- 1 -
EU local and regional authorities contributing to the
Mid-term review of Europe 2020
Assessment of the Innovation Union flagship initiative
CDR5172-2013_04_00_TRA_TCD…/…
- 1 -
Three years after its launch, the Committee of the Regions will take stock of the Innovation Union flagship initiative at a conference to be held on 27 November 2013 in Brussels. This conference will be the seventh in a series of CoR events and monitoring initiatives surrounding the mid-term review of Europe 2020. More news on this conference can be found on the CoR website[1].
By participating in this survey, you will:
ensure that your views are taken into account in the debate held during the conference;
contribute to the CoR's consultative activity in this field over the coming months;
provide input to the CoR's contribution to the mid-term review of Europe 2020.
If you wish to participate in this survey, Please complete this questionnaire in any eu language, using the spaces provided, and return it in text format to:
by 27 September 2013
For more information on this survey and for details on how to join the
Europe 2020 Monitoring Platform, go to:
The questionnaire is available on this website in all official languages of the EU
You can find more information on Innovation Union, as seen from thelocal and regional authorities' viewpoint, in the Committee of the Regions' publication Delivering on the Europe 2020 Strategy Handbook for Local and Regional Authorities[2]. General information on Europe 2020 may be found on the strategy's official website[3].
Contributor information[4]
Name of sender: / Bastiaan de JongeContact details:
(address, telephone, email) / Luttenbergstraat 2, Zwolle, 038-4997526,
On behalf of:
(name of local or regional authority) / Overijssel Province
Type of organisation / City/Town/Municipality Region
County/Province Association of local and/or regional authorities
Other (please specify)
Country: / The Netherlands
Member of the EUROPE 2020 Monitoring Platform: / Yes No
Policy challenges and responses at regional and local level
BOX 1Innovation Union as specified in European Commission's Communication
The Innovation Union[5] was adopted in 2010, as an integral part of the Europe 2020[6]. The overall aim of this Flagship Initiative is to re-focus research and development (R&D) and innovation policy on the challenges facing our society, such as climate change, energy, health and demographic change. The Innovation Union is a crucial investment for our future. For example, it is estimated that achieving the target of investing 3% of EU GDP on R&D by 2020 could create 3.7 million jobs and increase annual GDP by €795 billion by 2025. The Flagship Initiative contains the following aims:
- In times of fiscal constraints, the EU and Member States need to continue to invest in education, R&D, innovation and ICTs.
- EU and national research & innovation systems need to be better linked up with each other and their performance improved.
- Education systems at all levels need to be modernised. Excellence must even more become the guiding principle. Researchers and innovators must be able to work and cooperate across the EU as easily as within national borders. The European Research Area must be completed.
- Access to EU programmes must be simplified and their leverage effect on private sector investment enhanced due to the fact that more innovation out of our research is needed. Cooperation between the worlds of science and the world of business must be enhanced, obstacles removed and incentives put in place.
- Remaining barriers for entrepreneurs to bring "ideas to market" must be removed: better access to finance, particularly for SMEs, affordable Intellectual Property Rights, smarter and more ambitious regulation and targets and faster setting of interoperable standards.
- European Innovation Partnerships should be launched.
- Strengths in design and creativity must be better exploited.
- Social innovation must be championed and better understanding of public sector innovation developed, identifying and giving visibility to successful initiatives.
- Better work with our international partners is needed. That also means adopting a common EU front where needed in international (trade) negotiations.
1) What type of policy programmes/actions are being implemented in your city/region in support of the policy goals of the Innovation Union (see Box 1)?
1.1. Investing in R&D, innovation and ICT (own resources, public-private partnerships, other sources…) / Policy programmes/actions contribution to this aim?
Yes No Don’t know
Brief description:
The aim of the 2012-2015 Regional Economy Core Task Implementing Framework, as set out in Chapter 4 'Increasing innovation in industry", is "to help boostOverijssel's (international) business competitiveness. We believe that making strong sectors stronger helps develop and drawin other sectors. Overijssel has an excellent starting position in four key sectors: High-Tech, Chemicals, Energy and Life Sciences/Health. This position translates into employment in the sector, added value, exports, investment in research and development and available knowledge. These strong regional clusters make a substantial contribution to the prosperity of Overijssel and are a major draw for foreign companies to set up in. Overijssel or to work in conjunction with companies inthe area.The provinceaims to ensuregreater added value through innovation in the high-tech industry. We also aim to strengthen the scientific position of Overijssel'skey sectors and to help businesses develop a moreinternational outlook."
