EU's Competitiveness Council reaffirmed the priority of closing innovation gaps and mobilising regional and local actors to boost competitiveness and strengthen cohesion in Europe.
The Chair of the SEDEC Commission of the European Committee of the Regions,
Tanya Hristova, has warmly welcomed conclusions adopted on 8 December by the Council of the European Union on
strengthening the role and impact of research and innovation in the policy-making process in the Union.
Speaking on behalf of the European Committee of the Regions, the SEDEC
Chair said:
"EU's 27 Ministers of Research have highlighted the key role played by
regional and local actors to make EU's economy and society more
innovative and competitive and reaffirmed the priority of closing
innovation gaps and strengthening economic and social cohesion across
Europe. This is of utmost importance for thousands of local and
regional leaders working every day to bring together universities,
business, civil society to shape and deliver innovation projects
improving our quality of life and the sustainability of our economies.
We fully share the Council's call on the Commission to ensure a better
coordination between existing investment tools, including Cohesion
Policy, the Recovery and Resilience Facility and Horizon Europe, in
order to avoid duplications and inconsistencies and simplify the work
of those who implement these key policies on the ground.
These Conclusions also represent a promising starting point to shape
future innovation policies, relying on the vital contribution of
regional and local actors and avoiding top-down, territorially blind
approaches that would undermine the impact of our joint commitment to
deliver inclusive innovation.
The Committee of the Regions has cooperated closely with the Spanish
Presidency and with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre to
strengthen the Partnerships for Regional Innovation and ensure that
regions can rely on specific EU support to develop regional innovation
valleys in the area of deep technology.
The European Committee of the Regions, as the voice of regional and
local authorities in the EU, will keep its commitment to improving the
impact of EU's innovation policies and to further develop strategic
initiatives, such as the Regional Innovation Valleys and the
Partnerships for Regional Innovation. Only a multicentric,
participative and inclusive innovation policy can help our Union become
more competitive without leaving anyone behind."
Andrea Putzu, member of the Regional Council of Marche and rapporteur of the opinion on
Towards an integrated EU policy approach to support place-based
innovation for the green and digital transition, stated: "
Our regions and cities have shown their role as drivers of innovation.
To maximise their potential, we need more coordination and synergies
between existing policies and to promote collaboration at all levels,
as we do with the regional innovation valleys. We call for adequate
funding to ensure better cooperation and the establishment of new pilot
actions, also exploring the possibility of including enlargement
countries. We must keep pace with global competition in innovation and
unlock the unique and powerful innovation potential of EU regions."
Contact:
Ângela Machado
Tel. +32 475 41 31 58
angela.machado@cor.europa.eu