12 Dec 2023
CoR welcomes Council Conclusions on strengthening role and impact of R&I in policy-making
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has warmly welcomed the Council Conclusions on strengthening the role and impact of research and innovation in the policy-making process in the Union. The Conclusions were adopted by the Competitiveness Council at its recent meeting on 8 December 2023. The Chair of the SEDEC Commission of the CoR, Tanya Hristova, said the EU research ministers "have highlighted the key role played by regional and local actors to make EU's economy and society more innovative and competitive and reaffirmed the priority of closing innovation gaps and strengthening economic and social cohesion across Europe".
The CoR states that it fully shares the Council's call on the Commission to ensure a better coordination between existing investment tools, including Cohesion Policy, the Recovery and Resilience Facility and Horizon Europe, in order to avoid duplications and inconsistencies and simplify the work of those who implement these key policies on the ground.
The CoR sees these Conclusions as "a promising starting point to shape future innovation policies, relying on the vital contribution of regional and local actors and avoiding top-down, territorially blind approaches that would undermine the impact of our joint commitment to deliver inclusive innovation". The Committee of the Regions reaffirms its commitment to improving the impact of EU's innovation policies and to further develop strategic initiatives, such as the Regional Innovation Valleys and the Partnerships for Regional Innovation.
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