Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRUSSELS1031
2009-07-28 14:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
USEU Brussels
Cable title:  

EU MEMBER STATES APPEAR EXCITED ABOUT NBT, EVEN IF

Tags:  ECON EIND ENRG EUN EWWT KGHG SENV TPHY TRGY 
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VZCZCXRO8340
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDF RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHIK RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA
RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHBS #1031 2091443
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281443Z JUL 09
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEU/EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BRUSSELS 001031 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EIND ENRG EUN EWWT KGHG SENV TPHY TRGY
TSPL
SUBJECT: EU MEMBER STATES APPEAR EXCITED ABOUT NBT, EVEN IF
THEY DO NOT KNOW IT EXISTS

REF: A. STOCKHOLM 202

B. STATE 64364

C. STOCKHOLM 399

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 001031

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EIND ENRG EUN EWWT KGHG SENV TPHY TRGY
TSPL
SUBJECT: EU MEMBER STATES APPEAR EXCITED ABOUT NBT, EVEN IF
THEY DO NOT KNOW IT EXISTS

REF: A. STOCKHOLM 202

B. STATE 64364

C. STOCKHOLM 399


1. (SBU) Summary. Sweden is moving forward with preparations
to move the One Big Thing (OBT) initiative, which exists
between Embassy Stockholm and the Government of Sweden to
promote development of green technology through R&D and
business partnerships, to the EU-level. Some Member States
are already interested in such an effort, proposing
comparable ideas without knowledge of the proposal to expand
OBT. This interest should lend to wide support within the EU
and to a successful launch. End summary.


2. (SBU) EU Member States, notably the new states since 2004,
appear to be prepared and anxious to work with the United
States on the Next Big Thing (NBT, a US proposal to highlight
and spur transatlantic cooperation on green technologies thru
the US-EU Energy Council, R&D cooperation and business
partnerships; see reftels),even though they have little or
no knowledge of the One Big Thing (OBT) in Sweden andduring the Swedish Presidenergy and environment offi Sweden for
the inform Environment Ministers od to USEU EconOff a des United Stld
deployment of new cle and in forming
busine@ps with U.Ss searchingfor additional foreign
investment and business-to-business partnerships. Both
Poland andSlovakia echoed the interest in partnerships
Qather than one-way transfers, with Poland sayin that its
companies want bilateral engagement with U.S. businesses to
work together to bringtechnologies available only in the
United States to Poland. Both Poland and Slovakia havea
wide range of interests, but both noted opportunities in
energy efficiency as the cheapestpath to a low-carbon
economy and in clean coa technologies.


4. (SBU) More advanced MemberStates are also interested in
new partnerships. Germany made clear that transatlantic
partnerships, both bilateral United States-Germany and United
States-EU efforts, are important to transforming economies.
Germany views both government-to-government and company
cooperative projects as beneficial. German officials
directly asked about U.S. plans to expand cooperation or to
initiate opportunities for new private business partnerships.
A Swedish WWF representative at the table then explained the
concept of OBT, which German officials immediately indicated
would be ideal to expand to Berlin. Finland separately also
noted interest in further partnerships, including on specific
issues such as biofuels cooperation.


5. (SBU) Comment. With Sweden,s apparent interest in
expanding OBT EU-wide, and the EU,s focus on developing
eco-efficient economies (the focal point of the Energy
Ministers, meetings),NBT should have wide support across
the EU. Several officials noted the public diplomacy
benefits in the run-up to Copenhagen and beyond in addition
to the mutual benefits of job creation and economic
transformation. Embassy Stockholm,s meeting with State
Secretary Altera will set the stage for next steps, and USEU
will engage, along with the Swedish Presidency in Brussels,
the European Commission. The expressed interest from several
Member States will form a strong nucleus around which NBT can
be developed. End comment.


6. (SBU) Embassy Stockholm cleared this cable.

CHASE
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