Press Release

TAFTIE 2ndExecutive Group in 2010 meets in Sevilla … gatheringSouthern inspiration

  • The second Executive Working Groupmeeting in 2010 of the European Network of Innovation Agencies was held in Carmona (Seville) today.
  • Prof. John Woodfrom the Imperial College of London, current President of the European Research Area Board (ERAB) opened the meeting with a presentation on public-private partnerships.
  • The meeting was convened before the ERAB Stakeholders Conference organised by the Spanish Presidency of the EU in Seville on May 6thand 7th, to which TAFTIE has been invited.
  • TAFTIE has achieved a common position to strengthen European policies fostering innovation by SMEs.

Carmona,May 4th.-To the second meeting of the TAFTIE Executive Working Group, representatives of the 23 member agencies of TAFTIE (European Network of Innovation Agencies) were invited to Carmona (Seville). The meeting took stock of progress made so far by Task Forces and helped prepare and recommended debates and common decisions by the incoming meeting of the Director Generals planned in Brussels, early June.

The meeting in Carmona was organised to allow members of TAFTIE to participate also to the ERAB (European Research Area Board) Stakeholders Conference that takes place in the Conference Centre of the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) in Seville on May 6th and 7th. This event is part of the official programme of the Spanish EU Presidency.

Opening the meeting, ProfessorJohn Wood,senior international relations adviserat the Imperial College of London and President of the ERAB addressed TAFTIE members. Mr. Wood made a presentation on the new challenges that Europe faces and the strategic view of the ERA for 2030. The ERAB vision identifies six broad areas where action is needed: the creation of a united ERA, the solution of Europe’s grand challenges, the interaction of science and society, the collaboration of public and private sectors in open innovation, the encouragement of excellence and the promotion of cohesion.

A lively exchange took place with particular focus on industry´s role in the ERA, it being a work area for all TAFTIE members. Options to help boost innovation policy at European level were also discussed in preparing for the EU Research and Innovation Plan expected later in the year, starting with a Communication by the European Commission that will be handled by the next EU Presidency during the second half of 2010: Belgium.

As a first contribution, the group recommended a common view on how the European Research and Innovation at European level could best respond to the needs and potential of all kinds of SMEs.Strengthening the competitiveness of small companies is a major objective and pillar of the EU2020 Strategy.In its view, expected to be endorsed by the Board, TAFTIE concurs with the importance to design and implement efficient tools to substantially increase the population of innovative SMEs in Europe. With this aim, the network proposes to consolidate three strands: one focused on research performing SMEs, another one for research-acquiring SMEs and a last one targeting research sharing SMEs.

The meeting in Carmona also endorsed the idea of starting a structured dialogue with institutional stakeholders in Europe, starting with the Eureka network which Strategic Road Map is expected to be approved later in June by Ministers meeting in Berlin.The idea is both a response to the German Eureka Chair and a demonstration of the willingness of TAFTIE to join forces with the European Commission renewed interest in innovation in mature industries, public-private partnerships, accelerated by the current crisis.

Last but not least, the National Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation (DASTI) made a presentation of its activities and interest in becoming a member of TAFTIE, a decision that the group decided to recommend to the Board. This way the network enlarges its partnership to a very active EU member in European innovation policies and practices.

The next TAFTIE event will be the mentioned Board meeting in Brussels on June 9th, after the Policy Forum on the Role of Industry in the ERA scheduled on June 8th, building-upon the interaction with ERAB. In September the Executive Working Group will meet in Santander in connection to the III Spanish Forum for the Internationalisation of RTDI Regional Strategies within the frame of the International University Menendez Pelayo (UIMP).

Note for Editors: TAFTIE and its Mission

TAFTIE is the European Association of leading national innovation agencies. Its Members make a major contribution to strengthening Europe’s economic performance and by supporting product-, process- and services innovation by implementing their countries’ national and –in most cases- International Research, Development and Innovation Programmes.

It gathers 23 Innovation agencies from 21 European countries with similar profiles whose aggregate annual budgets supporting innovation amount to 6.500 Million Euros. As specified in TAFTIE´s Strategy its mission is:

  • To share expertise and experience on design and/or implementation of public innovation policy to enhance the cumulative performance of the individual member organisations towards private enterprises and governments
  • To mutually support and exchange informationin order to facilitate international networking and cooperation of enterprises and research institutes
  • To intensify cooperation with the European Commission in providing better support into innovation activities of our clients.

Elements of TAFTIE´s Strategy approved in 2007 are, among others, the Academy, a Policy Forum, Joint Actions, a Knowledge Base, etc.

For more information please visit: Members today are:

AdI / Portugal
CDTI / Spain
CTI-KTI / Switzerland
ENEA / Italy
EnterpriseEstonia / Estonia
EnterpriseIreland / Ireland
FFG / Austria
IWT / Belgium
Matimop / Israel
National Agency for Innovation / Italy
NKTH / Hungary
OSEO / France
PARP / Poland
PERA / United Kingdom
RANNIS / Iceland
Research Council of Norway / Norway
Nl Agency (formerly SenterNovem) / The Netherlands
TEKES / Finland
TIA / Slovenia
TSB / United Kingdom
TTGV / Turkey
VDI VDE-IT / Germany
VINNOVA / Sweden

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