for Environment, Education, Youth and Sport and Fisheries. Ministers of the Flemish Government therefore acted as Belgian Chair, and also represented the joint position of the EU Member States at international top conferences. The Brussels Capital Region was responsible for research, and the Walloon Region for industry. Although the EWI Department did not act as spokesperson, it did organise and support numerous conferences and initiatives during the EU Presidency on policy themes that are important to the Flemish Government, such as science and innovation aimed at energy technology, knowledge based bio-economy, marine and maritime research, biodiversity and security research.

EWI organised, among other things, three highly attended and appreciated conferences with an impact on the European policy. The Knowledge Based Bio-Economy Towards 2020 conference has succeeded in giving a new impetus to bio-economic development in Europe, and will contribute to the new European Strategy and Action plan towards a sustainable bio-based economy by 2020 of the European Commission. The main results and conclusions of the conference were incorporated into the report The Knowledge Based Bio-Economy towards 2020 - Turning Challenges into Opportunities, which can be consulted or downloaded on www.kbbe2010.be . The formal presentation of the Ostend Declaration to Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, was the highlight of the EUROCEAN 2010 conference. The Ostend Declaration establishes the main lines of action for marine and maritime research and technology for the following decade, and challenges European policymakers to invest in it as well. More details are available on www.eurocean2010.eu. At the fourth conference on the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), more than 500 stakeholders from all over Europe have placed a strong emphasis on the sense of urgency of the plan’s implementation. The SET-Plan is indeed the European response to realise a low-carbon society by 2050. More info www.setplan2010.be.