Closer to Brussels, no 23 "Vanguard Initiative" by Blizej Brukseli

closer to

BRUSSELS E-MAGAZINE OF THE MAŁOPOLSKA REGION BRUSSELS OFFICE

Table of contents

PREFACE Jacek Krupa Marshal of the Małopolska Region

VANGUARD INITIATIVE What is that? Example of the South Netherlands Wim De Kinderen

NAVARRA AT THE HELM OF THE VANGUARD INITIATIVE Interview with Chair Mr. Mikel Irujo Amezaga

THE VI 3DP PILOT PROJECT Towards the setting up of a pipeline of interregional co-investment projects Jean-François Romainville

LOMBARDY Innovation governance as framework of the Vanguard Initiative experience Roberta Negriolli

SHAPING THE EU POLITICAL AGENDA Effective lobbying of the Vanguard Initiative Florence Hennart

MAŁOPOLSKA CONQUERS BRUSSELS Małopolska in the Vanguard Initiative Piot Kaczor, Wojciech Łapiński

QUESTIO IUIRIS

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Dear Readers, I am very pleased to hand over to you another issue of the Closer to Brussels magazine, which has been this time devoted to the Vanguard Initiative (VI). Małopolska has been co-creating Vanguard since the beginning of its existence. In 2013 we were one of the founding entities and starting from March this year, after the formalizing of Vanguard’s structure, we became an official member. Understanding the essence of VI’s functioning is of crucial importance for the success of this project. The elemental aim of its formation was to initiate collaboration, both in a European and a Regional dimension, which would allow for a broad exchange of knowledge and experiences in the scope of applying innovative solutions. We may say that the plans undertaken five years ago have been finally fully implemented today. Currently Vanguard comprises 34 EU regions. This pan-european cluster of innovation is a place of permeation of innovative ideas and solutions, which stimulates common development. What is equally important, also the European Union has consideration for VI’s opinions and consults it regarding issues referring to the development of regions. I, therefore, recommend to your attention the articles of our partners from Lombardy and Southern Netherlands who present the way in which their regions work for the benefit of VI. The texts of the representatives of Navarre and Wallonia, in turn, present the process of building VI’s position in reference to European institutions. Above all, however, I wish to heartily invite you, Ladies and Gentlemen, to read the article entitled Małopolska wins the heart of Brussels, which presents Małopolska’s way to the Vanguard Initiative. I wish you a pleasant reading!

Jacek Krupa Marshal of the Małopolska Region

Vanguard Initiative

BIOGRAPHY

Wim De Kinderen is currently (since 2009) employed within the Brainport Eindhoven EU Office in Brussels, representing Brainport Development, the City of Eindhoven and other economic stakeholders towards fellow regions and the European Institutions. In this role he is responsible for policy lobbying, networking/communication and project development. In his previous career, he has mainly been involved in regional development issues in Belgium. First as the Province of Antwerp RDA’s European Social Fund expert for the Objective 2 region ‘Kempen’, later as the director of the Regional Socio-Economic Committee for the same ‘Kempen’ region. In between he has been a deputy chief of cabinet to the Belgian federal government on socio-economic and budget policy topics. Through his position within Brainport Development and the City of Eindhoven, Wim De Kinderen has strong links with several European networks involving cities and regions, such as the Vanguard Initiative (member of the board), Eurocities (chair of the Knowledge Society Forum), ERRIN (co-chair of the Innovation and Investment Working Group), OASC and the European Network of Living Labs (vice-chair). He is holding master diplomas in International Politics, European Politics and Public Management.

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VANGUARD INITIATIVE What is it? Example of the South Netherlands

istory books will take note that the Vanguard Initiative (VI) was set up in July 2017. Before it then became a legal association, the network had a history that already dates back to November 2013, when the Flemish Government organised a high level conference on the implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies, in collaboration with the European Commission. “Implementation”, action indeed: Vanguard wants to make things happen and move. The Flemish government wanted to extend the effect – and the effort – of a single one day conference to a more structural exercise. It gathered a number of regions during the preparation of the conference willing to work with them on an agenda of industrial innovation. Today more than 30 European regions have found each other to collaborate and strengthen the industry in their territories, in order to be (come) and remain globally competitive. South Netherlands has been on board from the first meeting in 2013.

South Netherlands hosts a number of world class companies. Philips, to give an example, is one of them. During its 125 years of company history it has constantly anticipated market opportunities and acted on them. As such, it reinvented itself from a globally leading light bulb manufacturer to the innovative medtech company it is today. Not every of companies based in South Netherlands, however, is able to perform such act. Vanguard Initiative’s ambition to strengthen existing industrial value chains and to facilitate the emergence of new European ones in high potential markets is therefore very much supported by South Netherlands.

