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EN

EU Local and Regional Authorities' Contribution to the Mid-term Review of Europe 2020

Assessment of the Innovation Union flagship initiative

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 website1. 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:

europe2020@cor.europa.eu

by 27 September 2013

For more information on this survey and for details on how to join the Europe 2020 Monitoring Platform, go to:

http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/

The questionnaire is available on this website in all official EU languages

You can find more information on Innovation Union, as seen from the local and regional authorities' viewpoint, in the Committee of the Regions' publication Delivering on the Europe 2020 Strategy - A Handbook for Local and Regional Authorities2. General information on Europe 2020 may be found on the strategy's official website3.

1

http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/news/Pages/welcome.aspx 2

The Handbook can be downloaded from: http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/SiteCollectionDocuments/Europe%202020%20Handbook%20for%20Local%20and%20R

egional%20Authorities.pdf. An e-book version is also available at: http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/delivering-on-the-europe-2020-strategy-pbQG3112732/.

3 http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/europe-2020-in-a-nutshell/flagship-initiatives/index_en.htm.

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Contributor information4

Name of sender: Niko Geerts Contact details: (address, telephone, email)

Koning Albert II – laan 35 bus 10 1030 BRUSSEL

On behalf of: (name of local or regional authority) Vlaamse overheid (Flemish Government)

Type of organisation

City/Town/Municipality Region County/Province Association of local

and/or regional authorities Other (please specify)

Country: BELGIUM

Member of the EUROPE 2020 Monitoring Platform: Yes No

4 Privacy Statement: The follow-up to your contribution requires that your personal data (name, contact details, etc.) be processed

in a file. All the answers to the questions are voluntary. Your replies will be kept for a period of 5 years after the receipt of your questionnaire. Should you require any further information or wish to exercise your rights under Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 (e.g. to access, rectify or delete your data), please contact the data controller at europe2020@cor.europa.eu. If necessary, you may also contact the CoR Data Protection Officer (data.protection@cor.europa.eu). You have the right of recourse to the European Data Protection Supervisor at any time (www.edps.europa.eu). Please note that the questionnaire with your contribution and your contact details will be published online. Your questionnaire may be transmitted to CoR rapporteurs and other EU institutions for information. Should you not agree to this, please inform us accordingly.

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Policy challenges and responses at regional and local level

5

Europe 2020 Flagship Initiative Innovation Union [COM (2010) 546] , available online: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2010:0546:FIN:EN:PDF

6 Europe 2020 Strategy [ COM(2010) 2020] is available online: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2010:2020:FIN:EN:PDF

BOX 1

Innovation Union as specified in the European Commission's Communication

The Innovation Union initiative5 was adopted in 2010, as an integral part of Europe 20206. 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. Innovation Union is a crucial investment in 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: 1. In times of fiscal constraints, the EU and Member States need to continue to invest in education,

R&D, innovation and ICTs. 2. EU and national research & innovation systems need to be better linked up with each other and

their performance improved. 3. Education systems at all levels need to be modernised. Excellence must become the guiding

principle even more than before. 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.

4. Access to EU programmes must be simplified and their leverage effect on private sector investment enhanced, since our research needs to result in more innovation. Cooperation between the worlds of science and business must be enhanced, obstacles removed and incentives put in place.

5. The remaining barriers for entrepreneurs to bring "ideas to market" must be removed: we must have better access to finance, particularly for SMEs, affordable intellectual property rights, smarter and more ambitious regulations and targets and a faster setting of interoperable standards.

6. European Innovation Partnerships should be launched. 7. Strengths in design and creativity must be better exploited. 8. Social innovation must be championed and a better understanding of public sector innovation

developed, identifying and giving visibility to successful initiatives. 9. Better work with our international partners is needed. That also means adopting a common EU

front where needed in international (trade) negotiations. The Innovation Union flagship initiative has evolved since its launch in 2010. New building blocks, such as the Smart Specialisation Platform and five European Innovation Partnerships have already been launched (the EIPs on: Active and Healthy Ageing; Agricultural Sustainability and Productivity; Smart Cities and Communities; Water; and Raw Materials). All these elements as well as news of events are publicly available on or through the EU Commission's dedicated Innovation Union website.

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1) What type of policy programmes/actions are being implemented in your city/region

to support 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 contributing to this aim?

Yes No Don’t know Brief description: All the initiatives and support instruments that are provided by the various Flemish public actors in the field of R&D&I contribute to the objectives of the ERA and the Innovation-Union flagship: direct / indirect support, grants, mandates, fellowships, advice, guarantees, loans, risk capital, participations in investments, networking facilities, support for research infrastructure, support to technology transfer, support for science / technology parks, support for the set-up of spin-off companies based on research from universities or PROs,… , Details on the measures taken for the ERA goals can be found in the Belgian ERA Progress Report 2013, document SWD(2013) 333 final 2/5, or in the past Belgian reports of ERA Watch, Trendchart on Innovation, Reform Programme EU 2020, etc. The main public STI entities from Flanders are the those in the EWI policy field: − the Economy, Science and Innovation (EWI) department, − the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), − the business R&D and innovation agency (IWT), − the research infrastructure foundation (Herculesstichting), − the Flanders’ holding company (PMV). The primary funding source for the higher education institutes of the Flemish Community (that allocated a part of this budget for R&D) is the Education and Training (OV) department. Total expenditure for R&D (GERD) in Flanders is 5.09 billion euro (2011), which represents more than half of the country’s total GERD and is an R&D intensity of 2.40%. In Flanders, the annual total public budget for R&D&I is 2.45 billion euro, of which 1.98 billion euro comes from the Flemish Government (data for 2013). Almost all competencies in the field of R&D and Innovation are the responsibility of Flanders (Community and Region).

