A new European innovation agenda

Key points:

The EESC:

• welcomes the Commission's European Innovation Agenda and particularly its twofold objective of fostering Europe's competitiveness and of promoting European citizens' welfare.
• welcomes the Commission's focus on closing the so-called "scale-up" and deep tech gaps which the EU currently has in comparison with third states and suggests that the Commission put more emphasis on the role played by businesses, SMEs and startups in particular and the innovation networks that they lead in delivering the green and digital transition.
• welcomes the proposal to set up an Innovation-Friendly Regulations Advisory Group within public services and proposes that an EESC representative be a full member of the group.
• points out the importance of funding experimentation and testing infrastructures in order to help startups and to close the gap between labs and commercial applications.
• welcomes the initiative linked to public procurement and in this context suggests providing for the participation of a startup in innovation procurement procedures.
• underlines the importance of a sound intellectual property regime applicable to startups' inventions.
• urges the Commission to encourage the interregional dimension of investments, with the joint participation of less and more innovative regions.
• points out that public support should also benefit higher education and innovation labs.
• welcomes the Commission's support for Member States in taking forward cross-border projects of common European interest.
• welcomes the idea of studying more favourable tax treatment of stock options and a fiscal regime for talented individuals moving across borders. It invites the Commission to coordinate the national initiatives aimed at nurturing talents.

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat.