INTERREG and other EU
funding instruments for
Innovation
The Lisbon Strategy and the EU 2020
The Lisbon Strategy aimed at making the EU “the
most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based
economy in the world capable of sustainable
economic growth with more and better jobs and
greater social cohesion”, by 2010.
It based on three pillars (economic, social and
environmental) with the economic concepts as
diving forces.
The Lisbon Strategy and
the EU 2020
The Europe 2020 Strategy sets out a new vision of
Europe's social market economy for the 21st
century. It shows how the EU can come out stronger
from the current economic crisis and how it can be
turned into a smart, sustainable and inclusive
economy delivering high levels of employment,
productivity and social cohesion.
Europe 2020 will build on the successes obtained by
the Lisbon Strategy since its 2005 re-launch, which
focused on growth and jobs, but will also address
some of its shortcomings.
The Lisbon Strategy and
the EU 2020
Smarter and greater economy:
• prosperity will result from innovation and from
using resources better
• knowledge will be the key input
• the EU potential in RTDI will be fully exploited
EU financial support (2007-2013)
Research, Technical development,
Innovation
Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP)
EUR 3.6 billion
KEY FUNDING
INSTRUMENTS
Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)
Structural Funds
EUR 50 billion
EUR 89 billion
Key funding instruments
Research: 7th Framework Programme for
Research and Technical Development (FP7)
• specifically targeted at supporting research and development
• covers five Specific Programmes: Cooperation, Ideas, People,
Capacities, Euratom
• supports collaborative and individual projects with European addedvalue
• is open to a wide range of organisations (incl. universities, research
centres, multinational corporations, SMEs) and individuals from the
EU and outside
• co-finances up to 50%, 75%, 100% of eligible costs (depending on
the funding scheme, legal status of partners and the type of activity)
Key funding instruments
Innovation: Competitiveness and Innovation
Framework Programme (CIP)
• aims to encourage the competitiveness of European enterprises
• covers three Specific Programmes: Entrepreneurship and
Innovation Programme (EIP), Information Communication
Technologies (ICT), Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE)
• is open to a wide range of organisations and individuals (SMEs
remain the main target) from the EU and outside
• allocates funds through calls for proposals but also calls for tenders
(under the EIP)
Key funding instruments
Cohesion Policy: Structural Funds
• aims to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion by
reducing disparities in the level of development between EU regions
• supports many thematic areas, incl. research, innovation and
enterprise
• covers three funds under which research and innovation activities
can be supported: European Regional Development Fund (ERDF),
Cohesion Fund, European Social Fund (ESF)
• contributes to three objectives: Convergence, Regional
Competitiveness and Employment, European Territorial
Cooperation – INTERREG
Differences between funds
Why INTERREG?
• demonstrates a clear territorial dimension
• facilitates formulation of partnerships with actors from different
countries
• targets public and public-similar organisations but involvement
of SMEs is also possible
• has the scope and flexibility to fund a wide range of activities
• contributes to raising the EU’s long-term research and innovation
performance through investments, policy-making, implementation
and evaluation methods
Differences between funds
Why INTERREG IVB North West Europe?
• supports wide range of activities to promote greater
entrepreneurship, development of growth clusters and SMEs
networks, and to strengthen institutional framework for innovation
• facilitates vertical and horizontal integration of project stakeholders
• enables implementation of concrete actions and on-ground testing
• covers 50% of all eligible costs, regardless of the type of activity
• has the budget of over EUR 89 million to spend on Innovation (25%
of the total Programme budget)
• provides direct assistance to applicants in the development of their
proposals
• opens calls regularly (twice a year) and calls for Strategic Initiatives
INTERREG NWE
Spanning innovation among all four Priorities
Priority1
Innovation
Priority 2
Environment
Priority 3
Priority 4
Connectivity Communities
Objective 1.1
Objective 2.1
Objective 3.1
Objective 4.1
Objective 1.2
Objective 2.2
Objective 3.2
Objective 4.2
Objective 1.3
Objective 2.3
Objective 3.3
Objective 4.3
INTERREG NWE
Spanning innovation among all four Priorities
examples
• Objective 2.1: To promote an innovative and sustainable approach to natural
resource management, including water, landscapes, biodiversity and energy, and
waste management
• Objective 2.2: To promote an innovative approach to risk management and
prevention, in particular water management in the context of climate change
• Objective 3.2: To support effective and innovative multi-modal strategic actions and
efficient inter-operable systems on land, water and air
• Objective 3.3: To develop innovative approaches to the use of ICT in order to
improve connectivity (…)
• Objective 4.2: To identify and develop collective actions that will improve the
environment quality and attraction of towns and cities including the sustainable use of
the cultural heritage, tourism, the creative economy and sustainable and innovative
energy practices
INTERREG NWE
Let’s learn more about the
scope of Priority 1