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

Policy WG meeting: Regional Innovation Valleys call under Horizon Europe – dealing with co-funding

In the frame of ERRIN’s focus on the Regional Innovation Valleys call under Horizon Europe (EIE RIV call), the requirement of 50% co-funding emerges as one of the most challenging aspects of the call for prospective applicant regions. The online Policy WG meeting on 29 June aims to discuss this urgent issue to further support network members in applying to the EIE RIV call by 17 October.

Industrialisation for a Green Transition in the European Arctic

Umeå University has the pleasure to invite you to this unofficial event of the Swedish presidency of the Council of the EU focused on the rapid green transition and the re-industrialisation in European regions.The event will take place on 29 June from 11:30-13:00 at the North Sweden European Office in Brussels.

Stakeholder workshop on the progress of Horizon Europe

The European Commission is organising a stakeholder workshop on the progress of Horizon Europe in the context of the mid-term review. The event will take place online on 29 June from 10:00-13:00 CEST. Participants will be invited to take the floor and share their individual experiences with Horizon Europe up until now. Widening countries are particularly encouraged to take part.

All Hands On Deck: Mobilising the EU's Cohesion Policy to unlock Europe's Cities & Regions' potential to save energy

The Regione Lombardia and the European Alliance to Save Energy are organising an event on 29 June aiming to build forward-looking partnerships between regions & businesses on energy efficiency.

International Conference on Cultural Tourism Advances

The H2020 project Be.CULTOUR is co-organising, together with other 5 EU-funded research and innovation projects, an International Conference on "Cultural Tourism Advances", which will take place in Brussels on the 27-28 June 2023.

Vision 2030: Strategic orientation towards AI, Data, Robotics 2025-2027

The AI, Data, and Robotics (ADR) partnership is organising an event on 26 June 2023 (11:00 to 12:00 CEST) to discuss the strategic orientations of the AI, Data, Robotics roadmap for the 25-27 work programme.

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

Governance structures to implement the EU Missions: check the new Mission Data Platform

A new Mission Data Platform has recently been launched by TRAMI, the EU-funded project focusing on transnational cooperation on the Mission-approach and effective implementation of the EU Missions. This tool supports and links with ERRIN's work on multi-level governance in the Cities Mission within the NetZeroCities project.

The JRC publishes "Innovation for place-based transformations. ACTIONbook, practices and tools"

The Joint Research Centre, in collaboration with the European Committee of the Regions, has published the "Innovation for place-based transformations. ACTIONbook, practices and tools". The ACTIONbook builds upon the PRI Playbook and PRI Pilot experience to help address complex challenges.

ERRIN welcomes new network Chairs

The ERRIN Management Board has appointed three co-chairs to the network. The three postholders will work together as a troika to guide the network in a collaborative manner in the period of 2024-2025.

Exploring Synergies between European Partnerships and EU Missions – Mutual Learning Event

ERRIN and the TRAMI project are organising a Mutual Learning Event aiming to explore synergies between European Partnerships and EU Missions. The event will take place on Wednesday 7 February from 9:00 to 12:00 (CET) at the NCBR Brussels Office, Rue Belliard 40, Brussels.

Regional innovation highlighted in Council conclusions on R&I

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. 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.

ERRIN end of year reception - 2023 Highlights

On 7 December, ERRIN celebrated the network’s achievements in 2023. Following an engaging meeting with leaders of our 15 Working Groups, all ERRIN members were invited to a cocktail reception featuring a keynote from Markus Schulte, Head of Cabinet of Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. Check out ERRIN 2023 highlights in a 3-minute video.

Latest Updates

  • By Ewa Chomicz

Call for Expression of Interest - 'Clusters meet Regions' workshops

The European Cluster Collaboration Platform launched a Call of Expression of Interest to select the national/regional authorities and clusters organisations to run 13 European ‘Clusters meet Regions’ workshops in the second half of 2022 and throughout 2023. The new deadline for making an application is 2 December 2022, at 18:00 CEST. 

  • By Lucy Hammond

Second set of calls for proposals under CEF Digital programme launched

The European Commission has launched the second set of calls for proposals under the Connecting Europe Facility Digital programme, with a budget of €277 million. The deadline to apply is 23 February 2023. One of the calls that could be of particular interest to ERRIN members is the '5G for Smart Communities'.

  • By Lucy Hammond

Lubelskie region is looking for cooperation in the area of bioactive substances of natural origin

Lubelskie Voivodeship, continuing its work on regional ecosystem of life science as a part of the ELISE Interreg Europe project, is looking for partner regions to jointly apply to the Interreg Europe programme, the call for which will run from 15 March until 9 June 2023.

  • By Magdalena Ujejska

Małopolska Region's search for partners - Adapting cities and regions to climate change

Małopolska Region looking for partners for a project within LIFE Subprogramme Climate Action (Adapting cities and regions to climate change).

  • By Ewa Chomicz

Management Board elections 2022 – call for nominations launched!

Every year ERRIN holds elections for the Management Board. You can put forward your candidature for this year’s elections until 17 October.

  • By Ewa Chomicz

REGIONS2030: Call for expression of interest - deadline extended

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) is inviting European regions to express their interest to contribute to the Pilot Project "REGIONS2030: Monitoring the SDGs in the EU regions - Filling the data gaps", supported by the European Parliament. The deadline for submitting an expression of interest is now extended until 10 October 2022.