MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on European Innovation Partnerships within the Innovation Union flagship initiative
3.11.2010
pursuant to Rule 115(5) of the Rules of Procedure
Amalia Sartori on behalf of the PPE Group
Judith A. Merkies on behalf of the S&D Group
Jorgo Chatzimarkakis on behalf of the ALDE Group
Philippe Lamberts and Reinhard Bütikofer on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
Evžen Tošenovský on behalf of the ECR Group
Marisa Matias on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
Niki Tzavela on behalf of the EFD Group
B7‑0602/2010
European Parliament resolution on European Innovation Partnerships within the Innovation Union flagship initiative
The European Parliament,
- having regard to the Commission Communication on Europe 2020: A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth (COM(2010)2020),
– having regard to the Commission Communication on Europe 2020 Flagship Initiative Innovation Union (COM(2010)0546),
– having regard to Rules 115(5) and 110(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. the Innovation Union initiative is the most significant to date and a concrete attempt at an integrated European innovation policy, whose success depends upon well-coordinated cooperation at regional, national and European level, with the maximum involvement of all relevant players at each level,
B. whereas the European Innovation Partnerships represent an innovative concept aiming to create synergies between existing and, where necessary, new European and Member State initiatives in the field of innovation and maximise and accelerate the delivery of results and benefits to society,
1. Welcomes the first proposed topic for European Innovation Partnership, on active and healthy ageing, and the suggested approach by the Commission to first run a pilot project testing the most suitable format for these partnerships before launching any further ones;
2. Calls on the Commission, when running the first pilot project on active and healthy ageing, to include social innovation which leads to a better quality of life, prevents disease, improves social networks within public sectors and among social partners, and promotes the introduction of new technologies supporting the quality of life;
3. Stresses that the success of this novel concept lies in having a clear-cut scope and delineation of responsibilities among the various partners involved, precise timelines for the realisation of individual projects, measureable and feasible targets oriented to the market as closely as possible, with simplified administrative procedures relating to implementation and optimum dissemination and access to research findings; in this sense further stresses the central role of the Commission in providing the right operational framework and guidance for the separate projects under the hat of a single partnership;
4. Calls on the Commission, when setting up the governance framework for these partnerships, to make an inventory of existing European and national structures and to assess how to effectively incorporate them into the partnerships without unnecessarily creating new ones; and to ensure adequate participation by smaller innovative companies, universities and research institutions;
5. Urges the Commission to ensure the appropriate and efficient financing of the partnerships, by effectively pooling the resources of the European Union, Member States, regions and other public and private players, while respecting clear criteria and the principles of transparency, openness and equal opportunities with regard to their allocation; welcomes in this context the Commission’s Communication on the EU budget review with its strong focus on research, innovation and education;
6. Supports the areas identified by the Commission for the proposed partnerships; calls upon the Commission when launching a partnership to assess the level and extent of ongoing work and the potential of the partnership to deliver the quickest and widest possible results and benefits for competitiveness and society;
7. Considers that the following partnerships would benefit most immediately from the created value-added and that the overarching principle of these partnerships should be resource intelligence, thus promoting resource efficiency and at the same time efficient production throughout the supply chain, as well as smart consumption:
(a) smart cities – with a focus on improving energy, transport and infrastructure efficiency and management, as well as providing the basis for rapid progress towards the EU’s energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate objectives at local level, and
(b) raw materials – security of supply of raw materials, including sustainable extraction and processing, recycling and substituting, while possible issues of land use planning require intensive study;
8. Calls on the Commission to duly inform Parliament of the progress and results of this pilot project and to clearly outline the Parliament’s involvement in determining the strategic orientation of future Partnerships, in line with the urgency of major societal challenges; proposes to reassess the roadmap of actions of the Partnerships biannually, and asks the Commission to report amendments to the roadmap of actions accordingly;
9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.