Innovation for Growth through Synergies
Dimitri Corpakis, Head of Unit, RTD.B.5
Spreading excellence and widening participation
Directorate for the Innovation Union and the ERA
Directorate General for Research and Innovation
European Commission
Brainstorming Event: Slovenian Innovation Hub
Permanent Representation of Slovenia
Brussels, 26.05.15
Innovation Union Scoreboard 2015
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Slovenia: Key Indicators (IUCR 2014)
Slovenia: strengths and weaknesses of the R&I system (2012)
Slovenia: success and challenges
•
•
R&D intensity in Slovenia increased from 1.38 % in 2000 to 2.8 % in 2012, thus its
R&D intensity target of 3 % for 2020 seems achievable. In spite of the economic
crisis, business expenditure on R&D as a percentage of GDP increased from 0.87 %
in 2007 to 2.16 % in 2012, making Slovenia one of the top performers in the EU in
terms of business R&D. The country ranks third in the EU, outperformed only by
Finland and Sweden.
This is a clear signal that Slovenia regards investment in R&D as a priority for the
development of medium high and high-tech competitive enterprises and for
increased and sustainable economic growth. It is meeting the challenge of
reaching its 2020 R&D intensity target of 3 % by mobilising incentives and
resources from public and private sources (human, financial, infrastructural) and
providing a smooth path for more technological innovation. Improving the overall
governance and ensuring a clearer research prioritisation with a stronger focus on
knowledge transfer remain the main challenges for the Slovenian R&I system to
support the efficient and effective use of available resources.
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Horizon 2020 – Structural effects
•Multiple partnerships
forms possible
•Public private partnerships:

Through Joint Technology Initiatives or other
formal structures (Art. 187) / Through
contractual agreements, which provide inputs for
work programmes /

Only when criteria met, e.g. clear commitments
from private partners
•Public-public partnerships:

Through « ERA-Nets » for topping up individual
calls/actions (replacing current ERA-Net, ERANet Plus, Inco-Net, Inno-net)

Through participation in joint programmes
between Member States (Art. 185) / Supporting
agendas of Joint Programming Initiatives when
in line with Horizon 2020

Only
when
criteria
met,
e.g.
financial
commitments of participating countries
•European Innovation Partnerships:

Not funding instruments, but for coordination
with broader policies and programmes
Boosting innovative
SMEs
 Integrated approach - around
20% of the total budget for
societal challenges and LEITs
is estimated to benefit
dynamic and innovative SMEs
 Simplification of particular
benefit to SMEs (e.g. single
entry point)
 A new SME instrument
active across all societal
challenges as well as for the
LEITs
 A dedicated activity for
research-intensive SMEs in
'Innovation in SMEs'
 'Access to risk finance' with
a strong SME focus
(debt and equity facility)
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Smart Specialisation for regional growth
• Identify the key growth opportunities for a given
country/ region that can make a difference : often at the
intersection of well-known sectors
• Build on the concept of Related Variety to identify
technology choices
• Think about strategic technological diversification on
areas of relative strength and potential
• Stimulate innovation through entrepreneurship,
modernisation, adaptation
• Dare to introduce innovative governance solutions
• Promote new linkages, synergies and spill-overs
• Open up to the world – increase internationalisation
•Adapted from Philip McCann (2012)
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The need for Synergies: optimising interactions between H2020
actions and the ESIF Operational Programmes
 Obtaining more impacts on
competitiveness, jobs and growth
by combining ESIF and Horizon
2020
 Amplifying projects / initiatives
under the other instrument
 Carrying further the projects of the
other instrument towards the
market (downstream)
 Exploit complementarities while at
the same time avoid overlaps and
exclude double-financing (fraud)
… but beware ! :
NO substitution of national,
regional or private cofunding to projects or
programmes by money from
the other instruments
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Synergies – who is in the driving seat ?
 Key role for national and regional
authorities as they plan future investments
on research and innovation, including
through the ESIF (buildings but also RTDI
Projects)
 Research stakeholders (Public/ private):
they should be better informed about the
said investment plans and operational
measures from their National/ Regional
ESIF related Managing Authorities
 Horizon NCPs and Enterprise Europe
Network CPs: an information, guidance and
co-planning role
 Commission services
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Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation:
regional benefits and spill-overs
Disparities in R&I excellence and
innovation performance: barrier to
competitiveness, growth and jobs
across Europe
•
Some countries are experiencing
low participation in the EU
Framework Programmes because
of:
 insufficient
investments
national
R&D
 lack of synergies between
national research systems
and
the
EU
research
landscape
 system learning effects
 reduced
access
international networks
to
 problems with information,
communication and training
New set of measures in Horizon 2020
under
Spreading
Excellence
and
Widening Participation:
- Teaming (institution building
linked to RIS3)
- Twinning (institutional
networking – link to RIS3
desirable but not compulsory)
- ERA Chairs (bringing excellence
to institutions – loosely linked to
RIS3)
- NCPs (information,
communication, support)
- Policy Support Facility (support
for R&I Policy design)
- Support to COST ( stimulating
cross border science networks –
intergovernmental cooperation
framework)
- NO COHESION BUT
PERFORMANCE BASED
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
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Total Budget in H2020 ~ € 800 million
Thanks for your
attention
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Regional
Policy