Oldal 101 [101]
OCR
Ecological debt and sustainable development ] 99 proposals are fully aligned with the underlying principle of Europes new growth strategy: give back more than extract. c. A new European industrial and innovation strategy The EU’s new industrial strategy was born from the realisation that the emerging digital revolution stands as a defining opportunity for securing Europe future prosperity in the coming decades. By creating new products, services, markets, and business models, as well as shaping new types of jobs and new set of skills, the emerging digital technologies are changing the face of the entire industrial sector (European Commission 2020b). To establish the continents leading position in the coming era, the New Industrial Strategy for Europe aims to create a world-leading digital industry. Due to the Union's strong innovation capacity, the European industry already enjoys a global competitive advantage on high value-added products and services. But to preserve that advantage, the EU intends to further increase its research- and innovation-related investments. The Union strives not only to successfully adapt to the modern digital challenges, but also to become the accelerator and enabler of change and innovation in this field. Wisely utilising the potential of digital transformation could also strengthen the EU’s geopolitical position and help reaffirm its voice, uphold its values, and fight for its long-lived achievements at an international level. As the new industrial strategy asserts: this is about Europe’s sovereignty (European Commission 2020b, 1). CONCLUSIONS: LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE More than two decades have passed since the Union officially declared sustainable development as one of its primary objectives. Even though the EU has succeeded in many aspects, there is no reason for celebration. Despite all the efforts made in the past period, humanity is still not on the right track to achieve its sustainable development-related objectives. Moreover, the past two years have been marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a significant impact on every aspect of life from health care and environmental awareness to economic, social, and political stability. It has created an unprecedented global challenge which, in addition to its significant social consequences, has also resulted in a major economic shock for both the European and global economies. It threatens to affect decades of progress made on sustainable development. In order to alleviate the short-term damage in a way that supports and reinforces the already achieved results, in November 2020, the European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement on a historic recovery plan.
