The results and experiences of efforts to close the innovation gap in the EU in the light of Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programme

Key points

The EESC:

• believes that to close the innovation gap among the EU Members States, three major issues need to be addressed: (1) ensuring access to research and innovation funding in all Member States, (2) providing access to adequate research support infrastructure and professionals, and (3) tackling co-financing burdens;

• calls on the European Commission to develop, with the involvement of companies, trade unions, CSOs and regions, a Bureaucracy Reduction Action Plan in order to identify overlapping regulations, to reduce compliance burdens and reporting obligations;

• calls on the European Commission to follow up the teaming for excellence and closing innovation gap among the Member States, particularly in Widening Countries, as well as in the light of the preparation of the next research framework programme;

• advocates faster and simpler planning and approval procedures and further expanding on the implementation of open science in the context of Horizon Europe;

• emphasises the importance of aligning support such as trainings, impact assessment, effective participation of beneficiaries and enabling the participation of SMEs, through their engagement in smaller scale projects, which would also enable and further promote their participation in larger projects as well;

• recommends to make a better use of the existing ERA Monitoring framework, European Innovation Scoreboard and Regional Innovation Scoreboard, aimed at enhancing the implementation, coordination and monitoring of research and innovation, with the support from social partners and specialised CSOs from the beneficiary countries.

For more information, please contact the INT Section Secretariat