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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 contributing to this aim? Yes No Don’t know

Brief description: All information on the EU-related R&D&I initiatives (except those from the EU Regional Policy) is available via the Europrogs platform that is online at URL: www.europrogs.be (e.g. info on FP on RTD, CIP, ESFRI, JTI, EUREKA, etc), that is being managed by IWT and FWO. The EU Regional Policy operational plan and the calls from this programme including on R&D&I are managed by the Enterprise Flanders agency (AO). See URL: www.agentschapondernemen.be/efro The Enterprise Europe Network Vlaanderen (EEN) manages business cooperation including on innovation at the EU-level. It is a cooperation network between IWT, AO and FIT (Flanders Investment and Trade). See URL: www.enterpriseeuropevlaanderen.be. In addition, various funding schemes or support initiatives for research and innovation actors are provided by the Flemish public bodies FWO, IWT, Hercules Foundation, EWI department. These entities also hold various representation positions at the EU and the OECD level (e.g. the FP programme committee members, as national contact point, in the TIP-group of the CSTP…). FWO and IWT are also member of respectively the European Science Foundation and TAFTIE, and active partners in many ERA-nets and JPI’s, whereas the EWI department cooperates in OMC-networks or Interreg projects etc. The public actors are involved in the decision-preparation and making of the EU Research Council, in the drafting of Belgian position papers, the preparation of the Horizon 2020 programme, etc. They also stimulate or manage the participation of actors from institutes of the Flemish Community to various EU, bilateral and international R&D&I initiatives such as COST, EUREKA, ESFRI, JTI, Joint Programming Initiatives, EU Innovation Platforms, KETs, etc. Thereby, public support has been approved specifically for the participation of STI actors in certain EU initiatives, e.g. in the ESFRI roadmap (via the Hercules Foundation), or in EUROSTARS projects

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(via IWT). Examples of own public support measures aimed at internationalisation of R&D&I are the Pegasus and Odysseus programmes of FWO (aimed at international oriented researchers interested in doing research in Flanders). IWT grants are open to all EU inhabitants and companies provided it is not footloose and a return is provided towards the Flemish economy or Flemish companies. Regarding the establishment of a true European research area, it is noteworthy that FWO has underwritten the Science Europe Roadmap (and therefore its fellowships are open to all nationalities), and that IWT supports to a considerable amount the foreign partners of the Flemish companies active in EUREKA-projects.

1.3 Encouraging the use of the results of research projects in innovative products and services

Policy programmes/actions contributing to this aim? Yes No Don’t know

Brief description: Most of the IWT-related support measures, as well as many PMV-measures are oriented towards research valorisation for societal or economic purposes. Examples include: Interfacediensten (support for technology transfer offices), IOF (industrial research fund), Innovation mandates, doctoral grants strategic basic research, Baekeland mandates, TETRA (for university colleges), other IWT grants such as post-doctorate fellowships at the initiative of a company, SOFI and SOFI2-fund (to support setting up spin-off companies from universities or from PROs in Flanders), VINNOF (Flemish innovation Fund, especially in the field of ICT, cleantech, life sciences),… There also exists support for flanking measures such as science or technology parks where spin-off companies can grow (examples of these include Arenberg (Leuven), Ardoyen (Ghent), Waterfront (Antwerp)).

1.4 Removing barriers to innovation, such as expensive intellectual property rights and limited access to finance

Policy programmes/actions contributing to this aim? Yes No Don’t know

Brief description: IWT has a manual and supports the use of IPR (IPR itself is a federal competency in Belgium). Access to finance is extensively available, and is mostly channelled through the PMV (Flanders Holding Company; see URL www.pmv.eu),

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which manages a total amount of guarantees for business-oriented initiatives in Flanders of over 1 billion euro. There also exists support via the BAN (Business Angels Network) Vlaanderen (see URL: www.BAN.be) , or the GIMV (Regional Investment Company Flanders, a stock- listed investment company, see URL: www.gimv.com).

1.5 Participating in one of the European Innovation Partnerships

Policy programmes/actions contributing to this aim?

Yes No Don’t know

If so, which one? − Active and Healthy Ageing (AHA); − Water.

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1.6 Stimulating social innovation

Policy programmes/actions contributing to this aim? Yes No Don’t know

In the field of social innovation, several initiatives have been taken and a number of institutes are active. In 2009 an excellence centre was established on innovative labour organisation: “Flanders’ Synergy”. This also provides information on developments in the field of social innovation. See URL: www.flanderssynergy.be. An “innovation steering group” (IRG) was established for social innovation that has drafted a roadmap for a policy in this field (March 2011). The final report is available at URL: www.vrwi.be/publicaties/eindrapport-irg-sociale-innovatie May 2011, the Flemish Government approved a Concept Paper on “Innovation Centre Flanders” in which 6 innovatieknooppunten (innovation hubs) have been defined (see below 3.). One of these Innovation hubs is “social innovation”. It links up with existing initiatives and the ViA (Flanders in Action) breakthroughs. The paper is available at URL: http://www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/sites/default/files/documents/Conceptnota-Innovatiecentrum-Vlaanderen.pdf The EWI department organised a seminar (Dec. 2011) and a Round Table (Apr 2012) on social innovation. The presentations are available at URL: www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/ewi/wat-doen-we/programmas-subsidies/sociale-innovatie . It has also has launched an open call for project proposals on social innovation (2013) following the decision of the Flemish Government of Dec. 2012. Information is available at URL: www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/oproep-sociale-innovatie-2013 . December 2012, the Flemish Government approved the setup of the Social Innovation Factory that aims top promote social innovation and social entrepreneurship, for which the IWT provides support. See at URL: www.socialeinnovatiefabriek.be Finally, the Flanders’ Care initiative is one of the pillars of ViA that also contributes to the aims of social innovation. See URL: www.flanderscare.be.