In practical terms, this includes:
- Financing innovation one-stop shops. Kennispark [knowledge park],Kennispoort Zwolle [Zwolle Knowledge Port] and Stedendriehoek Innovates are the one-stop shops where entrepreneurs can go with their questions on innovation. These one-stop shops answer the business community and knowledge institutions' questions and, when necessary, provide support. Theseone-stop shops forinnovation forma link between business and the various intermediary organisations involved in innovation. They work together with the Oost NV development company, PPM Oost financial holding company, AgentschapNL and Syntens/Chamber of Commerce, among others.
- Open innovation centres. The province's contribution to management and vouchers for SMEs.
- Strengthen R & D infrastructure, through contributions to research facilities where the University of Twente and Saxion and Windesheim colleges work together with businesses (ECHO, XUV Optics, CMI) .
- Financing of business cases through loans and venture capital.
The province of Overijssel is also investing heavily in the construction of open Next Generation Access Networks in the white (outer) area (38,000 homes; 2,000 business addresses in outlying areas and 150 industrial estates) and in the development and implementation of socially-useful services in the fields of economics and rural policy, energy, mobility (youth)welfare and education.
1.2. Providing support to potential beneficiaries to access EU funds and participate in EU initiatives in the field of research and innovation / Policy programmes/actions contribution to this aim?
Yes No Don’t know
Brief description:
Innovation one-stop shops are places where (SME) entrepreneurs can go with their questions about innovation (including funding from EU programmes).
1.3. Encouraging the transformation and the use of the results of research projects in innovative products and services / Policy programmes/actions contribution to this aim?
Yes No Don’t know
Brief description:
TheOverijsselInnovation Fundis intended to generatebusiness cases. Thesebusiness casesarein practice oftenan extension of research projects.
1.4. Removing barriers for innovation, such as expensive intellectual property rights and limited access to finance / Policy programmes/actions contribution to this aim?
Yes No Don’t know
Brief description:
The Province of Overijssel intends to set up an innovation fund worth some EUR 42 million to remove the 'Limited access to finance’ barrier (especially for SMEs).
1.5. Participating in one of the European Innovation Partnerships / Policy programmes/actions contribution to this aim?
Yes No Don’t know
If yes, which one?
1.6. Stimulating social innovation / Policy programmes/actions contribution to this aim?
Yes No Don’t know
Brief description:
1.7. Cooperation with international partners in the field of research and innovation / Policy programmes/actions contribution to this aim?
Yes No Don’t know
Brief description:
The University of Twenteand a substantial number of(SME) companies are participating inthe Interregprogrammeand the 7thFramework Programme. One example is the EG-Liaison Knowledge Map ofJanuary 2011,showing thatorganisationsfrom the Twente Regionwere successfulin 134callsfor proposals(about 50% of all calls).
Othereducational and research institutionsasSaxion, NovayandRoessingR&Dare also well represented.
1.8. Encouraging innovation in the public sector[7] / Policy programmes/actions contribution to this aim?
Yes No Don’t know
Brief description:
Among other things, through innovation one-stop shops (including attention to launching customership), the platform for entrepreneurs in construction (Pioneering) where construction companies, public authorities and housing corporations work together on innovation in construction and the Overijssel Energy Fund, and also through the programme for ICT innovation in service activities.
2) One of the main targets of the Europe 2020 Strategy is to bring investments in R&D to 3% of EU GDP. This target is underpinned by several actions under Innovation Union. The latest Innovation Union Scoreboard[8] of the European Commission, a progress monitoring tool, shows that there are big differences in trends towards this target across the EU. Which of the following challenges would you consider as the most urgent to address?
