EU to strengthen regional dimension of research and innovation

The European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions signed a new Joint Action Plan to enhance the role of cities and regions in research and innovation (R&I).

Under the Joint Action Plan, the Commission and the Committee of the Regions will collaborate to reinforce the regional and local dimension of the EU's R&I policies and initiatives. The Join Action Plan will also support the implementation of the Commission's key actions at local and regional levels and will facilitate the exchange of expertise and data between the two institutions.

The Action Plan sets out four concrete priorities to boost innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness across European cities and regions:

• Building strong local and regional innovation ecosystems - this includes supporting the implementation of the European Research Area and ensuring that knowledge gained from frontier research is integrated into innovation output. Attracting and retaining talent is essential for this.
• Facilitating the green and digital transition by supporting sustainable and inclusive innovation at local level.
• Raising awareness of - and promoting access to - funding opportunities and results under Horizon Europe among local governors: creating synergies among funds and exchanging best practices, including on simplification, research and innovation.
• Supporting evidence-based policymaking in regions, including territorial foresight and resilience.

Regions remain at the heart of the EU's research and innovation agenda. Through the Joint Action Plan, breakthrough discoveries, cutting-edge technologies, and collaborative R&I ecosystems at local level will drive competitiveness, sustainability, as well as healthy and inclusive growth in the European Union.

This renewed partnership reinforces multilevel governance, ensuring that local and regional authorities are not only implementers, but active co-creators of EU research and innovation policies.

Background

The Joint Action Plan is structured around four key priority areas and a flexible set of 11 actions, to be delivered upon by the end of the Commission's 2024-2029 mandate. 

This Joint Action Plan builds on a first iteration, which ran from 2020 to 2025. The first JAP plan (2020–2025) enabled the Commission and the Committee of the Regions to collaborate on research and innovation policies, fostering cooperation between EU institutions and regional authorities.

Quote(s)

With the new Joint Action Plan, we are strengthening the regional dimension of research and innovation, ensuring that every region can contribute to and benefit from Europe’s innovation capacity. We look to the future with vision and ambition, while through careful and effective implementation we are already improving the present for citizens, communities and territories. Research has a value without borders, benefiting everyone, while at the same time delivering a strong local impact. This is the very essence of Europe: European ambitions with a clear territorial vocation.

Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms

Every European policy on research and innovation must mean concrete benefits for our citizens, no matter where they are living. Through the new Joint Action Plan and together with our partners in the Committee of the Regions, we will make that happen.

Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation