On 8 December, the Council of the EU approved conclusions on strengthening the role and impact of research and innovation in policymaking – a priority file for the Spanish Presidency of the Council whose term will finish at the end of the year. A stronger role for local and regional innovation to strengthen competitive R&I is featured in the conclusions as one of the three mutually complementary dimensions. The other two areas include the contribution of science to reinforce policymaking; and the policy impact of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) on the design of R&I policies in the European Research Area (ERA).

The document underlines that the regional dimension should be strengthened in innovation ecosystems, and facilitated through cross-border cooperation (especially between less and more innovative Member States and regions). Among other things, it also argues that policies to support ecosystems should be designed to create synergies between cohesion policy and R&I funds.

ERRIN is pleased to see mentions of Regional Innovation Valleys and Partnerships for Regional Innovation in the document as examples of initiatives aiming to facilitate cross-border collaboration between less and more innovative regions. Noting the potential of cooperation between different governance levels and the need for increasing coordination between R&I and other relevant policies is also welcome.

Find the official press release here and the full text of Council conclusions on the role of R&I in policymaking here.

The approval of the Council conclusions on R&I coincided on 8 December with the publication of the official programme of the Belgian Presidency of the Council which will kick off in January 2024. Main priorities in the field of R&I include open strategic autonomy; research valorisation; connecting science, industry, policy, and society better, to enhance trust and engagement in science and address key societal and environmental challenges; and following up on the European Framework Programme for R&I.