Multiple answers possible
Under-investment in existing knowledge base (infrastructure, public research centres etc.);
Poor access to finance for innovative start-ups;
High costs of intellectual property rights (IPR);
Ineffective use of innovation possibilities offered by public procurement;
Fragmentation and costly duplication of projects and programmes;
No strategic approach to innovation at national level;
No real cooperation between research and industry, limited scale of bringing ideas to market;
So called 'brain-drain', best talents leaving Europe for opportunities elsewhere;
Other (please specify)
Pressing concerns (red tape, incompetent staff in key management posts, closed banking system, inadequate strategy, etc.)
BOX 2
Regional Policy contributing to smart growth in Europe
The Communication of the European Commission "Regional Policy contributing to smart growth in Europe 2020[9]" [COM(2010) 553] sets out the role of Regional Policy in implementing the Europe 2020 strategy,[10] in the area of smart growth and in particular the flagship initiative, Innovation Union.[11] The Communication calls on national and regional governments to develop smart specialisation strategies to maximise the impact of Regional Policy in combination with other Union policies. As a follow-up, in June 2011, the European commission launched an online platform with a set of tools, which can be used to optimize the development of local and regional smart strategies. The Smart Specialisation Platform (S³P) provides users with practical guidelines, examples, latest news and events as well as many other features. In the Communication document, the European Commission provided a non-exhaustive list of ideas, which regions could use to design their strategies:
1.Innovation clusters for regional growth
Clusters provide a favourable environment to foster competitiveness and drive innovation. Support for their development needs to be concentrated on areas of comparative advantage.
2.Innovation-friendly business environments for SMEs
Regional and national authorities should support innovation-friendly business environments to assist SMEs, R&D intensive ones especially, and the creation of new firms.
3.Lifelong learning in research and innovation
Focussing school, vocational and higher education curricula on transversal competences like creativity and entrepreneurship will help young people to develop their full potential for innovation.
4.Attractive regional research infrastructure and centres of competence
National and regional authorities should consider, in particular, how EU Regional Policy can contribute to the 2015 objective of the Innovation Union flagship of completing or initiating 60% of the research infrastructure currently identified by the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI)[12].
5.Creativity and cultural industries
Cultural and creative industries, which flourish at the local and regional level, are in a strategic position to link creativity and innovation.[13] They should be integrated into regional development strategies.
6.Digital Agenda
With regard to the significance of ICT for the innovation system, Member States should consider how to better use the ERDF to accelerate achievement of the EU 2020 objectives for broadband access.
7.Public procurement
Innovative public procurement means the public sector taking on the role and risks of a lead customer, while improving the quality of its services and productivity.
3) In line with the Innovation Union Flagship Initiative and the additional Communication on "Regional Policy contributing to smart growth in Europe 2020" (see Box 2), local and regional authorities are encouraged to build smart specialisation strategies, as a condition to have access to EU Structural Funds available for investments in research and innovation. Does your region/city have a smart specialisation strategy?
Yes No Don’t know
If answered 'yes' please describe briefly its main elements and opportunities you have identified in your smart specialisation strategy, corresponding to the list in Box 2.
Eastern Netherlands (i.e.the provinces of Overijssel and Gelderland) selected the following four sectors on the basis of the regional economic policy agendas for smart specialisation:
Agriculture & Food
Health
High-Tech Systems and Materials (HTSM)
Energy and Environmental Technology/Biobased Economy (EMT)
The Eastern Netherlands' smart specialisation strategyconsists of the following elements:
- Stimulating/stepping up cooperation between authorities (including the semi-public sector/institutions), industry and research/educational institutions (the triple helix or golden triangle) with the aim of working on common social issues;
- A choice-limited number of sectors (Agriculture & Food, Health, EMT and HTSM) and crossovers;
- Support forenhancing knowledge;
- Facilitating and encouraging open innovation;
- Financial instruments tailored to the different stages of the innovation process (alsomakinguse of European funds);
- Maintaining and,where necessary,strengthening existing organisationalskills for innovation.
Below is a number of lines of action:
A. The development of appropriate financing instruments to attract initiatives that contribute to the goals of this S3. Consideration could be given to revolving funds for business cases in order to enhanceknowledge or stimulate energy transition. Examples include the recently established funds in the region for innovation and energy in the four priority sectors;
B. Setting up programmes that translatethese S3 into actions such as Operational Programmes for the ERDF and POP3, where in such programmes, the involvement of the triple helix will be reflected in measures that contribute to these S3, in particular by securingprivate investment in their innovation and competitiveness;
C. The active search to link these S3 with other existing (European) tools and resources - with particular emphasis on existing instruments that have a strong and proven link to private investment such as tax measures, regional development companies and innovation contracts;
D. Contributions to the S3 from other government roles, for example by:
• being an innovative contracting authority,
• being a launching customer,
• providing testbeds for applications in the social domain
• generatingframework conditions, including regulation,
• providingfunds (financing and subsidies), especially for supporting infrastructure, facilitating field labs, living labs, pilot projects, etc.
• ensuring the regular calibration of the smart specialisation strategy, based on consultations and data monitoring,
• ensuring consistency between the various programmes contributing to implementation of the smart specialisation strategy,
• testing the extent to which instruments effectively meet complex needs and major societal challenges,
• deploying flexible programming mechanisms to respond to changes in the economy and rapidly emerging specialisations;
E. Encouraging and establishing cooperation between companies and knowledge institutions in other parts of the country, North Rhine-Westphalia and regions similar to the eastern Netherlands in (Central and Eastern) Europe, specifically seeking out links with regions that have made similar or complementary choices.
In this way, the strategic choices for four key sectors working togetherare put into action at the right level to reflect the share of responsibilities and with an adequate toolbox.
If answered 'no' please let us know whether your region/city was asked by your national government to initiate a smart specialisation strategy.
Yes No Don’t know
N/A
4) Innovation Union and the concept of smart specialisation encourage a better integration of cultural and creative industries in the overall economic development. Although they have a high innovation potential, they are not always included in strategies or projects. Are cultural and creative industries included in the economic development strategy and/or in the smart specialisation strategy of your city/region?
Yes No Don’t know
If answered 'yes' please describe how.
The creativeindustry isa supportingindustry for theEasternNetherlands' 'key sectors' - HTSM, Health/Life Sciences, Agriculture and Food and Energy/Environment/Technology.
How is the Innovation Union relevant to your city or region?
5) The Innovation Union contains 34 actions, which are listed with a detailed description on a dedicated platform: Innovation Union Information and Intelligence system (I3S)[14]. All actions are grouped under 12 thematic chapters and an additional one on progress monitoring.[15] In your opinion and from regional perspective, please state in which of these chapters has the EU has made the most significant progress, which ones have good prospects and in which ones the EU has not done enough.significant progress / some progress and good prospects / no visible progress, more effort needed
Promoting excellence in education and skills development
Delivering measures for the European Research Area to be completed by 2014
Focusing EU funding instruments on Innovation Union priorities
Promoting the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and its Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) as a model of innovation governance in Europe
Enhancing access to finance for innovative companies
Creating a single innovation market
Promoting openness and capitalising on Europe's creative potential
Spreading the benefits of innovation across the Union
Increasing social benefits
Pooling forces to achieve breakthroughs: European Innovation Partnerships
Leveraging our policies externally
Reforming research and innovation systems
Additional comment:
In manycases, boththe "some progress" and "no visibleprogress"boxeshave been checked. This is because of the shift in priorities taking place due,among other things,to the limitedfinancial resources availableto businesses(banksare very reluctant to lend) anddue to government budget cutsinR&I. Allpartiesare now placing greater emphasis ondevelopment(closer tothe market, lower risk) and focus. In practice,this is largely determinedby macroeconomicdevelopments (the crisis), andis not always directly linked togovernment policy(at the EU, national or provincial level).
6) Overall, what are the strong and weak pointsof the Innovation Union Flagship Initiative, as seen from your regional/local standpoint?
Strong:Based onsocial issues. Leads to focus.
Weak: The EU isrelativelyfar removed from(normal) SMEs.
7Would you recommend any specific changes to the Innovation Union Flagship Initiative, in the context of the mid-term review of the Europe 2020 strategy in 2014?
Please explain
Attention to take-up at the regional level.
Are your country's policies relevant to your city or region?