A PACT FOR INNOVATION

The launch of the Pact for Innovation took place on 7 December 2015 during the Opening Ceremony of the 7th European Innovation Summit. The objective of the Pact for Innovation (INPACT) is to create a space for close collaboration between key stakeholders and the European Institutions. The collaboration is meant to result in concrete solutions addressing the pressing issue of multiple barriers preventing a strong and globally competitive innovation performance in Europe.

A close cooperation both at the level of the different Commission DGs as well as the stakeholder community will help strengthening Europe’s innovation performance.

INPACT calls for a joint effort to create pro-innovation conditions to overcome well-known weaknesses in turning knowledge created by research and inventions into innovation providing “added value” for Europe’s economy and citizens. The signatories of INPACT share the vision that a globally competitive and successful Europe needs stakeholders and institutions to work together in an integrated approach to ensure that innovation can deliver solutions to major challenges Europe and the world are facing. To move quickly from research and invention to innovation generating economic value, Europe must build on its existing strengths but also address shortcomings by creating a favourable environment and encouraging the next generation of entrepreneurs to take risk.

The focus of INPACT is on implementation of actions within identified priorities, where concrete timely changes can be achieved best at EU level. Harnessing Europe’s innovation will be best achieved by creating strong value chains and innovation ecosystems at all levels.

INPACT Priorities

A) A coherent EU innovation policy and policies for innovation development

i) Ensure a horizontal approach in EU innovation policy making with a particular attention on synergies between industrial, digital and research and innovation policies.

ii) Based on a political mandate, the Commissioner for Research and Innovation should foster the coordination of policies for innovation involving all relevant DGs. A hand-in-hand cooperation with the Commissioner for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness is indispensable.

iii) Create a supportive regulatory framework that fosters innovation, strengthens transparency and focuses on the quality of legislation.

iv) Apply systematically analysis on the consequences for innovation during the impact assessment of new and reviewed policies and legislation in various sectors.

v) Ensure an important role of science in the decision-making process with high standards for science in policy making.

vi) Foster a better exchange of best practices in innovation policy between Member States and the EU to stimulate new solutions how to turn research into innovation and innovation into successful business.

vii) Contribute to stimulate the adaptation of political structures and processes to new technological and societal challenges, while ensuring a strong role for stakeholders.

B) Re-focusing and aligning EU budgets and investments towards innovation

viii) Use the mid-term reviews of the MFF and Horizon2020 to scale up innovations creating new European-wide markets

ix) Align various funding programs and instruments to overcome “Valley of Death” to ensure a smooth transition from invention to innovation and the creation of economic value and employment. This should be considered for all critical phases from early stage to growth as well as on the way from SME to mid-cap and international market leader.

C) Improve Citizens and Investor confidence in Europe

x. Enhanced tools for science communication and dialogue with key stakeholders to increase the understanding in the public for science and innovation in society and strengthen the relationship between scientists, societal stakeholders, media and the public.

xi. Increase consumer and investor confidence in Europe by creating an EU wide dialogue between the different communities to find a balance between technology driven developments and those that are relevant from an environmental-, health and safety perspective

D) Paving the way for the next generation

xii. Engage the next generation of scientists, researchers, inventors and innovators.

xiii. Prepare the future by strengthening networks of young innovators to gain critical mass across EU. Appropriate skills sets have to be developed and made available in national curricula from primary school to master degree levels.