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1.7 Cooperation with international partners in the field of research and innovation

Policy programmes/actions contributing to this aim? Yes No Don’t know

In Flanders, international cooperation and policy involvement is being executed via various channels and by various actors (public, academic, private, etc.). Hereunder goes an overview of the different channels and actors concerned: 1/ Flanders organises international programmes, structural or ad hoc policy initiatives with (priority) partners, especially bilaterally with the Netherlands; and with other (EU) countries or regions directly or indirectly. Cooperation examples with the Netherlands are the EU FP projects in which both sides participate, the Holst centre (Leuven and Eindhoven; IMEC and TNO), the ELAt (Eindhoven-Leuven-Aachen triangle), and some important EU Interreg projects in cooperation with the Netherlands, such as “Bio Base Europe” (bio-based economy), Waterstofregio Vlaanderen – Zuid-Nederland (Hydrogen Region Flanders – South-Netherlands),… Structural bilateral research cooperation exists at the official level since the 1990s when cooperation agreements in the field of R&D and innovation were concluded with various countries (Chili, China, South-Africa, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Russia, Rumania) and a Canadian region (Québec). Today, the bilateral cooperation of academic researchers is to a large extend structured through the Research Foundation Flanders, FWO, mainly via two instruments:

a) bilateral research cooperation: Vietnam, Québec, Ecuador, China, Brazil, South-Africa;

b) cooperation projects for researchers: China, France, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Bulgaria, Poland, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey;

FWO also manages specific instruments for international mobility of researchers: a) the Odysseus programme: a “brain-gain” programme to attract top researchers worldwide (back) to universities of the Flemish Community; b) Visiting (international) postdoctoral fellowships; c) the Pegasus programme: for foreign postdoctoral researchers who want to stay either one or three years at a university, and co-funded by

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the EU’s Marie Curie fund. In the field of international innovation, IWT provides co-funding for participants from Flanders in EUREKA-projects. Likewise, the IWT supports participants from Flanders in the EUROSTARS innovation programme, aimed at cross-border cooperation of innovative SMEs. IWT has also opened up its support programmes for companies for international (innovative) cooperation and provides budgets to foreign partners connected with Flemish companies in a consortium. The Hercules foundation has received a separate budget to support the Flemish research actors participate in (the first list of) ESFRI projects (ESSurvey, SHARE, Clarin, Icos, Life Watch, Prace). At the level of STI-policy, a number of agreements have been concluded with for instance Slovenia, China and Turkey. At the overall policy level of Flanders, several bilateral treaties or MoU’s were concluded that are often elaborated through multi-annual working programmes. These include a range of policy domains, one being scientific research and innovation. These MoU’s exist with: the German-speaking Community (Belgium), Estonia, Russia, South-Africa, Rumania, Lithuania, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Bulgaria, North-Rhine Westphalia (Germany), Catalonia (Spain). A number or other agreements are currently being negotiated. 2/ the FWO has signed Lead Agency agreements with The Netherlands (NWO), Austria (FWF), Slovenia (ARRS) and the GD of Luxembourg (FNR), showing a high level of transnational confidence between the agencies involved. 3/ there exists Flemish public support to initiatives of / access for Flemish STI-actors to international R&D&I initiatives such as EMBO (Heidelberg); ESO (Munich-Santiago de Chili); the FWO’s Big Science projects: CERN-CMS & CERN-ISOLDE (Genève); ESRF-DUBBLE (Grenoble); Mercator telescope (La Palma), Spiral 2 (Caen, France) and Ice Cube (the Arctic). FWO also provides support to researchers for stays abroad or their participation in workshops, colloquia etc., and cooperates with its European and international sister organisations in various networks and with European research organisations, for instance Science Europe, the European Science Foundation (ESF), CECAM, ECT, etc.

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4/ there exist a number of Flemish technology Attachés in important cities (Tokyo, New York, Beijing, Los Angeles, New Delhi) that focus on 5 STI-fields such as sustainable energy, ICT or nano-materials; 5/ there exists an active involvement of the research actors from the Flemish Community in the various EU programmes (FP on RTD, CIP), as well as in several related STI initiatives (e.g. COST, EUREKA, JTI, JP, JU, EU Innovation Partnerships, an EIT-KIC (Inno-energy), ESFRI-ERIC, KETs,…). The Flemish authority provides information towards research actors through the website www.europrogs.be, which is managed by the IWT; 6/ at the policy level, the activities take these forms: a/ the preparation and follow-up of decisions of the EU Competitiveness Council (for the Research topic), b/ the follow-up of the EU’s FP7 (and the Horizon 2020 and COSME programmes) via the preparation of the programme themes, the involvement as a programme committee member and as national contact point, the participation in ERA-Networks and OMC-networks, the participation in the ERAC meetings whereby the EU member-States advice the Commission on its research and innovation policy; c/ the preparation and follow-up of decisions of various R&D and innovation related EU initiatives from the EU Council or the Commission (such as the JTI, JU, ESFRI, EIT, JP, EU Innovation Platforms, KETs, etc. ) and from non-EU international organisations, including specific support initiatives (the OECD (CSTP, TIP-group, NESTI)). d/ support is given for action within the framework of the UN through: − the Flanders UNIDO Science Trust Fund for Industrial

