Smart Specialisation Working Group

Representatives of Brussels-based offices leading the work of the Smart Specialisation Working Group.

Smart Specialisation

The Smart Specialisation Working Group aims to monitor and contribute to key policy developments related to S3 by enhancing dialogue with relevant EU institutions and stakeholders. The goal is to strengthen the regional perspective in the wider smart specialisation agenda and facilitate the interregional cooperation. The WG actively engages in the debate around shaping the cohesion policy post-2027 and the future of S3. It also follows different interregional collaboration instruments for innovation, their state of play and upcoming opportunities.

ERRIN Contact

Last Working Group Meetings

Previous Related ERRIN Working Group Meetings

Smart Specialisation WG meeting: S3 and PRI – the way ahead

Smart Specialisation WG meeting: S3 and PRI – the way ahead

Ewa Chomicz

The year 2024 marks the opening of a new chapter for the Partnerships for Regional Innovation (PRI) as a JRC-CoR initiative building on S3 to support innovation for place-based transformations. In

Strengthening skills governance in regional innovation ecosystems:  lessons learnt and remaining challenges

Strengthening skills governance in regional innovation ecosystems: lessons learnt and remaining challenges

Astrid Hannes

As the activities of the EU Year of Skills came to an end in April 2024, the Science and Education for Society Working Group is organising a Working Group meeting to reflect on the lessons learnt

Policy & Smart Specialisation WGs meeting: Widening in FP10 and impact on cohesion policy post-2027

Policy & Smart Specialisation WGs meeting: Widening in FP10 and impact on cohesion policy post-2027

Ewa Chomicz

The topic of widening gathers high attention in the discussions around the next European Framework Programme for R&I, raising questions with the potential to influence not only the Widening sub-

WG Related Events

WG Related Events

European Cluster Alliance Against Coronavirus Webinars on Recovery and Resilience

Hosted by the European Cluster Alliance (ECA), Eurada and the European Commission, the overall aim is to link and reinforce industrial ecosystems in the European Recovery Plans the Smart Specialisation Strategies.

The COVID-19 industrial cluster response: the role of European clusters in recovery strategies

The European Cluster Collaboration Platform is presenting a capacity-building webinar to conclude its series on the industrial cluster response to the pandemic.

Smart Specialisation for Sustainable Development Goals: part two

This meeting will focus on the implementation of the science, technology and innovation for SDGs roadmaps in the context of their contribution to sustainable recovery and future resilience

Smart Specialisation for Sustainable Development Goals: part one

This workshop will focus on the lessons learnt from the Global Pilot Programme for science, technology and innovation for SDGs from the pilot countries, UN partners, the World Bank and the EU's JRC.

Smart specialisation for economic recovery at the local and regional level

This webinar will examine the role of smart specialisation in economic recovery strategies post-COVID19 at the local and regional level.

The role of Smart Specialisation Strategies in the post-pandemic recovery

The Smart Specialisation Working Group webinar offers an opportunity to exchange views on the role of the RIS3 in the EU’s green, digital and innovative recovery post-pandemic.

WG Documents

WG Documents

ERRIN Year in review 2022

The ERRIN Year in review 2022 is out! Read the report to see the numerous activities ERRIN and its members have been involved in throughout the year.

WG Related Content

WG Related Content

EU Missions: The European Commission publishes its first mid-term review

On 19 July, the European Commission (EC) published a Communication on the assessment of the EU Missions after two years of implementation. The EC details the Missions' successes but also recognises the need to address challenges related to governance, budget, citizens and private sector engagement. The EC also proposes to add a sixth Mission on the New European Bauhaus.

Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2023 published

On 6 July, the Commission released the newest bi-annual Regional Innovation Scoreboard (RIS). The RIS allows for a closer examination of the innovation performance within European regions and the new edition is to be taken as a reference for consortium eligibility in the current Regional Innovation Valleys call for proposals under Horizon Europe. The 2023 edition of the European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) was also published.

ERRIN Spring AGM 2023 – taking stock of the EU Missions

ERRIN’s Spring Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2023 took place on 22 June this year. As always, it brought together the large and dynamic community of member regions and cities. Following the format part with the update from the network, the main focus was the EU Missions, approached in two policy debates, on the support and implementation frameworks in Adaptation, Ocean and Waters and Soil Missions, and the governance innovation and the perspective on Cities and the Cancer Missions.

Plenary Meeting of the S3 European Hydrogen Valleys Partnership and call for input

On 20 June 2023, ERRIN participated in the Plenary Meeting of the S3 European Hydrogen Valleys Partnership, hosted in the House of the Dutch Provinces in Brussels. In this context, ERRIN with its Energy & Climate Working Group is in the process of producing an input paper building on the work of the S3 Partnership on Hydrogen Valleys and collecting ERRIN’s members’ needs, challenges and solutions.

Local Digital Twins toolbox project launches survey

The European Commission has recently launched a project to “Co-design the Local Digital Twins (LDT) toolbox technical specifications for advancing the transformation of Smart Communities”. To support the design process, they have launched a survey to gather insights. The deadline for the survey is 30 June at 23:59 CEST.

Implementing co-funded action plans for connected regional innovation valleys - Heat networks

Implementing co-funded action plans for connected regional innovation valleys – Decarbonising Heat & Cooling, with proposed focus on next generation heating & cooling networks

Latest Updates

  • By Anonymous

Smart Specialisation WG Meeting: The Role of Universities and Cities in Smart Specialisation

We welcome you to the final Smart Specialisation Working Group Meeting before the summer break! The meeting will take place on 17th June between 14:00-17:00 at the Helsinki EU Office, which has moved and now is located on Rue Guimard 7, 1000 Brussels.  This Working Group meeting will focus on the role of universities and cities in Smart Specialisation.

  • By Anonymous

Smart Specialisation WG Meeting: New Initiative (Component 5)

We are happy to welcome you to the first Smart Specialisation WG meeting for this year!

  • By Anonymous

Monitoring and evaluation of Smart Specialisation - State of the play and next steps

Given its experimentalist and result-oriented approach, smart specialisation places a strong emphasis on the role of monitoring and evaluation. The JRC has developed a solid framework for monitoring, in response of a very strong demand from national and regional authorities.

  • By Anonymous

Smart Specialisation WG Meeting

We are happy to welcome you to the next Smart Specialisation Working Group meeting that will take place on 11th June 2018 between 14:30-16:45 at the Delegation of the Basque Country to the EU, located at Rue des Deux Églises 27, 1000 Brussels.  During this WG meeting, the main elements of the cohesion policy in the new MFF proposal will be presented by Benoît Nadler from DG REGIO, whereas the S

  • By Anonymous

Masterclass on Smart Specialisation

The EIT Climate-KIC is pleased to invite you to the Masterclass on Smart Specialisation with prof. Dr.

  • By Anonymous

Multi-partner cooperation formulas and their impact on territorial development

The event will be an open discussion and a participatory session based on the RIS3, focusing mostly but not exclusively on the role of authorities and multi-level governance issues; on implementation tools; on continuous EDP and involvement of users; on open dimension and strategic use of Interreg; and on monitoring S3. This session of the European Week of Regions and Cities 2018 is organised by A