Commissioners tell convergence regions how Structural Funds can support R&I
Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potocnik and his colleague responsible for Regional Policy, Danuta Hübner, have highlighted how Structural Funds can be used to support research and innovation (R&I) in the EU's convergence regions. Addressing a conference in Warsaw on 13 February, both Commissioners urged the EU's least competitive regions to see investments in R&I as an opportunity to create lasting growth and become an integral part of Europe's knowledge economy. 'Structural Funds, and particularly the European Regional Development Fund, already have a track record for contributing to RTD [research and technological development] -related investments,' said Mr Potocnik, pointing to the 10.5 billion euro spent on research, technological development and innovation infrastructure through the programme between 2000 and 2006. 'Links with [R&I and] the Structural Funds will now be encouraged even further: the draft regulations now in formal debate before the Council and European Parliament put [RTD] and the transition to the knowledge economy as a high priority in all three new Objectives (convergence, regional competitiveness and territorial cooperation),' the Commissioner continued. In practice, Structural Funding will be used to support research infrastructures, human resources, innovative companies, science parks, incubators or specific research projects in eligible regions. While Mr Potocnik accepts that it would be impossible to use money from the research framework programme for a project funded by the Structural Funds, it would be possible to make use of both programmes to fund different phases of an infrastructure project, for example. 'However, the best way to achieve synergies between the Framework Programme and the Structural Funds would be to establish R&D priorities at the level of the countries and regions that could be considered as complimentary with those of the Framework Programme,' believes Mr Potocnik. In her speech, Commissioner Hübner went into more detail on the ways in which convergence funding can be used to support R&I. She began however, by saying: 'Now, there are those who say that our focus in convergence regions should be on concrete investments in physical infrastructure, with much less emphasis on less tangible factors such as know-how and skills. But a lack of innovation - and of research as a source of innovation - is actually a key deficit in the economies of less-developed regions. Innovation is a necessity, not a luxury, in the process of convergence.' Ms Hübner accepts that R&I potential varies significantly between different regions, making it impractical to set uniform targets for the share of funds to be invested in these activities. Also, she stressed that public intervention cannot create research or innovation clusters from scratch, and therefore investment should focus on existing or emerging poles of excellence. However, the Commissioner did set out the five key approaches that she argues will make the best use of the Structural Funds in fostering R&I: first, by developing more sophisticated and ambitious strategies using tools such as regional foresight or innovative actions; second, by encouraging collaboration between the private sector, public research organisations and public authorities; third, ensuring that mechanisms are in place to translate research results into viable products and services; fourth, integrating small and medium sized businesses into multi-national supply chains to make the most of increases in foreign direct investment; and fifth, to support innovative clusters as a basis for lasting public-private cooperation. 'I firmly believe that the Structural Funds are essential to strengthening the research and innovation capacity of convergence regions,' concluded Ms Hübner. 'I exhort national and regional authorities to take full advantage of the unique opportunities which [they] offer, both for supporting structural reform and for creating a knowledge-based economy.'