Biotechnology (FUSTIB) programme; − the Flanders Unesco Trust Fund (FUST); − UNU-CRIS (United Nations University – Centre for Regional

Integration Studies). The Flemish authority also provide support for the “European Marine Ocean Data & Information Network” (EMODnet), and the IOC – IODE project office (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission) that are

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both located in Ostend. e/ contributions to reports and consultations from the EU Commission, OECD and the Committee of the Regions on scientific research and innovation (examples are: the Reforms Plans EU 2020, ERA Watch report / ERA Follow-up report, ERAC annual Surveys, thematic or specific surveys / questionnaires / peer reviews e.g. on the STI-system / R&D-legislation / university research,… ), R&D and innovation actions in the framework of ERDF and Interreg, contribution to and participation in the annual bilateral meeting Belgium – European Commission that deals on competitiveness and the aims of the Innovation-Union, the biannual OECD STI Outlook,… f/ the Flemish authority is a member of thematic networks such as ERRIN (European Regions Research and Innovation Network), TAFTIE (Association for Technology Implementation in Europe), European Science Foundation (ESF), etc. 7/ at the level of STI actors (universities, public research organisations), many institutes and organisations have developed international links, are part of international networks, or have setup representations locally or joint initiatives with a foreign partner in the host country. These bilateral and international co-operation and agreements result from a gradual internationalisation tendency whereby companies, universities, research institutes or knowledge centres have developed bottom-up cooperation with foreign partners and in networks. They are active in the EU initiatives such as the EU FP on RTD, Interreg, ETP’s, JTI’s etc. . They also cooperate with international R&D organisations located in Flanders such as the JRC – IRMM (Mol), the Von Karmann Institute (Sint-Genesius-Rode), or the IODE (Ostend). The STI actors have also established linkages with various federal scientific centres in Belgium and the collective research centres that exist in specific sectors (e.g. textiles, construction, concrete, road building,…) depending their activity field. Certain experts from universities or PROs also hold a representation positions on behalf of the Flemish authority, usually in an international context. Some examples of international efforts from STI actors in Flanders:

a) at the academic level: KU Leuven provides grants for students to go to development countries, cooperates with partner universities in foreign countries (the Netherlands, Poland, the US, Japan, South-Africa and China), and is a member of international

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university networks such as the Coimbra Group, the LERU (League of European Research Universities), the IAUP (International Association of University Presidents), the EUA (European University Association), the IMHE (International Management in Higher Education) programme of the OECD, the EAIE (European Association of International Education) and the EUCEN (European Universities Continuing Education Network). Ghent University has concluded bilateral framework agreements outside Europe with institutes in all continents. In its India or its China platform, also industrial partners are represented. As of 2014 it will offer degrees at its campus in Songdo (South Korea);

b) from the part of strategic research centres: apart from its Leuven and Ieper offices, IMEC (nanotechnology) has also branches in Eindhoven (the Netherlands), San Francisco (US), Bangalore (India), Shanghai (China), Tokyo (Japan), and Taiwan. The VITO (materials, energy, remote sensing, environment) has setup a VITO Asia office in Hong Kong and develops activities in India and Vietnam. In 2011 it established a joint venture with a counterpart in Peking, and it signed a cooperation agreement with the Tianjin Academy of Environmental Sciences (TAES).

1.8 Encouraging innovation in the public sector7

Policy programmes/actions contributing to this aim? Yes No Don’t know

Brief description: there exists since 2008 an action plan for Innovative public procurement (budget of 10 million euro) that is managed by the IWT for which a number of trajectories have been setup in various domains. At the end of 2013, a more effective approach will be elaborated in order to faster accomplish results.

7

For more information on innovation in public sector, please visit European Public Innovation Scoreboard webpages: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/policy/public-sector-innovation/index_en.htm.

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2) One of the main aims of the Europe 2020 Strategy is to increase investments in R&D to 3% of EU GDP. This target is underpinned by several actions under Innovation Union. The latest Innovation Union Scoreboard8 of the European Commission, a progress monitoring tool, shows that there are big differences in the progress made 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 the existing knowledge base (infrastructure, public research centres etc.); Poor access to finance for innovative start-ups; High costs of intellectual property rights (IPRs); Ineffective use of the 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)

The (increasing) gap and unequal division of:

a) political power to deal with the EU R&D&I agenda and decisions; b) available budget for R&D&I; c) R&D&I efforts, results and R&D-intensity (3%-goal),

between:

a) Many small and large countries and/or regions; b) regions from western and northern EU versus regions from eastern and southern EU; c) technological advanced knowledge regions and back-lagging, periferic or rural regions.

Disparities in the various EU research systems are big, and larger than disparities in economic systems. This cannot only be noticed through the huge differences in participation from actors in different EU countries and regions in the EU FP on RTD, ERC grants, ESFRI, JTI, etc. Indeed, also the Eurostat data demonstrate that half of the total EU-27 R&D expenditure is located in about 60 NUTS2-regions (= only a fifth of all EU regions), and conversely half of all the EU regions contribute to only 6% of the total EU-27 R&D expenditure (see: Innovation Union Competitiveness Report 2011, p. I-57).

