1. EU Instruments for RTD and Innovation: FP7 and the interactions with the Structural Funds
Knowledge and Innovation for Growth
Dr Dimitri CORPAKIS
Head of Sector on Regional aspects of Research Policy
DG RTD - M3.1
OPEN DAYS 2005, EU Instruments for RTD and Innovation
11 October 2005
East Midlands Office

2. Focus on the new Lisbon Strategy
make Europe a more attractive place to live and work
invest in knowledge and innovation for growth
create more jobs
Using all available instruments: the Structural Funds (SF), the R&D Framework Programme (R&D FP) and the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) (plus other related initiatives)
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3. Knowledge and Innovation for Growth
Knowledge through investment in R&D, a key driver for economic growth and employment
European R&D :
contributes to the creation of new markets or production processes;
leads to incremental improvements in conventional industries and technologies
increases the capacity of countries and regions to absorb new technologies
an essential part of the innovation process
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4. 11/10/02005
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5. SE: 4.27% GDP
2004 data
Source OECD
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6. ‘3%’ Objective What is at stake?0% 5%
10%
15%
Product
quality
Productivity
Jobs
Growth
2010
2030
Long term gains : by 2010 and by 2030
EU-US R&D Gap € 130 bn every year & growing
Public funding gap € 25 bn
Business funding gap € 105 bn
Estimated gains if EU reaches 3% in 2010
Until 2010 :
+0.25% GDP every year
+2 million jobs over
After 2010 :
+0.5% GDP every year
+400,000 net jobs every year
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Gains from reaching 3% R&D by compared to statu quo

7. Reaching the Knowledge Economy
Receptiveness / readiness for the Knowledge Economy, identified by the following framework (World Bank):
educated and creative human resources
a vibrant ICT infrastructure
an efficient Innovation System where “Science and Technology interact with the business community”
appropriate framework conditions (economic / fiscal / institutional regime that influence profitability of investment)
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8. A better consideration for regions in EU R&D Policy
Significant new consideration for the regional dimension of the European Research Area (since Lisbon)
RTD initiatives on “Regions of knowledge”
A new regional dimension in the proposed 7th Framework Programme ( )
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9. How the Structural Funds can stimulate R&D investment in European regions
R&D infrastructure and equipment (conventional approach- still valid)
favouring the establishment of medium and long term R&D and innovation investment strategies
help create the appropriate framework conditions for stimulating R&D and innovation especially in connecting academia and industry
stimulate the emergence of clusters of technological competence / excellence involving especially SMEs
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10. Building synergies between FP7 and the Structural Funds
FP7 activities will develop an increased regional dimension in particular under the “Capacities” specific programme
Regions of Knowledge
Unlocking Research Potential
Research Infrastructure
The Structural Funds will reinforce R&D investment in all EU regions, in particular Convergence ones and have the capacity to improve the overall framework conditions for research, innovation and the knowledge economy
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11. What “Synergies” Mean Here?
“Synergies” means that we are pursuing the same goals using different tools and methods (FP and the Structural Funds)
Central Goal is progress in building the European Research Area and achieving the Lisbon Strategy
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12. STRF / FP: complementary
Community policies on R&D and Cohesion are complementary and mutually reinforcing
However differences have to be acknowledged and understood:
A competitive vs a partnership approach
Project vs Programme based
Selectivity vs inclusiveness
excellence driven / cohesion oriented
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13. Different planning and implementation cycles
FP projects will emerge while STRF Programmes will result from planning
However planning may be adjusted to overall strategic research priorities of the Union, at national or regional level / medium or long term
Such planning may maximise chances for emerging projects / create the best possible conditions for research and creativity
A major contribution to the ERA process / a huge responsibility for the national / regional planning authorities
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14. FP7 2007 - 2013 Specific Programmes +
Cooperation – Collaborative research
Ideas – Frontier Research
People – Human Potential
Capacities – Research Capacity +
JRC (non-nuclear)
JRC (nuclear)
Euratom
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15. Capacities – Research Capacity
Research Infrastructures
Research for the benefit of SMEs
Regions of Knowledge
Research Potential
Science in Society
International Cooperation
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CEC-DG RTD M3.1

