Strong presence in Brussels

Official inauguration of the DIL office on 17 March 2010

The DIL is pleased about the prominent visitors to its new rooms in the Belgian capital. Dr. Hans-Gert Pöttering, member of the European parliament and a former president of the European parliament congratulated the DIL on this forward-looking step. Dr. Reinhold Kassing, Erster Kreisrat (deputy county manager) of the country of Osnabrück and Vice-chairman of the supervisory board of the DIL, was impressed about the network the DIL is already taking advantage of after such a short time in Brussels.
 
“It is a good thing that the German Institute of Food Technologies is now represented in Brussels as well. This will facilitate the contact to the European institutions. The location of the office in the house of the German agriculture and food industry is especially important in order to represent the German interests on a mutual basis", said Dr. Hans-Gert Pöttering who on the occasion of the official inauguration also assured the DIL that he will further support the institute.
 
The DIL is active in Brussels since the end of 2009. One decisive factor for this step was that the European Commission had accepted HighTech Europe, the excellence network initiated and also coordinated by DIL. Combining competencies and expertise in food processing research, sharing research infrastructures and describing new ways for the transfer of knowledge are the goals of this network. Europe will be able to secure its global competitive edges in the long run only when its research society is strongly supported. The transfer of knowledge into innovative products and processes is no doubt of highest significance for the producing and export-oriented food industry. With an annual turnover of more than 900 billion euros, the European food and beverage industry is one of the most important industrial sectors in Europe.

The significance of European activities in research, development and innovations is growing in terms of awarding national budget moneys as well as in the distribution of European financial resources. Long-term goal of the EU member states is that 3% of the gross domestic product shall be invested in research and development. Under consideration of the EU budget plan 2014-2020 to be renegotiated, it is important to communicate one's areas of interest. The inauguration of the office was also a welcome occasion for Dr. Reinhold Kassing, Dr. Volker Heinz, head of the institute, and Ansgar Pohlmann of the society of economic development in the county of Osnabrück to meet and talk with representatives from the research commission, the commission for enterprises and industry as well as with representatives from the associations also present in the house of the German agriculture and food industry. “With its broad know-how for the food processing industry, not just the food-related tenders of the 7th EU research program are interesting for the DIL; it is also important to consider the research program “nanoscience and technology, materials and production technologies” and “information and communication technologies”. The support options from the competition and innovation program and from the European structural fonds are also open to the DIL”, explains Dr. Kerstin Lienemann from the DIL office Brussels. The DIL has already benefited from the latter one and will coordinate the network “Food Future” starting in May 2010 as “lead partner”. The INTERREG IV project Food Future is a cross-boarder network for the support of SMEs from the food industry located near the German-Dutch border with a total volume of 10.9 million euro.

Dr. Reinhold Kassing, 1. Kreisrat (deputy county manager) of the county of Osnabrück is positive that the DIL with its office in Brussels will also confirm the strong commitment of the institute to the region. Networks and rooms of the DIL office in Brussels can also be used by the county of Osnabrück. The DIL has proven already many times that it is able to recognize the signs of the times early. The step towards Brussels is a consistent step for the further development of the institute and for strengthening the region with its numerous food processing enterprises.
 
The DIL office is located in the house of the German agriculture and food industry, vis-à-vis the European Parliament. The office is shared with the Deutscher Bauernverband (DBV), Deutscher Raiffeisenverband (DRV), Gemeinschaft zur Förderung der privaten deutschen Pflanzenzüchtung und den Forschungskreis der Ernährungsindustrie (GFP/FEI), Verband der Landwirtschaftskammern (VLK), Landwirtschaftskammer Niedersachen, Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher Tierzüchter (ADT) and from 1 April with the Bundesverband der deutschen Süßwarenindustrie (BDSI), Bundesverband der obst-, gemüse- und kartoffelverarbeitenden Industrie (BOGK) and the Bundesverband der Deutschen Spirituosen-Industrie und Importeure (BSI).
 
The DIL office in Brussels will focus on the coordination of the 7 million euro network HighTech Europe with its 22 partners from 9 EU countries and Australia and also further the European and international representation of the DIL.

Contact:

Dr. Kerstin Lienemann
DIL Brussels Office
Rue du Luxembourg 47-51
B-1050 Brüssel
E-Mail : k.lienemann@dil-ev.de
Phone. 0032 473 523 692