8

2013 Innovation Union Scoreboard: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/facts-figures-analysis/innovation-scoreboard.

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Another issue are legal, fiscal, social security and administrative barriers between countries and the related STI-systems on the one hand, and between the research/academic world and business on the other hand. These often hinder a good and swift cooperation between institutes from different countries (regions). These also occur between bordering cooperating regions with similar living standards and STI actors such as Flanders and southern Netherlands. Examples are the build-up of social allowances, pension rights and number of years worked, which often cannot be taken into account when researchers transfer from one system into another within the same country or in another country. It hampers people from switching during their career or setting up a company out of university research etc.

BOX 2 Regional Policy contributing to smart growth in Europe

The Communication of the European Commission entitled "Regional Policy contributing to smart growth in Europe 20209" [COM(2010) 553] sets out the role of regional policy in implementing the Europe 2020 strategy10 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 EU 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 optimise the development of local and regional smart strategies. The Smart Specialisation Platform (SPP) provides users with practical guidelines such as the latest news and events, as well as many other features. In the Communication document, the European Commission provides a non-exhausive list of ideas which regions could use to design their strategies: 1. Innovation clusters for regional growth

Clusters provide a favourable environment for fostering competitiveness and driving 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 Focusing school, vocational and higher education curricula on cross-sector skills such as creativity and entrepreneurship will help young people to develop their full potential for innovation.

9

COM(2010) 553, available online in all EU official langauges: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/Result.do?T1=V5&T2=2010&T3=553&RechType=RECH_naturel&Submit=Search.

10 COM (2010)2020 'Europe 2020: a strategy for smart sustainable and inclusive growth'.

11 Please see also CoR Opinion on the Flagship Initiative 'Innovation Union' from 30 June 2011, which lists a similar list of priority actions, available in your language at: http://www.toad.cor.europa.eu/corwipdetail.aspx?folderpath=EDUC-V/010&id=20858

.

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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 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 for having 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 you answered "yes" please describe briefly its main elements and the opportunities you have identified in your smart specialisation strategy, corresponding to the list in Box 2.

In 2006 the Flemish Council for Science and Innovation (VRWI) defined 6 topics for future-oriented sectors after an empiric study and a foresight study based on EU-future oriented sectors. In the course of 2012-2013 the VRWI performs a foresight study to update its 2006 exercise with a time horizon up to 2025. This study aims at establishing scientific, technological and innovation priorities to help address grand societal challenges such as energy, mobility, ageing, health, environment and climate change. A transition model was defined consisting of: − one horizontal transition area (= Society 2.0); − six vertical transition areas (= E-Society, Life Enhancement - Food, Life Enhancement – Health,

Smart Resources Management, Urban Planning and Mobility Dynamics, New Energy and Delivery).

Information at URL:

12

ESFRI website: http://ec.europa.eu/research/infrastructures/index_en.cfm?pg=esfri. 13

COM(2010)183 “Unlocking the potential of cultural and creative industries'.

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www.vrwiforflanders2025.be/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=118&Itemid=126

In May 2011, the Flemish Government approved a policy paper for an oriented innovation policy, the Concept Note “innovation centre Flanders” in which 6 Innovatieknooppunten (innovation hubs) were defined:

1. Transformation by innovation (Strategic focus: anchoring economic activities with sustainable and diversified employment; strong link with the new industrial policy (NIB));

2. Eco-innovation (sustainable materials management, cradle-to-cradle economy, clean technology)

3. Green energy (Strategic focus: renewable energy, energy-efficienty, clean technology (energy)

4. Care innovation (ageing, health, increase autonomy of care-dependent people)

5. Sustainable mobility and logistics (Sustainable and efficient mobility and logistics)

6. Social innovation / societal renewal (creative entrepreneurship for solving societal / economical challenges and needs)

In 2012, Flanders was co-leading an initiative on S3 and innovation-driven growth in regions from the OECD TIP-group. In the study, apart from the policy-oriented aspects, 2 case studies were put forward, one on nanotechnology for health and one on sustainable chemistry (FISCH initiative).

On 8 March 2013, the Flemish Government approved a policy paper on smart specialisation. This elaborates a framework for focussed strategies and emphasises the role of S3 for transforming the economy by innovation.

A call was launched by IWT to support initiatives that correspond with the topics of the KETs. The applications are currently under evaluation.

On 8 November 2013, Flanders is co-organising in Brussels with the European Commission a high-level conference on smart specialisation, with among other the participation of the chairman of the European Council. Thereby, a number of vanguard regions will discuss their RIS3 strategy. For the new Operational Plan 2014-2020 of Flanders for the EU Regional fund, a RIS3 will be drafted in the months to come. If you 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

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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 you answered "yes" please describe how.

These are not a specific theme in the economic development strategy or a pillar of the Flanders in Action future plan or the S3. The cultural and creative industries are supported through a number of measures and institutes in Flanders. These existing initiatives include:

− the Flanders District of Creativity vzw (Flanders DC) in Leuven that stimulates creativity and innovation in creative sectors;

− the Flanders Fashion Institute (FFI) in Antwerp (a part of Flanders DC);

− the Game fund by which the Flemish Government supports the gaming industry, and exists within the VAF (Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds);

− Flanders Inshape (an excellence centre supported by the Flemish Government) that supports the Flemish industry to professionalise further the design process for innovation;

− the “Media Innovatie Center” (MIC, now known as MIX and a part of iMinds), that the Flemish government established in 2012, which is an expertise centre dealing with media innovation to stimulate research and innovation.

− CICI: a programme jointly managed by IWT and Flanders DC for innovative cooperation networks between (1) creators, (2) knowledge institutes and / or (3) companies / organisations. CICI stands for “Call voor Innovatie met de Creatieve Industrieën”.

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 headings and an additional one on monitoring progress.15 In your opinion and from a regional perspective, please state in which of these chapters has the EU

14

Innovation Union Information and Intelligence system: http://ec.europa.eu/research/innovation-union/index_en.cfm?pg=action-points.

15 Please see the 2013 Innovation Union Scoreboard: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/facts-figures-

analysis/innovation-scoreboard and the 2012 Regional Progress Innovation Monitor: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/policy/regional-innovation/monitor/

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made the most significant progress, which ones have good prospects and in which ones has the EU 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 EU Increasing social benefits Pooling forces to achieve breakthroughs: European Innovation Partnerships

Leveraging our policies externally Reforming research and innovation systems Additional comments:

a) It is hard so measure progress in certain areas as the initial situation and the goals to be reached are not very clear and rather diffuse among different countries and regions. Also, it is not very clear to which extend this refers to the progress due to EU initiatives, or the situation itself in individual member-states or regions.

b) It is difficult to answer in case the EU has put a topic on the agenda but the overall result has been poor, or is poor in some countries while good in other countries or regions.

c) It is not possible to provide a correct answer if the performance or progress is mainly the result of non-EU factors (such as external factors, delocalisation of activities, big specific investments of a company, budget restrictions, own initiatives from the member-state of the region), rather than EU initiatives, e.g. the access to finance for companies and especially SMEs.

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6) Overall, what are the strong and weak points of the Innovation Union flagship initiative, as seen from your regional/local standpoint?

a) The goals and initiatives proposed in the framework can be rather difficult to apply in or by

certain regions, depending their category, specific situation, STI-landscape, budget, competencies, external factors etc.;

b) The EU flagships are designed for member-states and not for regions though it is often the latter who experience the most effects from actions or initiatives. Thereby the interaction between the EU and the regions is often small or not concrete; there are only a limited number of regions that are involved in the preparation, decision-making and direct execution of measures taken by the Commission and the Council for the Innovation-Union Flagship and most other related initiatives;

c) External factors such as the crisis, budget contraints in countries and regions, and the decisions of headquarters from multinational companies that are often located abroad in many cases influence the regions (countries) and their policy-making and implementation far more than measures proposed or taken by the EU Commission / Council and/or individual EU-countries/regions. This is even true in the case for regions/countries that already have strong or long-standing R&D&I policy-measures, important budgets and good intentions to make an effort in the field of STI.

7) Would you recommend any specific changes to the Innovation Union flagship initiative, during

the mid-term review of the Europe 2020 strategy in 2014? Please explain The differences among various countries and various regions remains a problem and the gap seems to be increasing between regions and countries with different R&D&I potential and assets. The initiatives and the objectives in the framework of the Innovation Union (and the European Research Area) do not influence or take into account these differences.

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Are your country's policies relevant to your city or region? 8) Does your country's 2013 (current) National Reform Programme16 (NRP) for Europe 2020

adequately respond to your regional/local needs in the policy areas covered by the Innovation Union flagship initiative (e.g. investments in R&D, bringing ideas to market, smart specialisation)?

Yes No Don’t know

Please explain Because R&D&I in Belgium are mainly performed by the Communities and the Regions, the overall input for the NRP must come from these authorities and hence this content corresponds largely to the real situation of each of the entities and their initial contribution. In the final text, the relative importance of the Flemish STI budget and landscape is represented in an unbalanced way. There is however very limited space to provide information on R&D&I within the global NRP report. Also, the R&D&I part in the NRP must merge the various inputs of all the 5 concerned authorities. Consequently there can be little overall tendency or strategy noted for the country as a whole (except the goal of 3% R&D-intensity that has been underwritten by all of the authorities involved).

16

All available here: http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/making-it-happen/country-specific-recommendations/index_en.htm.

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9) Would you suggest any changes in your country's National Reform Programme for 2014 in the area of innovation?

Yes No Don’t know

Please explain The cooperation on the NRP in the field of R&D&I with the responsible federal body has been rather stiff for several years, unlike is the case in other policy domains. Also, the information drafted on the budgetary outlays of the different Belgian authorities currently provides for each of the entities a different type of figure. Hence it is impossible to have a logic / comparable overview or even calculate the total public efforts. Therefore, a more appropriate editorial method is highly desirable and would improve cooperation. Moreover, Flanders is in favour of the provision of data and policy measures that are far more coherent and similar for each of the various authorities of Belgium. It can be noticed that unlike in the NRP, this has already been the case for a long time in the data that we (must) provide for the many reports for the Commission (e.g. ERA-watch, ERA Communication fiche, ERA follow-up report, ERAC survey, Trend-chart on innovation, Competitiveness report, RIS, etc) or the OECD (NESTI, STI Outlook, TIP-surveys,…).

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Policy and funding issues 10) Which of the sources of funding listed below are used to finance your actions under the

Innovation Union flagship initiative? Are any other policy/financial instruments involved?

