Mid-term assessment of innovative regional actions
The European Commission, DG XVI, has published a mid-term assessment of the innovative measures for economic and social development supported under Article 10 of the European Regional Development Fund. For the period 1995-1999, eight areas were identified for support under Article 10: - New sources of jobs; - Culture and heritage; - The promotion of technological innovation; - The Information Society; - Regional planning; - Urban development; - Internal inter-regional cooperation (intra-EU); - External inter-regional cooperation. So far projects have been selected as a result of calls for proposals in the first four sectors (the regional development measures) and in the urban development sector. Calls for proposals have been launched in the other three sectors, but as yet, no projects have been selected. A total of ECU 70 million is available for projects in the four sectors of the regional development measures. So far, 121 regional pilot projects have been selected for funding. In the promotion of technological innovation sector, two activities are supported. Firstly Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) are designed to improve cooperation between public and private sectors with a view to establishing a framework conducive to more efficient use of resources for innovation. The scheme has developed from a 1994 pilot initiative, in which regional technology plans were developed for eight regions. A total of 19 RIS projects are being supported, selected from 43 proposals submitted. Secondly, Regional Technology Transfer (RTT) projects bring together groups of European regions, with the aim of facilitating technology transfer and forming of partnerships. In this way, businesses from less advantaged regions can have better access to technological developments and potential partners in the more advanced regions. Overall the projects are designed to benefit both advanced and less advanced regions, improving overall European competitiveness. Seven RTT projects have been selected from 73 proposals submitted. The selected projects involve organizations in over 30 regions. In parallel to the RIS and RTT projects funded under the ERDF, the Community's INNOVATION programme for the Dissemination and Optimization of Research Results finances Regional Innovation and Technology Transfer Infrastructures and Strategies (RITTS) projects. At present, some 21 projects are being supported, with a further call for proposals launched on 17 September 1997.