Earlier this month, Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030 (Ocean and Waters Mission) organised together with CINEA an online information session on the concept and opportunities of Associated Regions within the Mission. Although regions have been identified as one of the key actors in the Mission, their involvement and engagement is still limited.

One of the opportunities for regions to engage in the Ocean and Waters Mission, presented in the Horizon Europe programme, is to become an Associated Region in one of the funded Mission projects. Selected Associated Regions will receive a grant of up to €100 000 to replicate and scale up solutions for ecosystem and biodiversity restoration developed and tested by the Mission projects. The specific activities that can be financed depend on the nature of the project.

Associated Regions should have similar ecosystems as the ones participating in the project, but should not come from a Member State or Associated Country that already is represented in the project consortium. More information can be found in the slides presented at the webinar and the recording.

Please find below some current and upcoming opportunities to become an Associated Region in one of the Mission projects.

• REMEDIES (Co-creating strong uptake of REMEDIES for the future of our oceans through deploying plastic litter valorisation and prevention pathways)
  • Call deadline 15 November 2023
• OLAMUR (Offshore Low-trophic Aquaculture in Multi-Use Scenario Realisation)
  • Call planned for November 2023
• INSPIRE (Innovative Solutions for Plastic Free European Rivers)
  • Call planned for June 2024
• iMERMAID (Innovative solutions for Mediterranean Ecosystem Remediation via Monitoring and decontamination from Chemical Pollution)
  • Calls planned for August 2024 and June 2025
• DALIA (Danube Region Water Lighthouse Action)
  • Call planned for September 2024

The Annual Research Conference (ARC) is the European Commission’s flagship research forum that brings together leading researchers working on economic policy design at European and national levels. This year’s edition, co-organised by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs and by the Joint Research Centre, will take place in Brussels on 13-15 November 2023, with attendance possible in person or online. The event will take place under the theme of European Integration, Institutions and Development, welcoming a presentation of 24 selected papers, research sessions, policy labs and panel discussions.

On 15 November from 11:30-13:00, ERRIN Director Pirita Lindholm will take part as a speaker in a session on Institutions and Innovation. The panel will aim to dissect the multifaceted nature of place-based innovation and the consequences of geostrategic fragmentation, and elucidate how local factors, such as institutions, governance, and technological geographical concentration, play a pivotal role in shaping regional innovation performance. The goal is to offer actionable insights for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and investors on how to nurture innovation ecosystems.

Find all event details including the full agenda and register here. Please note that registrations for in-person participation are accepted on a first come, first-served basis. 

In the frame of the Living-in.EU movement, in which ERRIN is actively participating through the Go Li.EU project, the consortium is looking for Smart Community experts to become Member State representatives.

If you have at least five years experience in working on digital transformation and a strong network in local, regional and national governments, you can apply by 23 November 2023 (12:00 Brussels time).

Why join?

• Promote the ambition to further digitalise the European Union at local, regional and national level.
• Participate and help to set up information and dissemination sessions for the cities and local communities on Europe’s digital policy, activities and tools. 
• Help to promote the LORDIMAS assessment tool, a new and free interactive tool to measure your organisation’s digital maturity.  
• Become a member of the Living-in.EU community, actively participate in various subgroups and access a wealth of online resources. 

How to apply?

Fill out the registration form, and submit a full profile, including:

1. Your CV

2. Recommended to have at least two letters from credible sources that can vouch for your skills and experience.

3. A list of contacts in local and regional governments, as well as any relevant organisations or networks you are part of (name of the organisation, link to website, name of the contact person, function title, email address and phone number).

The interviews will be conducted with selected applicants in December 2023, before submitting applications to the approval of the European Commission. The work is expected to start in January 2024.

You will find more information on the role, the expected workload and the requirements on this page.

Zero Waste Scotland and Scotland Europa are delighted to invite you to a panel discussion taking place in Scotland House Brussels on Thursday 16 November, to kick off European Week of Waste Reduction.

It is increasingly clear that single-use packaging, both plastics and paper-based alternatives, are driving environmental harm and perpetuating a throwaway culture. We cannot simply recycle our way out of this crisis, but rather we need to invest and innovate to create workable solutions for the packaging sector. 

Against the backdrop of Scotland and the EU's ambitious targets for net zero and the circular economy, we are excited to convene a panel of change-makers from business, policy, and citizen groups working in Scotland and across the EU. Together we will discuss both the challenges and opportunities as we navigate the path towards a re-use system for packaging.

Panellists include -

• Stuart Chidley – Co-founder of Beauty Kitchen, a pioneering company that delivered one of the first re-usable packaging solutions for the cosmetics industry. Having recently launched a Re-useable Packaging Platform – Reposit- he continues his work with stakeholders across the value chain to remove the barriers to accelerating the transition to reuse.
• Aline Maigret – Head of Policy at Zero Waste Europe
• Sarah Risch - Policy Advisor at OVAM (Public Waste Agency of Flanders) working on the topic of reusable packaging within the Green Deal Anders Verpakt

The session will be moderated by Ray Georgeson, Head of Policy at Zero Waste Scotland. You can register to attend the event here. 

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Lorna.Murphy@scotent.co.uk. 

The forum event focused on sharing the progress, deliverables, and the future of the T-shore project will take place on 16 November and will address the skills shortages in the Offshore Wind Industry through collaborative efforts with fellow EU partners.
 

Agenda:

09.15 – 09.45: Welcome Reception with Tea & Coffee

09.50 – 10.05: T-shore, our story so far by Dáire Horgan, Wind Energy Ireland.

10.10 – 10.20: Summary of the preliminary findings from conducted interviews with the industry: What are the vocational skills requirements for installation, operation & maintenance (I&O&M) for offshore wind? Laure Martroye, POM West-Vlaanderen │WP2 Leader.

10.25 – 10.35: EU update on the implementation of the CoVE (Centres of Vocational Excellence) initiative by Ragnhild SKAALID, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission.

10.40 – 11.10: Micro credentials for VET and labour market – The EU perspective by Anastasia Pouliou, CEDEFOP expert in qualifications and credentials-Future of VET.

11.15 – 11.35: RES4CITY’s, and EU project aimed at upskilling students and member of the workforce to prepare for the green transition and to support a low carbon economy. Prof. Fabiano Pallonetto of Maynooth University will showcase the projects platform and micro credentials processes for other EU funded projects.

11.40 – 11.55: Shaping the T-shore programme through harmonised learning scenarios.

12.00 – 12.30: Panel discussion exploring the day's themes as we address the EU's skills challenge. Frank Emil Moen, CEO Energy Innovation │ Mariana Batista, Senior Advisor- Education & Skills, Wind Europe │ Prof. Fabiano Pallonetto, Maynooth University │

T-shore Networking Lunch 12.30 – 14.00

Venue: Loft, Rue de Namur 51, 1000, Brussels (5 min walk from Palais des Academies).
After concluding the panel discussion, we invite everyone to join us at the LOFT, just a short walk from the Palais des Academies, for a networking lunch. There, we can continue our discussions and foster increased collaborations.

More details will follow, with a detailed agenda and location to be announced. For now, registration is available here.

ERRIN’s ICT Working Group is organising an in-person meeting on digital and cybersecurity skills on Wednesday 15 November, from 14:30 to 16:00.

In the last decade, the digital transformation of our societies has underlined the critical need for digital skills and competencies at all levels. This is particularly true in the field of cybersecurity, where experts from the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) evaluated that the EU’s cybersecurity workforce is lacking around 900,000 professionals. Over the last year and in the frame of the European Year of Skills, the European Commission has notably put forward several proposals addressing digital skills in general but also cybersecurity skills.

This meeting will be an opportunity to discuss and exchange on good practices regarding digital and cybersecurity skills with representatives from the European Commission and different initiatives implemented in the field.

You can find more information in the draft agenda attached.

If you have any questions, you can contact rodolphe.doite@errin.eu and lucy.hammond@errin.eu

Horizon Europe aims to ensure Europe's global competitiveness. In order to unleash the full potential of the European Research Area, efforts are being made to increase the participation of countries with low R&D performance to overcome the significant disparities between countries. The aim of the Widening programme is to ensure scientific excellence in all EU Member States and to increase the participation in Horizon Europe of those Member States that are less established in research and innovation - the so-called Widening countries. The Widening actions are experiencing lively demand and participation under Horizon Europe. But how can these be even more effective in the future in the face of growing social and economic challenges? How are innovation systems structured in Central and Eastern European countries? What contribution does Widening make to close the innovation gap in Europe and to innovation ecosystems in Europe?

In the upcoming meeting on “Fostering Innovation Ecosystems in Europe: Which Role for Widening?”, organised by DLR PT Brussels FutureTalks and NCBR Office in Brussels Team in the frame of the "Brussels FutureTalks", experts from EU institutions, practitioners and national stakeholders will discuss their experiences and provide insights and perspectives on Widening and the role of innovation ecosystems.

The event will take place in person on 20 November 2023 from 13:00-15:30 at the NCBR Brussels Office, with a light networking lunch at 12:30.

ERRIN will take part in a panel on Widening actions as a key driver for Pockets of Excellence.

For more information please find the full event description and agenda attached.

To confirm your onsite participation please send an email to brussels-futuretalks@dlr.de . Virtual participation is unfortunately not possible.

On 23 November 2023, EISMEA and DG REGIO will organise an informative session about the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument call for proposals "Strand 2b - Capacity Building in Less Developed Regions". 

The purpose of this event is to inform potential applicants about the call for proposals stemming from the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument - Strand 2b Capacity Building in Less Developed Regions (LDR). A questions and answers session will be proposed at the end of the info session.

The call will be launched on 15 November 2023 and will have two cut-offs: on 15 February 2024 and 14 November 2024.

Find the agenda and register by 20 November 2023, 12:00 CET here.