ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS The role of Innovative actions

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS The role of Innovative actions in sustainable regional development Jean-Pierre Berg European Commission Regional Policy Directorate General Head of Unit Innovative actions Jean-Pierre. Berg@cec. eu. int 1

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS The Context No competitive regional economy without innovation 2

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Regional disparities in Europe in regional GDP per capita (PPS) Source: Second progress report on economic and social cohesion (30 January 2003) 3

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Reduction in infrastructure gap Widening of technological gap • High tech employment: – 25 most advanced regions: 15% of total employment – least advanced regions: 4% of total employment • RTD public spending: – – – 28 most advanced regions: 50% of RTD expenditure in EU 15% of the regions spend more than all the others together Patents: Germany has 20 times more than the least advanced regions 4

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Regional disparities in Europe in employment in medium-high and high-tech manufacturing (% of total workforce) 25 Baden-Wuerttemberg 20 Franche. Comte Comunidad Foral De. Nevarra 15 Piemonte Etelae. Suomi Vlaams 10 Kaernten Gewest West Midlands Vaestverige Limburg Lisboa Attiki 5 Burgenland Mecklenburg. Oevre Brussels Vorpommern Itae. Norte Norrland London Languedoc-Suomi 0 Utrecht Canarias Dytiki Calabria Roussillon Ellada Employment in high-tech – 2001 -5 A B D "Top" region EL E F Country mean FIN I NL "Bottom" region Source: 2002 European Innovation Scoreboard: Technical Paper No 3 EU Regions, November 28, 2002 All data at NUTS 2 level, except for B, D and UK at NUTS 1. All data are for 2000. No regional data for DK and L. For IRL no data are displayed, as there are only 2 regions. P S UK EU mean Source: Second progress report on economic and social cohesion (30 January 2003) 5

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Regional differences in educational level in Europe Source: Second progress report on economic and social cohesion (30 January 2003) 6

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS R&D expenditures in European regions (1999) EU mean : 1. 93% Barcelona object. 2010 : 3% Source: Second progress report on economic and social cohesion (30 January 2003) 7

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS EPO patent applications and high-tech patents applications 8

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Internet in the European Union 9

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS The Challenge • No sustainable development without economic and social cohesion • Economic and social cohesion requires public intervention and a strong involvement by regional authorities 10

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS ERDF Innovative Actions 3 priorities • • • technological innovation information society sustainable development • Regional programmes • Networks • Regional innovation award Budget : 400 Meuros 11

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Objectives Contribute through soft measures to: • Increase competitiveness at regional level (Lisbon strategy) • Allow SMEs to use latest technological advances for sustainable development 12

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Results • 126 regional programmes adopted • 3 networks adopted • Success due to : – programme rather than « project » approach – simplified submission and selection procedures – decentralised management 13

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Choice of themes by the regions • 25 % sustainable development • 75 % technological innovation and/or information society 14

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Technological Innovation Split per sub-theme 15

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Information Society Split per sub-theme 16

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Sustainable Development Split per sub-theme 17

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Networks • 3 thematic networks – IANIS, Information society - Sachsen (DE) – sustainable development - Wales (UK) – ERIK, technological Innovation - Emilia-Romagna (IT) 18

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Regional innovation awards • Best innovative projects to be selected by the regions and sent to the European Commission by 31 st October 2003 • Project selection by Jury under presidency of Mr Antonio Guterres, former Prime Minister of Portugal • Three awards, one for each theme: technological innovation, sustainable development and information society • Awards ceremony at the plenary session of the Committee of the Regions in Brussels in April 2004 19

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Regional innovation awards Application Form 20

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Summary of Information 1/2 Project title or acronym: Name of Region: Name of the regional programme of innovative actions to which the project belongs: Identify which of the three strategic themes applies to the project (tick as appropriate): ( ) regional economies based on knowledge and technological innovation ( ) e-Europe. Regio: the information society at the service of regional development ( ) regional identity and sustainable development Date of start of the project : Total cost of the project (including ERDF, public and private co-funding) : 21

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Summary of Information 2/2 Competent authority or authorities in the region: Person or persons responsible for the Project: Person or persons responsible for the Programme: Addresses and particulars: Tel. : Fax: e-mail: Contact: Tel. : Fax: e-mail: 22

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Description of Projet Brief outline of the project: State th key objectives of the project: (Have the objectives been met? ) Highlight the innovative character of the project (and of the project approach in its design and implementation): Geographical coverage of the project: Objective 1 areas: Objective 2 areas: Areas outside Obj. 1 and 2: Stages of implementation (planning phases, targets and outcomes at each stage: Were there any difficulties? Would you do anything differently if you were to start again? ): Groups targeted and/or involved in project design and implementation: Indicative project selection criteria used in the identification of the project (as described in the relevant action in the regional programme of innovative actions): Outlook for the future, including the possibility to transfer results to mainstream programmes and to other regions: Impact indicators used to assess the project: 23

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS Summary of Projet Results / Evaluation Grid 1. Innovative character and quality of the proposal: (its originality and feasibility; what makes this project a success and why? What are the key innovative features of the project? 2. Potential impact on the regional economy, on regional skills and on the possibilities for widening the scope of the actions initiated under the regional programme of innovative actions 3. Expected sustainability of the project: Will it be able to continue when the EU support has ended? What are the alternative sources of funding? 4. Project’s results in enhancing local, regional and interregional partnerships: Was it effective in mobilising of groups of actors in the region? Which regional and/or external actors were involved in the project and why? To what extent and in what way did theytake part? 5. Transferability: Could this approach be used again in the region or elsewhere and how? 24

ERDF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS http: //europa. eu. int/comm/regional_policy 25