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

S3 Partnership publishes position paper for a dedicated roadmap for Hydrogen Valleys

The European Hydrogen Valleys S3 Partnership has published a position paper "Through the Valley to the top: Why the EU needs a dedicated roadmap for Hydrogen Valleys".

ERRIN's EU Missions project mapping: express your interest

ERRIN aims to provide support to its members in developing successful proposals under the EU Missions of the Horizon Europe 2023-2024 work programme. ERRIN designed a brief survey with the upcoming EU Missions calls that may be of interest to regional and local stakeholders. Express your interest by 22 March.

ERRIN input to Horizon 2014-2027 consultation

ERRIN is pleased to share its input to the largest public consultation on the past, present and future of the Horizon programmes 2014-2027. The document is structured around four main areas based on the network’s priorities: EU Missions, European Partnerships, widening, and ecosystem approach.

Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument Work Programme 2023-2024 published

The Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument Work Programme 2023-2024 is out now. New calls will be launched in the second quarter of 2023 to address digital, green transition and smart manufacturing challenges linked to issues identified in the New European Innovation Agenda.

Usti region's proposal under i3 I3-2022-CAP2b — Capacity Building Strand 2b. 

Usti region is a heavily industrialised region in the northwest part of the Czech Republic. It is facing challenges of decarbonisation, coalmines and brown coal power stations phase-out. The region could use an EC Just Transitions Mechanism for supporting new specialisation domains like hydrogen or geothermal energy as well as green chemistry (nanotechnologies). The region will be submitting a proposal under i3 I3-2022-CAP2b — Capacity Building Strand 2b. 

Harnessing Talent in Europe: a new boost for EU Regions

Ensuring that regions facing a talent development trap become more resilient and attractive is crucial in the EU's commitment to leaving nobody and no place behind. For that reason, the Commission launched a new ‘Talent Booster Mechanism', supporting EU regions affected by the accelerated decline of their working age population to train, retain and attract the people, the skills and the competences needed to address the impact of the demographic transition.

Latest Updates

  • By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha

Call to organise events as part of the 'EU Cluster Weeks 2018-2019' (Deadline: 29 March 2019)

  On November 20th the European Commission launched “EU Cluster weeks 2018-2019”, a campaign aimed at offering communication support to cluster events organised all around Europe before April 30th, 2019.

  • By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha

Adoption of the CoR opinion on "Strengthening Innovation in Europe's Regions"

  On 16th May, the opinion on “Strengthening Innovation in Europe’s Regions: Strategies for resilient, inclusive and sustainable growth” drafted by Mikel Irujo Amezaga, Head of the Navarre Government Delegation in Brussels and member of ERRIN Management Board, was adopted unanimously during the Committee of the Regions Plenary.

  • By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha

Call for special sessions proposals for 2018 SMARTER Conference on Smart Specialisation and Territorial Development (Deadline 17 May)

On 26-28 September 2018 the 2018 SMARTER Conference on Smart Specialisation and Territorial Development: Implementation across global networks of regions, cities and firms will take place in Seville (Spain) and will be co-organised by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the Regional Studies Association European Foundation (RSA Europe).  At the moment there are two calls open, one f

  • By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha

The Guild publishes position paper and proposals for R&I missions for FP9

The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities is now sharing its position paper on the mission-driven approach for the EU’s next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP9).

  • By Ewa Chomicz

S3 Conference 2024 - save the date!

Save the date for the Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) Conference 2024, which will take place this year on 11-12 December in Rimini, Italy. The flagship event for S3 stakeholders from across regions in EU Member States is organised by DG REGIO and S3 CoP Secretariat, in partnership with Emilia-Romagna Region and with the support of the Municipality of Rimini and Palacongressi di Rimini.

  • By Astrid Hannes

UAS4EUROPE and ERRIN Horizon Europe Proposal Workshop

ERRIN and UAS4EUROPE are co-organising a Horizon Europe Proposal Workshop on 6-7 November 2024 in Brussels. This capacity building workshop will be a great opportunity for participants to unlock the potential of Horizon Europe’s Pillar 2.