16. FP7- Research Infrastructure
Optimise use and development of the best research infrastructure existing in Europe
help create in all fields of science and technology new infrastructures of pan-European interest needed by the scientific community to remain at the forefront of the advancement of research
able to help industry to strengthen its knowledge base and its technological know how
Activities
Activities carried out in this field will be executed in the whole field of science and technology. They will be implemented in close cooperation with the activities taking place in the thematic areas to ensure that all the actions undertaken at European level in the EU framework respond to the needs for research infrastructures in their respective area including international cooperation.
The activities will be the following:
· Support to existing research infrastructures
- trans-national access to ensure that European researchers may have access to the best research infrastructures to conduct their research, irrespective of the location of the infrastructure
- integrating activities to structure better, on a European scale, the way research infrastructures operate in a given field and promote their coherent use and development
- research e-infrastructure by fostering the further development and evolution of high-capacity and high-performance communication and grid infrastructures and reinforcing European high-end computing capabilities, as well as fostering the adoption by user communities, enhancing their global relevance and increasing the level of trust and confidence, building on the achievements of GEANT and Grid infrastructures.
· Support to new research infrastructures
- construction of new infrastructures and major updates of existing ones to promote the creation of new research infrastructures, based on the work conducted by ESFRI notably, and which may be decided on the basis of Article 171 of the Treaty or on the basis of Specific Programme Decisions in accordance with Article 166 of the Treaty.
- design studies, through a bottom-up approach of calls for proposals, to promote the creation of new research infrastructures by funding exploratory awards and feasibility studies for new infrastructures.
Infrastructures projects proposed for funding in this respect will be identified on the basis of a series of criteria including in particular:
- Added value of EU financial support
- Capacity to offer a service to users from the scientific (academic and industrial) community at European level
- Relevance at international level
- Technological feasibility
- Possibilities for European partnership and commitment of major stakeholders
- Construction and operating costs evaluated.
As far as the construction of new infrastructures is concerned, an efficient coordination of the Community financial instruments, Framework Programme and Structural Funds in particular, will be ensured.
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17. Regions of Knowledge
Strengthening the research potential of European regions, in particular by encouraging and supporting the development, across Europe, of regional "research-driven clusters" associating universities, research centres, enterprises and regional authorities
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CEC-DG RTD M3.1

18. Regions of Knowledge Projects will cover
joint analysis of research agendas of regional clusters (in coordination with other activities on the broader issue of regional innovation clusters)
elaboration of a set of instruments to address them in specific research activities, including through "mentoring" of regions with a less developed research profile by highly developed ones.
measures aiming at improving research networking and access to sources of research funding as well as better integration of research actors and institutions in regional economies
These will not be R&D projects but Coordination Actions
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CEC-DG RTD M3.1

19. FP7 actions on SMEs
Help SMEs outsource research: increase their research efforts, extend their networks, better exploit research results and acquire technological know how
Research for SMEs: support small groups of innovative SMEs to solve common or complementary technological problems
Research for SME associations: support SME associations and SME groupings to develop technical solutions to problems common to large numbers of SMEs in specific industrial sectors or segments of the value chain.
The Competitiveness and Innovation Programme will provide support to networks of intermediaries and national schemes for actions to encourage and facilitate the participation of SMEs in the 7th Framework Programme
STRF actions on SMEs much wider (on a national and regional basis)/ FP7 focus only on transnational actions
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20. FP7 - Unlocking Research Potential in Convergence Regions
Unlock and develop latent S&T forces in the EU's convergence and outermost regions
Trans-national two-way secondments of research staff between selected organisations in the convergence regions, and one or more partner organisations;
acquisition and development of research equipment in selected centres in convergence regions;
organisation of workshops and conferences to facilitate knowledge transfer; promotion activities as well as initiatives aiming at disseminating and transferring research results in other countries and on international markets.
"Evaluation facilities" through which any research centre in the convergence regions can obtain an international independent expert evaluation of the level of their overall research quality and infrastructures
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21. How to ensure complementarity between FP7 and the New Structural Funds
Need for fine tuning of national and regional Research investment priorities at short, medium and long term in the future SF Strategic Reference Frameworks / Operational Programmes
Guiding principles: the 7th Framework Programme ( ) proposals, the developing ERA process, the 3% Action Plan, and of course the Strategic Guidelines for Cohesion
main responsibility lies with the national /regional authorities
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22. What we can do tomorrow
Raise awareness of policy makers in the MS and regions
Raise awareness of R&D communities in business and academia
Align OP priorities to FP7 strategic ones
Identify policy templates adapted to local conditions based on regional foresight exercises
Ensure data exchange between the STRF and the FP to improve feedback and planning
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23. Net links http://www.cordis.lu/guidance/services.htm
All useful links for European Research Policy
Information on research programmes and projects:
Seventh Framework Programme:
(Regional Dimension of the ERA)
(The IRE Network, Innovating regions in Europe)
RTD info magazine:
Information requests:
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