Multiple answers possible

FP7 (The Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development)

Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP, 2007-2013):

► Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP)

► Intelligent Energy-Europe Programme

European Regional Development Fund

The Lifelong Learning Programme

Others? Please specify:

The Interreg IV programmes (examples: large projects such as BioBase Europe, Organext, NanosensEU, Waterstofregio (Hydrogen region) Vlaanderen-Zuid-Nederland,…

The own policy and financial instruments of the Flemish Community in the field of R&D and innovation represent (evidently) the main source and efforts, and reach 1979 million euro for 2013. This budget is more than 80% of all the public efforts that Flanders has available for STI each year and it contributes to the various objectives of the Innovation-Union Flagship.

In addition to the own budget, there is a federal and an EU input as well. The federal budget that Flemish institutes benefit from is +- 277 million euro per year, and the EU budget +- 195 million euro annually. The latter stems mainly from the successful participation of research actors in the EU Framework Programme for RTD (representing +- 176 million euro per year, which is a return of 2.41%). There is in addition a limited contribution from the CIP (+- 7 million euro) and from the Structural Funds (+- 12 million euro for R&D&I, of which 7 million euro from Objective 2 (priority “knowledge economy and innovation”) and 5 million euro in Objective 3).

Hence it can be noticed that the contribution towards Flanders from the EU level (FP, CIP, SF) altogether represents less than 8% of all public outlays, which reach 2451 million euro in 2013. And more specifically the contribution for R&D&I from the EU Structural Funds (ERDF, Interreg) is worth only 0.5%.

Many actors from the Flemish R&D&I landscape (universities, PROs, knowledge institutes), participate in EU initiatives such as the JTI, JU, Joint Programming initiatives, ESFRI, etc. However, these initiatives require a net budgetary input and do not finance our actions. In some cases, the costs for coordination are funded (e.g. in the COST programme) but the research itself is executed based on own budgets.

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11) Are any of the actions you have undertaken to implement the Innovation Union flagship initiative (as stated in your answers to questions 1 and 2) carried out in partnership with different tiers of government? If so, please state (a) which administrative levels are involved and (b) which practical arrangements are taken to manage these actions jointly.

Yes.

Cooperation in the field of R&D&I that contribute to the various goals of the Innovation-Union flagship takes place with different tiers of government.

These is done internally within Flanders, on a bilateral basis, at the EU-level, as well as with supranational or international institutions.

The administrative levels involved in these types of cooperation are NUTS0, NUTS1, NUTS2, NUTS3 in different countries including in Belgium itself.

Within the Flemish authority, discussions take place (depending the topic) with the VRWI (science & innovation council), the SERV (socio-economic council), stakeholders from certain professional organisations (technology sector, chemistry sector,…), midfield organisations, local development platforms, or user-organisations such as from living labs, etc.

The Flemish Government is also involved in multi-level government cooperation e.g. with some of its local authorities (= provinces, local development agencies, sub-regional economic pacts, towns…).

The cooperation with the foreign neighbouring partners takes place with the 3 southern Dutch provinces (Zeeland, Noord-Brabant, Limburg), with northern France (Nord-Pas de Calais), with North-Rhine Westphalia (Germany), with southern English partners (Kent,…), and within ELAt (Eindhoven-Leuven-Aachen triangle).

Within Belgium, cooperation is starting to develop since a few years with the French Community, with the Walloon Region, and with the Brussels Capital Region. Since 2010 (year of the Belgian EU presidency), a number of inter-ministerial conferences on STI have been held at the Belgian level whereby a number of decisions were taken to start cooperation or at least mutual discussion, and make arrangements for the participation in certain EU-initiatives (ESFRI).

The cooperation in EU or international projects takes place mostly in the framework of COST, EUREKA, the EU FP programmes, ERC-projects, Marie-Curie grants, ERA-nets, OMC-nets, ETPs, JTI, JU, EU Innovation Platforms such as AHA, ESFRI-ERIC, ESA, TAFTIE, ESF, CERN, CECAM, etc.). In certain OECD projects, cooperation has taken place with foreign partners e.g. in the TIP group of the CSTP. There also exists cooperation and treaties with various regions and countries in the EU or in the world, usually on a bilateral basis (see above), whereby mobility of researchers or knowledge transfers are items of attention.

It is not possible to provide the details on the practical arrangements in this general-oriented question-list. Most cooperation is based on some kind of formal agreement (and a budget outlay) between the related parties that are involved. The support is normally provided by any of the official entities, namely the EWI department, IWT, FWO, or the Hercules Foundation. In case of ERDF co-funding

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from Flanders, or local development sites for innovation and business, the responsible entity is AO.

12) The policy goals under Innovation Union require an integrated, multi-sector approach. They can be achieved only if relevant stakeholders are also involved. Do you have a strategy for involving these various actors, such as the different research institutions, innovation centres, hi-tech companies (especially SMEs) and members of the public? If so, what kind of involvement have you pursued (e.g. information campaigns, dedicated events, PPPs)?

Please explain.

