Research and innovation

• Response to the "Europe 2020" strategy
• Developing research, development and innovation through cross-border cooperation
• Links with EU Cohesion Policy
• Forms of cooperation and examples of projects
• Recommendations

Recommendations

At local level

• Identify the cross-border potential for smart specialisation in consultation with the neighbouring territories concerned:
  - Analysis of the economic fabric on both sides of the border and their existing and potential complementarities in R&D.
  - Analysis of existing and potential complementarities in terms of cross-border R&D supply (public- and private-sector research laboratories, universities).
  - Proposal of common economic specialisation(s) in consultation with the socio-economic actors on both sides of the border and analysis of the added value of cross-border economic specialisation in the global economy (highlighting competitive advantages). The economic specialisation of a territory includes the need to make choices about the economic sector(s) to support.

• Integrate the objectives of innovation and economic specialisation in a shared territory project:
  - Importance of political support for the cross-border component of a proposed smart specialisation.
  - Sharing of goals with coherence among the SRI S3s concerned in the cross-border area.

• Create mechanisms for the networking of companies, research laboratories and universities, facilitate technology transfer:
  - Clusters are identified as the most important tool in the European vision of economic specialisation in combination with research and innovation; they enable the networking of all actors mentioned above.
  - Networking tools other than clusters can be used to specifically address cross-border innovation and technology transfer (they do not include the economic specialisation aspect of clusters).
  - Organisation of research infrastructures in networks, while ensuring unity in the facilitation of scientific activities and in administration.
  - Encourage cross-border experiments in training and functional and geographic mobility, stimulate partnerships in the field of lifelong learning and doctoral studies.
  - In addition to the coordination of the network, the action of public authorities can help to provide technical support for the setting up of Interreg V A projects, focusing on the quality of research and innovation projects and their coherence with the smart specialisation objectives of the cross-border territory.

At regional and national level

• Support local efforts towards cross-border economic specialisation:
  - with methodological support for the establishment of an SRI-S3, including the identification of cross-border potential;
  - by promoting the model of clusters reaching critical mass for international competition;
  - through coordination with neighbouring national / regional authorities.

• Supporting cross-border research and innovation through the Interreg programmes:
  - with greater promotion of smart specialisation led by the territories, including the selection of projects to support, which must now be focused around regional strategic priorities set out beforehand;
  - by promoting excellence in research and innovation projects, involving both a specific topic within the scope of the economic specialisation and a wide variety of socio-economic actors on both sides of the border: not simply bringing businesses together or universities together, but a combination of multiple players of different types;
  - by seeking links with other cohesion policy programmes and European programmes on research and innovation, such as the "Horizon 2020" programme.

At EU level

• Support the cross-border aspect of research and innovation:
  - by pooling experience gained and sharing best practices;
  - 0through communication on the 2014-2020 European priorities (smart specialisation of territories) and their cross-border iterations with regard to research and innovation (allocation of EU funds and links between said funds through new synergies);
  - through communication with public- and private-sector stakeholders on the added value of the cross-border dimension in smart specialisation (mutual benefits through different practices and different knowledge, economies of scale, increased global profile of a territory, critical mass for international competition).
  - via a framework for the evaluation and monitoring of public authorities’ action in matters of cross-border cooperation.

Photo copyright: European Community 2005