DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission What about the Regions in EU Technology Policy? 13 November 2001 Fabienne CORVERS European Commission, DG RTD

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission European Technology Policy 1957: Treaty of Rome –‘to improve the overall competitive position of European industry’ –focus on nuclear energy, coal, steel 1987: Single European Act –RTD (Research and Technological Development) becomes official responsibility of European Commission 1993: Treaty of Maastricht –art.130f 1999: Treaty of Amsterdam –art

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission TEU, art. 163 (ex art. 130f) ‘The Community shall have the objective of strengthening the scientific and technological bases of Community industry and encouraging it to become more competitive at international level, while promoting all the research activities deemed necessary by virtue of other Chapters of the Treaty’

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission Arguments for RTD intervention Scale (greater efficiency given costs) Scope (joining forces, added value) Transnational problems (HIV, BSE) Contribution to EU policies (cohesion) Needs of citizens (health, environment) European System of Innovation

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission European Research Area (ERA) 2000: Commissioner Busquin in charge of RTD Lisbon summit: –EU goal ‘to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy in the world’ Idea of ERA: –institutional reshaping to turn EU into one ‘European Knowledge System’ New Framework Programme: –main instrument to implement ERA

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission New Framework Programme Integrating Research –Networks of Excellence –Integrated Projects –Participation of EU in national programmes Structuring ERA –research and innovation –human resources and researcher mobility –research infrastructures –science-society issues Strengthening ERA –co-ordination of research and innovation activities

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission Communication from Commission ‘The Regional Dimension of the European Research Area’ - October 2001 Joint Communication: DG RTD & DG REGIO Main idea: ‘important role of regions in mobilising research and innovation efforts for bringing Europe faster into the knowledge based economy’

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission Reinforced Partnership Within ERA: different administrative and organisational layers and players to re-examine the role of each of these (public and private) players to take advantage of Community, national and regional instruments to establish synergies in this new partnership

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission Private investment in RTD

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission Private investment in RTD

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission Territorialisation of Research Policy A tailor-made research policy approach to address specific territorial conditions: by increasing regional awareness of national research and innovation policies (1) by directing these policies to build research and innovation capacity in the regions (2)

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission Inspiration from RI(TT)S Some 100 regions between Developed a Regional Innovation Strategy: –based on ‘innovation demand’ from firms –given the region’s strengths and weaknesses –defining objectives and setting priorities –designed by public and private actors together

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission Enabling ERA Regional Approach Seizing the opportunities of the new Framework Programme ( ) –Networks of Excellence –Integrated Projects –Transregional co-operation & Mobility of Human Resources Reinforcing the knowledge base in the regions –supply of research and innovation services –information on ‘good practices’ –communication between experts and policy-makers

DG RTD - Directorate K - Unit 2 : Competitiveness, economic analysis, indicators European Commission One European Knowledge System? Free flow of knowledge (i) across regional and national ‘knowledge systems’ and (ii) between more and less advanced ‘knowledge systems’ Policy intervention to focus on: (i) knowledge spillovers (ii) knowledge absorptive capacities