1. Can the RESGEN project contribute to smart specialization regional strategies ?
Olivier BRUNET
Regional dimension of innovation,
Directorate General Research and Innovation, European Commission
… thank you for the invitation.
It gives me the opportunity to explain the Communication adopted by the Commission last month on ‘Regional Policy contributing to smart growth in Europe 2020’.
Universities have certainly a key role to play in innovation and regional development by making knowledge transfer a reality.
For this reason, I am very happy to meet today representatives from …
Before presenting this communication, I would like to highlight the importance of innovation for the European Union and for its regions.
RESGEN 4th PSC meeting
Vaasa, 05/05/2011 1

2. Regional Policy contribution to EU 2020: the COM(2010)553 in a nutshell
Regional Policy can promote smart growth in all regions through innovation, in line with EU 2020 priorities. COM (2010)553 complements the ‘Innovation Union’ initiative .
Due to regional diversity, there is no “one size fits all”.
Regional Policy can mobilise all regions, leading regions and others to design ‘smart specialisation strategies’, in line with its objective of territorial cohesion.
The need for efficiency /synergies in using public funds (ERDF, FP7, CIP, national & regional funds) is highlighted
The COM provides guidance to nat. & reg. authorities to optimise the impact of ERDF on R&I, by fostering regional partnership (HEIs,R&I,SMEs...) and multi-level governance.
In this context of global and societal challenges, the Communication ‘Regional Policy contributing to smart growth in Europe 2020’ aligns Regional Policy with the Europe 2020 priorities and by putting it at the heart of delivering the smart growth.
It complements the Communication concerning the ‘Innovation Union’ flagship initiative by mobilising all regions to design 'smart specialisation strategies’ and to deliver smart growth.
It aims at a more effective use of public funds for research and innovation, such as: ERDF (European Regional Development Funds), FP7 (7th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation), CIP (Competitiveness and Innovation Programme), as well as national & regional funds. Synergies between these public funds can be promoted.
The Communication also encourages making more use of financial engineering.
The Staff Working Document accompanying the Communication provides guidance to national and regional authorities to optimise the impact of Regional Policy on innovation.
Indeed, for promoting innovation, regional authorities can interact closely with key regional partners such as universities, research centres and business associations.

3. Smart Specialisation Strategies (S³)
Encouraging all regions to adopt strategies focusing on priorities based on competitive advantages and potential cooperation with other regions (no duplication / imitation).
Including cutting edge research as well as exploitation and adaptation of generic / basic technologies in specific areas and existing sectors (leading regions and others).
Ensuring complementarity across all regions between world-class research (FP7 / CIP) and innovation targeted to applications (ERDF) and synergies between EU funds.
Developing a process based on regional partnership and learning from networks supported by ERDF, FP and CIP.
A ‘Smart Specialisation Platform’ will be set up by the EU Commission with experts to assist nat. & reg. authorities, and disseminate data & good practice on innovation.
A key plank of this Communication about Regional Policy is to encourage national and regional authorities to adopt ‘Smart Specialisation Strategies’ by concentrating resources on a limited number of priorities.
These strategies have to be based on regional strengths, weaknesses and comparative advantages. A critical mass of resources is necessary to invest in cutting edge of research.
These strategies should also open up new opportunities by avoiding fragmentation and ensuring that knowledge and know-how on innovation flow more freely across the EU. It is possible by exploiting regional diversity and by stimulating cooperation across national and regional borders as well as between territorial levels of governance.
Developing Smart Specialisation Strategies requires a dynamic process, based on strategic intelligence, interaction and learning.
This process implies a regional partnership with universities, research centres, businesses and other important stakeholders.
The idea of smart specialisation is double-sided. It can be about investing in leading edge research, in regions having a critical mass of resources to do it. It also includes disseminating, exploiting and adapting the results of generic technologies in specific sectors such as health, food, textile or ICT, in regions having comparative advantages.

4. Outline of the S3 Platform
The platform will be established at the Joint Research Centre (IPTS) in Seville
It covers a three-year period
Results achieved in 2011 will be used to reinforced actions in 2012 and 2013…
And afterwards?

5. Who runs the S3 Platform?
The platform will be run by a steering team gathering representatives of several Commission Services: REGIO, EMPL, RTD, ENTR, EAC, INFSO, SANCO, CLIMA and the JRC.
The steering group started its activity in January to prepare the list of actions and launching of the Platform and meets every month.
A mirror group is being set up : advice and follow-up
High-level experts, representatives of Networks (e.g. EURADA, ERRIN, UEAPME, EBN, OECD, European Cluster Observatory, European Cluster Alliance, etc.) It will meet every three months.

