Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, is demanding that Europe improve upon its climate technology efforts. He wants the EU to remain a world leader in the climate technology field.

“Implementation of our climate and energy package will unleash a new wave of eco-innovation, as the most dynamic firms compete to be first on the market with the low-carbon technologies of the future,” Barroso said about the commission’s January proposal about a new climate and energy policy for the EU.

“European industries must seize this opportunity with both hands,” he said. “I really believe that in that matter the Americans are doing a lot. And if we in Europe don’t move at least as quick as they are doing, we will discover that we will lose what we can call the ‘first mover advantage’.”

Barroso believes that there will also be great economic benefits for the EU if they go ahead with this plan. Innovation, research and business are what put the EU on top, he said, and it will take even more to keep them there.

via eu observer