EU activities for fostering innovation and promoting cluster development

1. European Commission Enterprise and Industry DG EU activities for fostering innovation and promoting cluster development C. Schierenbeck Innovation Policy Development Unit European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry BaltMet Inno Final Conference Tallinn, 7th Nov. 2007

2. Competitiveness and Innovation (CIP) Framework Programme 2007-2013 Three operational programmes • Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP) • ICT Policy Support Programme (ICT PSP) • Intelligent Energy-Europe (IEE) http://ec.europa.eu/cip/index_en.htm

3. Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme EIP Objectives • Access to finance for SMEs • Favourable environment to SME cooperation, particularly cross-border • Eco-innovation • Support for initiatives to foster entrepreneurship and innovation • Support for policy-making http://ec.europa.eu/cip/eip_en.htm

4. Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme The EIP brings together: • Multiannual Programme for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (MAP) • LIFE-Environment Programme • Innovation activities previously implemented under the research framework programme (FP6)

5. Current innovation activities underPRO INNO Europe PRO INNO Europe: http://www.proinno-europe.eu

6. Current innovation activities underPRO INNO Europe: INNO-Nets Example: BSR InnoNet (Baltic Sea Region Innovation Network) • Links between innovation policy-makers, implementing agencies and analysts in the Baltic Sea Region • Joint conceptual work for cluster policy formation • Joint innovation programmes for cluster development http://www.proinno-europe.eu (Policy Development > INNO-Nets > BSR InnoNet)

7. Current innovation activities underPRO INNO Europe: INNO-Nets Example: BSR InnoNet (Baltic Sea Region Innovation Network): • Mapping of national cluster policies and programmes in the Baltic Sea Region • Analysis of cluster dynamics • Evaluating cluster policy and benchmarking framework conditions http://www.proinno-europe.eu (Policy Development > INNO-Nets > BSR InnoNet)

8. Current innovation activities under Europe INNOVA: Focus on sectoral networks http://www.europe-innova.org Innovation Watch Cluster Networks Innovation Panels Financing Networks Cluster Mapping Standards Networks Innovation Management – IMP³rove KIS Innovation Platform

9. Current activities:Cluster Mapping • Innovation Clusters in the 10 New Member States of the European Union (2006), Europe INNOVA paper N° 1 http://www.europe-innova.org (Cluster Mapping > Cluster Mapping Studies > Cluster Mapping EU10 > Results) • European Cluster Observatory http://www.clusterobservatory.eu/

10. European Cluster Observatory:Objectives and ambitions • Offers a place for mapping and statistical analysis of clusters in Europe (38 sectors for 259 mainly NUTS-2 regions); • Aims to become the European repository of cluster initiatives and organisations, policies and case studies; • Is open to integrate other relevant results available in MS and EU regions.

11. European Cluster Observatory:Cluster mapping and statistics - the WHY Cluster mapping is important for: • policy makers at all levels • company managers since it can: • reveal EU industry structural patterns and their evolution; • identify strengths and weaknesses at national and regional level; • benchmark performances using the same methodology.

12. European Cluster Observatory:The applied methodology (3 star system) 1 star rating for a regional cluster: (using only employment data at NUTS-2 level) • It is in the top-10 percentile of employment in a given sector. (Size); • It has (at least) twice more employment within a given sector than the average of all regions would suggest given their size (Specialisation); • It reaches the top 10-percentile of all regional clusters which account for a larger share of a region’s overall employment (Focus).

13. 1338 clusters (67%) 524 clusters (25%) 155 clusters (8%) European Cluster Observatory:Statistical results Top 30 European Regions

14. European clusters per sector

15. Example: Automotive clusters in Europe Number of clusters: www.clusterobservatory.eu

16. Further cluster activities under PRO INNO Europe and Europe INNOVA • ENTR report on ‘Innovation clusters in Europe’, http://www.europe-innova.org • Forthcoming Communication on Clusters • European Cluster Memorandum, sent to national, regional governments and innovation agencies for signature: political commitment for promoting European Innovation through Clusters • Presidential European Cluster Conference, Stockholm, 22-23 January 2008, expected high-profile political endorsement to the Memorandum

17. Further cluster activities :European Cluster Alliance (I) European Cluster Alliance • Open platform for cluster policy-makers for exchanging information, discussing common issues and developing practical tools and joint actions • Formed by 4 INNO-Nets (BSR InnoNet, CEE-ClusterNetwork, CLUNET, INNET) involving policy authorities and innovation agencies from 20 Member States and involve 50+ partners • Partnership agreements in preparation http://www.proinno-europe.eu/ (Policy Development > European Cluster Alliance)

18. Further cluster activities :European Cluster Alliance (II) European Cluster Alliance working areas • Measuring the economic impact of cluster policies • Identifying financial resources to support cluster policies • Improving the cluster infrastructure through policy actions • Identifying the main objectives and activities of cluster programmes http://www.proinno-europe.eu/ (Policy Development > European Cluster Alliance)

19. Future activities under CIP: PRO INNO Europe and Europe INNOVA • Shift from sectoral networks to thematic platforms • More integrated approach • Cluster strand continues • Communication websites continue • Clear objectives Example: see submission set and Call for Proposals for the European Innovation Platform for Knowledge Intensive Services http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/funding/files/themes_2007/calls_prop.htm

20. From sectoral networks tothematic platforms Services Innovation Watch Innovation Panels Lead Markets Horizontal support actions Eco-Innovation European Cluster Observatory Cluster Cooperation Europe INNOVA Communications

21. The new innovation support pyramid INNO-Nets Public authorities, policy-makers Public procure-ment Innovation culture ? ? Intermediaries, practitioners, PPPs Lead markets Eco-innovation Cluster cooperation Services European Business Support Networks (IRC & EIC)

22. Other EU activities • FP7 for research. Specific programmes on Cooperation, Ideas, People and Capacitieswww.cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ www.ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/ • European Technology Platforms www.cordis.europa.eu/technolgy-platforms/ • ERDF / Interreg IV (DG Regional Policy) http://www.europa.eu/pol/reg/index_en.htm • Lead Market Initiative (LMI) expected to be adopted in December 2007 (DG ENTR) http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/innovation/index_en.htm

23. Thank you for your attention! C. Schierenbeck Innovation Policy Development Unit European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/innovation/index_en.htm