Date: 18 November 2009

Time: 14.00-18.15

Venue: Vleva, Liaison Agency Flanders Europe, Kortenberglaan 71, 1000 Brussels

Europe’s economy is slowly coming out of troubled waters and what some have described as ‘a perfect storm’. However, it will not be enough for its leaders to simply determine our present position and patch the sails. There is a clear need to readjust Europe’s navigational instruments. The current debate on the EU’s post-Lisbon economic strategy is about steering towards sustainable growth, a clean and green economy, long-term competitiveness and prosperity and sustaining the European way of life for generations to come. This is the perfect opportunity for ERRIN, the European Regions Research and Innovation Network, to initiate a debate on the right course towards full economic recovery and competitive regions fit for the knowledge economy.

Why is this debate important for the regions?

The post-Lisbon strategy will lay the foundations for future EU policy priorities, the EU budget and the shape of territorial cohesion post 2013. Regions must be fully engaged in this debate, as they are key players in driving research and innovation and delivering EU policies on the ground. Therefore, in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of future EU policies, more synergies between different EU funding programmes, such as the Framework Programme for Research and Development, the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme, and the Structural Funds (ERDF, ESF, Cohesion Funds) will be necessary as the EU focuses on the key challenges facing European society.

Regions play a crucial role in this process both through the elaboration of regional innovation strategies and support actions and as a territorial delivery point for EU policy and funding programmes. Regions need to be aware of the key issues and debates in these areas so that they are able to influence the policies, programmes and delivery mechanisms as early and as far upstream as possible and to design effective and efficient strategies, policies and instruments to develop their own innovation capacities exploiting learning opportunities from available best practice and expertise.

Agenda to download

14.00 – Intro: Main Moderator
Mike Tremblay, Innovation, Research and Technology Advisor, London/Toronto

14.05 – Post-Lisbon and the future of regional policy
Danuta Hübner, Member of European Parliament, Chair of the Committee on Regional Development

14.20 – What are the challenges on the horizon?
Ziga Turk, Secretary General, Reflection Group on the Future of Europe

14.40 - Which course for post-Lisbon?
Gerard De Graaf, Head of Unit, Strategic Objective Prosperity, European Commission, Secretariat General

15.00 – Q+A followed by Coffee Break

15.30 – Panel debate: R&D excellence vs. regional innovation

Panel Moderator: Mikel Landabaso, Head of Unit, Thematic coordination and innovation, European Commission, DG REGIO

Regional research – what future?
Jean-David Malo, Head of Unit, Regions of knowledge and research potential, European Commission, DG RTD

Do we have the right regional innovation strategies?
Karen Maguire, Policy Analyst, Regional Competitiveness and Governance Division, OECD

16.30 – Regional flagship strategies and actions

Vincent Thoen, Advisor of the Flemish Council for Science and Education: Promoting technology foresight for priority setting - the Pact 2020 of the Flemish Technology and Innovation Clusters
Anna-Lisa Boni, Director, PACA EU office: Addressing the governance challenge of regional Innovation – the strategy 2009 of Provence-Alpes Cotes d’Azur
Maria Lozano, Head of the Delegation of the Government of Navarra in Brussels: Fostering Intra- and Interregional cooperation - The Euroinnova Navarra Technology Plan
Richard Male, Science and Industry Manager, South West England RDA: Shaping regional innovation agendas through regional cooperation – the RAPIDE project

17.30 – Panel debate: Have we got our priorities right?

18.15 – Close and networking reception, kindly offered by TransFIC - Transforming the Future Information and Communications Society

Please register by email to communication@errin.eu and indicate your name, organisation and your position. Due to limited seats, participation will be granted according to first come first serve basis.