Vanguard Initiative is the only multilateral regional network in Europe setting up activities in practice that help their companies, mainly SMEs, and knowledge institutes collaborate, across borders, in order to be better and faster prepared for the future.

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However important, VI’s ambition is not to stimulate further research. It is to bring innovation faster to the market and help companies when they lack capabilities to proceed on themselves. In order to do so,

Each of VI’s regions has developed, after extensive consultation with all economical stakeholders, a Smart Specialisation Strategy, its strategy for future economic development based on current strengths and future potential. Together, the VI regions have defined a limited set of “Pilot Projects”to develop. On the basis of communalities and complementarities between the Smart Specialisation Strategies, criticall mass in the regions, ambition and capacities to lead and participate, these Pilot Projects have been defined and set up at this moment: z

z z

the VI regions have developed an own methodology, the 4-step learn-connect-demonstratecommercialize methodology.

High Performance Production through 3D Printing Efficient and Sustainable Manufacturing Advanced Manufacturing Energy Solutions for Harsh Environments New Nano-Enabled Products BioEconomy

In each of the Pilot Projects we map all actors from VI regions in the respective value chains (learn), after which activities are organised in order to allow these players to get to know each other (connect) and develop common collaboration projects on the basis of shared ambitions (demonstrate), which can be

METHODOLOGY OF THE PILOT PROJECTS z

COMMERCIALISE

z z

U P S C A L E

DEMONSTRATE

z z

CONNECT

z z

LEARN

z z

Launch of new ventures and start – ups New value chains TRL 9

Networked demonstration Pilot lines and first of a kind factories TRL 6 – 7 – 8

Matching events for complementary partners Developing demonstration cases

Developing a scoping paper Mapping questionnaire Identify lead regions and actors

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translated into regular business activities when succesful (commercialize). The “demonstration” phase of activities largely focusses on the testing and validation of new products. The infrastructure and expertise therefore needed is mostly too expensive and complicated for a single company to realise in-house. VI is therefore promoting the building and/or upgrading of so-called demonstration infrastructures where companies can perform these activities, at a lower price and supported by the right experts. We are equally intending to connect these demonstration facilities in European networks, and facilitating company access to them across borders. Vanguard Initiative’s approach is new. But in spite of the experimental, “learning by doing” nature first successes are there. Thanks to VI companies find suppliers and customers, and get in touch with other companies and knowledge institutes with similar ambitions and complementary expertise needed to set up a collaboration. Demonstration facilities, such as the Fieldlabs that are set up as part of the Dutch Smart Industry initiative, get connected to a European network of peers, grow and diversify their customer and income base. And VI is actively helping these partners to scout public support possibilities.

South Netherlands is an active partner of the Vanguard Initiative. It is contributing and benefitting, and expects to get more results in the near future. Every additional region investing as well, such as Malopolska, is enriching the VI community and contributes to the success of all. Practice has been at the core of Vanguard Initiative’s objectives since the start. But practice needs a strong and fitting policy support framework in order to be able to be fully successful, both from VI regions and from other policy levels such as the European. That is why in Vanguard practice and policy go hand in hand. On this, you can read another contribution in this magazine by my colleague Mrs Florence Hennart. In the meantime I invite all readers to actively share your expertise in each of the fields of the 5 current Pilot Projects with their leading regions, and to investigate the opportunities for Malopolska. In that respect

Vanguard Initiative is like any other network: when you invest, you get return.

Vanguard Initiative

BIOGRAPHY

Mikel Irujo Amezaga PhD in European Law, worked in Thomson Reuters, world’s leading source of legal intelligent information, from 1996 to 2015. After two periods of leave to work in the European Parliament (1999-2002 as assistant and 2007-2009 as MEP), he went back to the company in 2009, being responsible of the EU Procurement and Programmers Unit. In September 2015, he has been appointed as the Head of the Navarra Delegation in Brussels. He has been the rapporteur on two Committee of the Regions opinions on Smart Specialisation Strategies (RIS3) and inter-regional cooperation and, secondly, Strengthening Innovation in Europe’s Regions: Strategies for resilient, inclusive and sustainable growth Currently, Navarra is leading the Partnership „Social economy to foster industrialisation” under the call of thematic platforms for industrial modernisation (DG Regio). He is the coordinator for the thematic platform partnership on social economy.

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NAVARRA AT THE HELM OF THE VANGUARD INITIATIVE Interview with Chair, Mr. Mikel Irujo Amezaga Wojciech Łapiński: Navarra decided to take the chairmanship of Vanguard Initiative for the second half of the year 2018. I guess that it’s for the political reasons or some new vision of chairmanship that your region would like to propose to Vanguard Initiative members?

