Latvian Presidency Conference Smart Specialization Strategy MEMBER OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LAMBERT VAN NISTELROOIJ 13 FEBRUARY 2015

Regional Innovation Paradox Most of the available innovation budgets are spent in more developed regions, whereas regions that are lagging behind in economic development need it the most! Synergies Cohesion policy 2014-2020 and Horizon 2020 More ‘made in Europe’ via cross border and trans European cooperation

View of the European Parliament The importance for the European Parliament of the uptake of Smart Specialisation in 2014-2020. Hearing 6th cohesion report EP initiative: Pilot project — Cohesion Policy and the synergies with the research and development funds: the "stairway to excellence"

Synergies EFSI / Juncker plan Budgetary cuts Horizon 2020 and Connecting Europe Facility (2.7 billion euro) Alternative solution: InnovFin, the former Risk Sharing Finance Facility (2.842 billion euro)

Challenges RIS 3 (1) Take stock of the state of play in the development of Smart Specialisation Strategies. Are all the regions on the same track? Identify issues to ensure effective and efficient implementation, monitoring and evolution of the strategies (around 100 Ops out of 205 have been agreed) From Lip-service to 25 flourishing Smart Specialisation projects in the Midterm review 2017

Challenges RIS 3 (2) The assessment of the RIS3 as ex-ante conditionality will be key for the future: More focus! (thematic concentration) More ambition! (stimulate private investments) More integration! (RIS 3 in regional budget plans)

What’s next? Chart out fields requiring cooperation at European level and policy support Lesson for the region: Regions really have to partner with all research & innovation actors such RTOs and universities in discussion with their local industry in order for RIS 3 to be successful By the end of the Latvian presidency

Thank you for your attention Questions?