The involvement of different actors or stakeholders takes place depending the case and the purpose. This is executed either on an ad hoc basis or in a structured way, the latter usually in case of preparation of legislation of the Flemish Community, or initiatives from the EU Commission or the Research Council. It can take place either bilaterally or with multiple actors altogether. The VRWI is the official advisory body for R&D&I in which the universities, university colleges, the employers’ association, etc. are represented. Yet in case of initiatives in the field of higher education, also the VLIR (Flemish inter-university council), the VLOHRA (Flemish university colleges council) or the VLUHR (Flemish Universities and university colleges council) can be involved. Occasionally also the SERV (socio-economic council) is involved, for innovation-oriented issues. For the Flanders in Action (ViA) future plan for 2020, of which “Innovation Centre Flanders” is one of the breakthroughs, a broad consultation with various stakeholders (professional organisations, midfield actors) was undertaken whilst setting the objectives. 13) Please add any further comments you wish to make on the issues covered in this

questionnaire.

a.) Distinguish among different types of regions: This question-list (as usual) does not distinguish between various types of regions. The differences however are huge among regions depending the criteria used, e.g. regarding their respective legislative competencies, available relative budget, STI-background, size (population and economy), relative importance within their member-state, budget proportion between the own and the EU regional funds, knowledge-intensive potential, technolical level, scientific performance, economic development, … . It is noteworthy that depending the case it requires a very different approach or strategy towards the general EU goals and the objectives of the ERA or Innovation-Union and how to implement these goals in practice. A more tailor-made approach is hence appropriate or necessary.

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When the targets were set and priorities were drafted, discussions took place only at the EU member-state level (without any regional involvement), although many goals have a direct effect at, or require efforts at, regional (NUTS1 or NUTS2) level. At monitoring or reporting level, the regional component and initiatives are rarely mentioned either, as is the case for example in the Commission’s ERA follow-up report on the EU countries. Also, in certain regions there are actors with a disproportionate huge local impact (large universities, big multinational companies with R&D facilities). In recent years, the EU and Eurostat have been measuring progress (R&D-intensity, patents, etc.) at NUTS1 or NUTS2 levels despite that in many countries these authorities lack the institutional competencies, budget or policy skills to take the proper budgetary or policy initiatives. So, figures or findings may compare or benchmark issues and evolutions that are not really comparable in the first place, or at which the NUTS1 or NUTS2 actor may have very little influence on depending the country. Due to these reasons, it is not possible to draw general conclusions from the different inputs provided because the different cases are often not comparable.

b.) Topics in the survey:

In the afore mentioned questions the Committee of the Regions refers specifically to the topics in the Commission communication on Innovation union of 2010. EU Innovation Partnerships and social innovation are indeed relevant and an important part of the R&D&I context. But what about many other important EU initiatives that are important and relate to the European Research Area and the Innovation Union (JTI, JU, Joint Programming initiatives, ESFRI, KETs, ERC, Marie-Curie grants, ERA-nets, COST, EUREKA, ….)? For instance, the Flemish innovation agency IWT launched a call in 2013 for proposals for the 6 KET topics.

And what about other policy themes that have been on the innovation (and political) agenda apart from social innovation in recent years, such as health innovation or energy innovation? It can be noted that for example the Commission’s most recent publication on regional policy focuses on eco-innovation. For example, recently a cooperation initiative started with the Netherlands and Northrhine-Westpahlia (Germany) on the biobased economy.

All these topics were not brought forward in this survey.

c.) The relative focus on SF: The questions relate partly to the EU Regional Funds and the concept of S3 and a RIS3 strategy. Also, the necessity has been emphasized in recent years for an increased cooperation between Horizon 2020 and the EU regional funds (for R&D&I) from 2014 on. It is correct that this is relevant and can be important to act as a lever and increase focus and efficiency. However, in many cases the SF budget and initiatives represents a relatively small

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fraction of the overall public budget and policy initiatives. In the case of Flanders, the annual EU budget for R&D&I is about 10 times smaller than the own budget of Flanders. Moreover, within the EU budget that is available for STI actors from Flanders, the part of the FP on RTD is about 13 times larger than that from the Regional funds. The R&D&I budget from the EU regional funds represent only 0.5% of the total annual public STI budget. Hence the lever effect of the (well-intended) matching of budgets and initiatives between Horizon 2020 (based on excellency, bottom-up oriented) and the EU regional funds for R&D&I (cohesion-based, more top-down) will be small. As a result of these findings the focus lies more on the own community / regional policy initiatives and budget for scientific research and innovation, on the participation in FP Programmes, ERA-nets, Marie Curie grants, or in EU developments from recent years such as JTI, the ESFRI roadmap, Key Enabling Technologies, etc. … These are all the topics that are on the agenda in the EP, Commission and the Council. One example to demonstrate the relative weight: in the field of life science, the VIB (Flemish institute on biotechnology) receives an annual grant from the Flemish Government of almost 44 million euro, and it has acquired in the past years 34.5 million euro alone from the ERC’s starting grants and advanced grants (and VIB does not rank among the top-3 of participations in the FP on RTD). Though VIB may be active in some EU Regional Policy initiatives (e.g. Bio base Europe), this will remain a minor part of its overall activities.

SHARE YOUR GOOD PRACTICE

As part of the preparations for the CoR conference to be held on 27 November 2013 and to showcase good practices in areas covered by the Innovation Union flagship initiative (e.g. smart specialisation strategies, hi-tech clusters, bringing ideas to market, innovation in public administration), you are invited to submit examples of good practice from your local area.

Please complete the form available on our website:

http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/MonitoringFlagships/Pages/Welcome.aspx

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JOIN THE EUROPE 2020 MONITORING PLATFORM

To help convey the voice of EU cities and regions in the implementation of Europe 2020 at EU level and in your country, join us. For more information, visit: http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/Knowledge/Pages/BecomeaMember.aspx

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!