7. The 'S3 Shop' Launch a web portal by June 2011
Develop and maintain a web-based facility
Provide feed-back and information to Member States and regions
Create and manage databases of policy-makers, intermediary bodies and international experts
Promote an annual meeting on smart specialisation for policy-makers
Keep links and share information and knowledge with projects, initiatives, groups gathered by other Services and events that are relevant for S3

8. The ' S3 Learning Platform'
Develop a guide for policy-makers and implementing bodies
Assess the needs types in types of support of the regions and prepare actions to answer these needs
Organize training of 'trainers in smart specialisation'
Elaborate peer review methodology to assess s3 strategies
Manage a toolbox of indicators and case studies
Develop economic analysis on the concept of smart specialisation and its impact on smart growth

9. Road-map main events
The WS ‘How to assist regions in developing smart specialisation strategies? 10/11 March 2011 in Brussels
WIRE conference (June): a session on S3
The S3 Platform will be launched during the RFEC Conference in 23/24 June
An annual event for policy-makers and several workshops for practionners are being organised for the Open Days/October 2011
A large number of events by initiative Member States and regions is underway….

10. Who is included?
Some regions and Member States took the initiative to participate
When the Platform starts (June 2011) efforts will have to be made to reach mainly those that need more
Visits and special support can be arranged from then in a more strong form
Requests from Member States and regions for information and support will be prioritised

11. Who is ready to do this?
Involving experts, businesses, research centres, universities and other knowledge-creating institutions and stakeholders
Get sound SWOT analyses, technology foresight exercises (across activities)
Concentrating resources on key priorities
Coordinate national, regional and EU funds for a common goal: competitiveness and jobs

12. Who is ready to do this?
Looking beyond boundaries, positioning the region in the global context
Looking for partners in other regions and develop business cooperation with them
Looking at the several parts of the territory of the region: identifying hubs and other territories
Targeted measures for each

13. Specialisations and Technopoles in Lower Austria
Lower Austria has gone through extensive prioritisation processes thanks to several strategic exercises since the mid-nineties. In 1998, a project for the continuous improvement of its regional innovation system started. The regional government carried out a SWOT analysis, it sent questionnaires to its companies, organised workshops and carried out interviews with stakeholders. It also completed a survey of the activities of other similar regions.
three 'Technopols‘ were launched 5 years ago in the areas where the region has a competitive advantage: Biotech and regenerative medicine; Environmental biotechnology and agrobiotechnology; and microsystems engineering, tribology and medical systems technology
Resilience to the crisis and advancing in competitiveness
The Economic Impact of Technopols in Lower Austria
(Research Report by ECONOMICA Institute of Economic Research, Vienna

14. Macro-sectors and focus on education and talent in Navarra
Navarra's modernisation strategy was launched with the aim to maintain and improve not only its regional competitiveness and GDP per capita, but also its human development and its environmental sustainability levels by 2030.
'Moderna Navarra ' integrates more than 90 pre-existing plans and aims to lead the regional structural transition from an industry-based economy to a knowledge-based economy.
Navarra's government played a pivotal role in providing the impulse for developing the strategy, in particular by facilitating the coordination of the main academic, business, social and political actors.
Niche sectors, such as bio-medicine or medical appliances, have been identified as specialisations. Regions with similar sectors were visited, in order to learn from them and to develop niche specializations while trying to avoid duplications.

15. Spearhead initiatives and clusters in Flanders
By 2020 Flanders aims to rank among the top five knowledge-intensive regions in Europe.
Steps given towards a transformational policy approach. This focuses on value chains, economic clusters, open innovation and ‘grand projects’, which are selective investments in future-oriented domains with a high innovation and growth potential and large societal impact.
Six clusters in knowledge-intensive fields selected
30 high-priority technology domains in which Flanders could be leading by 2015 in Europe and in the world identified by panels of experts from industry and knowledge institutions based on positioning and Delphi analyses.

17. RegioStars Awards 2012 Deadline for applications: 15 July 2011
SMART GROWTH: Innovative projects or schemes supporting service innovation in its different forms.
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH: Investments in ecosystem services and green infrastructure leading to sustainable regional development.
INCLUSIVE GROWTH: Strategies, initiatives or projects addressing the challenge of demographic change and supporting active ageing
CITYSTAR CATEGORY: Integrated strategies for the development of deprived urban areas.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION CATEGORY: Informing the public on the internet about projects benefiting from EU Regional policy.
Deadline for applications: 15 July 2011

18. And you, partners in the RESGEN project ?
Periodic report, 1st period of the project
2nd period : Joint Action Plan is key
Get the best out of the 2011 opportunities including WIRE, Biomasses conference, Open days
Cooperation with other RoK projects in energy
Contribute to build the future in your regions
Renewable energies: who is against ?
Any support or guidance needed from the EU ?
Thanks for your attention, ready for discussion