Mikel Irujo Amezaga: The main strength of Vanguard Initiative is that it combines EU innovation and regional policies with a collective view of many regions believing that the future of Europe is based in the Interregional cooperation. The work is being developed in a voluntary basis, and Navarra felt that we needed to show our commitment with VI, taking care of the chairmanship for this semester.

W.Ł.: What are the main challenges that you see for the Vanguard Initiative today on both levels: EU Institutions and regional?

M.I.A.: The European Commission proposals on cohesion and innovation policies for the next MFF are very positive. Our first challenge is to reinforce the proposals such as the Interregional Innovation Investment (European Territorial Cooperation) and try to explain to the Parliament and Council that interregional cooperation needs concrete and very well defined financing tools. Secondly, we need to reinforce the work that the different pilots are delivering (3D printing, bio-economy, nanotechnology, energy and ESM). Each pilot delivers

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yearly an action plan, and our commitment as a board is to help them with the results. Thirdly, we need to reinforce the internal structure, including the new figure of a secretariat and other aspects. Therefore, a lot to do!

W.Ł.: What, in your opinion, makes Vanguard Initiative different from other lobbying networks, that are present in Brussels? M.I.A.: First of all, I wouldn’t define Vanguard as “lobbying network”. As said before, the Smart Specialisation Strategies have opened the door to a reinforced interregional cooperation.

As Foray says, “Smart Specialisation mainly puts forward the need of countries and regions to identify unique opportunities for structural change”. Vanguard proposes a methodology to develop the creation of roadmaps for joint demonstration and co-investment in regions, being the goal to create European dimension value chains that should avoid the current fragmentation and duplication. Our goal is to change the way the regions may cooperate each other.

W.Ł.: What do you perceive as the main achievement of VI so far?

M.I.A.: No doubt, the main achievement of Vanguard is the creation of the five pilots and almost 30 different demo-cases. The Vanguard methodology inspired the creation of the EU Thematic Platforms on energy, industrial modernisation and agri-food. Of course, the recent proposal of the Commission of the Interregional Innovation Investment, means that Vanguard has already convinced

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one EU institution about the need of interregional cooperation, but we still need to convince another two institutions.

W.Ł.: What message would you like to transmit to other regions, that are not in Vanguard Initiative yet? M.I.A.: Vanguard Initiative is a network of 34 regions. The political commitment with the methodology is fundamental. Believing in Vanguard is to believe in the potential of our continent. The moto of the EU is “united in diversity”. This also applies to innovation and regional policies, we need to respect the subsidiarity but what makes us strong is the cooperation among us.

The S3 have created a new “culture of cooperation” within regions, as they are based on a collaborative and participatory process between research and innovation actors and industry that facilitates demand-led innovation and collective solutions. Vanguard seeks to create European value chains based on the Smart Specialisation. The European Union remains the world’s largest single market; nevertheless, new realities are emerging on other continents, which mean that we need to refocus our innovation and growth policy. Industrial modernisation is essential for improving Europe’s competitiveness. As Jean Monnet wrote, we need to choose between boldness or mediocrity. Europe is changing and we cannot just maintain the same formulas existing until today. We need to be ambitious.

Vanguard Initiative

BIOGRAPHY

Jean-François Romainville works as a Senior Researcher in innovation policy and industrial change at IDEA Consult. Jean-François is the daily network manager of the 3DP Pilot of the Vanguard Initiative (together with his colleague Vincent Duchêne). Jean-François has a background in Industrial Economics and is currently developing specific expertise in the identification, framing and coordination of (cross regional) collaborations aimed at facilitating technology deployment.

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THE VI 3DP PILOT PROJECT Towards the setting up of a pipeline of interregional co-investment projects

he key objective of the Vanguard 3DP Pilot is to accelerate market uptake of 3DP applications in the EU through development of industry-led, transregional demonstration platforms that connect 3DP capabilities and actors that were operating in largely disconnected and fragmented value chains in Europe. Bringing prototypes to production by securing the reproducibility of application remains a critical point for the industry, which hampers the uptake of 3DP solutions by SMEs. By tackling asymmetry of information (between SMEs and solutions providers) and by ensuring availability and accessibility to most suitable demonstration infrastructures and services across various industries, the 3DP Pilot will contribute to the emergence of new value chains. This is where this pilot aims to make a difference...

centres, SMEs, etc.) from 23 regions. Relying upon the progresses made over the last years, we were able to start materializing in end-2017 the identified synergies, the wide industrial interest and regional commitments into a first set of concrete industrial projects. Within the Pilot, five ‘Demo Cases’ (i.e. collaboration areas identified through mapping and elaboration of regional synergies and complementarities) are under active development: z

Led by regions South Netherlands (NL), Flanders (BE) and Norte (PT), with the support of IDEA Consult (daily network managers), the Pilot currently gathers organisations (clusters, facility

Automotive 1 – Multi-materials components by hybrid 3D Printing manufacturing Additive-subtractive high precision & high finish production (high-end metals) Machinery and Tooling – Structural Parts with Complex Shapes Automotive 2 – 3D-Printed automotive components (mono-material) for large (>2500 mm), medium and small complex part Healthcare – 3D-Printed customized components for orthosis, exoskeleton and exoprosthesis

Vanguard Initiative

In order to strengthen the opportunities coming from interregional collaboration, Demo Cases would welcome new participants looking for and/or able to provide specific solutions in the aforementioned fields. Multiple advantages of being part of the network: increasing customers and partners bases, having access to best value for money solutions, etc.

“Thanks to 3DP Pilot the number of contacts of our organization related to AM has increased by 30%. It has allowed us to find a high level partner to supplement technical and transversal disciplines to cover the needs that were lacking in order to achieve the objectives of the Demo Case”. Berta Gonzalvo and Jose Antonio Dieste, AITIIP. Aragon. Participating in Vanguard 3DP activities offers multiple advantages, for various types of actors. Regarding SMEs (and SMEs representatives), they will have access to a broader market in terms of expertise and services available.

This will maximise the amount and the quality of information and solutions they have access to and therefore their capacity to obtain the best value for money. They join an environment of open innovation and the business environment of the SMEs could be improved substantially. This environment will offer SMEs many opportunities for collaboration, which could lead to new innovative solutions. From the perspective of the facility centres (RTOs, etc.), the Pilot allows them to connect with SMEs that are not located in their own regions, hence, increasing the customer base. There are also positive effects in terms of access to knowledge: the facility centres will have access to information on the needs of SMEs. This will allow the centres to better understand what is currently needed by SMEs from different sectors, as well as what is already available in other regions. The latter can be of key importance to foster possible collaborations, for instance, with facility centres specialized in similar or complementary areas.

“Thanks to the VI, we have a much deeper comprehension of the mechanisms and instruments which guide successful collaborations between industry and research area in Europe”. A. Leardini, DPhil – Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna.

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sp De ec sig ifi n ca tio n

COMPANIES

sp Prod ec ific uct ati on

TEST 1 Fatigue & Durability

TEST 2 Crash

R ma aw t mo erial uld s

MANUFACTURING

DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURING

Vanguard Initiative

Illustrative examples: concrete projects under development in the context of some Demo Cases For illustrative purposes, some of the specific projects currently under development within the Pilot are described below. Firstly, in the context of the ‘Automotive 1 – Multi-materials components by hybrid 3D Printing manufacturing’ several progresses were made over the last years. As illustrated in the figure, the Demo Case is currently developing a virtual ‘one-stop shop’ that allows industrial actors to develop 3D-Printed hybrid components based on a access to various demonstration services provided by facility centres located in different EU regions. Various projects involving companies and facility centres have been elaborated.

In particular, an industrial project involving cross regional funding is currently conducted and is showing very promising results. This project is a collaboration between University of Bologna (UniBo), University of Örebro and Alfred Nobel Science Park, situated in the two Vanguard Initiative member regions Emilia Romagna and Örebro county. These partners are developing a joint demonstration project on 3D printed hybrid material, enabled by regional co-investments. More specifically, University of Örebro and Alfred Nobel Science Park have received regional funding from the authority of Örebro county (part of which will be used for activities undertaken outside the region). In addition to the funding from Region Örebro County, Örebro University and Alfred Nobel Science Park also co-invest the Demo Case. Several companies in both the Swedish and Italian automotive industries have initiated (jointly with the facility centres) and/or have already expressed interest in this demonstration project. Technically, the objective is to develop a bond between a metal and a composite using AM. The metal side will be fabricated in Aluminium (SLM) and will contain features that forms a mechanical bond between the metal and the carbon fiber reinforced plastic.

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The upcoming development of a European training network is another example of recent progress made. Partners of the Demo Case ‘Machinery and Tooling – Structural Parts with Complex Shapes’ have successfully submitted a proposal for the KIC raw materials: the LILIAM project (accepted under conditions) will allow to develop a certified training network in Additive Manufacturing (AM). More specifically, the project will aim at giving a European frame to dedicated training programs in order to specialise different categories of workers (operators, designers, and engineers) towards a better knowledge of AM techniques. Then, in the context of the ‘Additive-subtractive high precision & high finish production’ Demo Case, 20 very concrete user cases from industrial companies in 5 participating regions (Flanders, South-Netherlands, Saxony,

Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy) and from different sectors (Aerospace, Automotive, Machinery & Tooling, Packaging, electronic equipment) have been identified. Each user cases focuses on the re-design and re-production of a specific (already existing) part. Finally, at the Pilot’s level (cross-Demo Cases), an (online) inventory (domains of application, materials, machines, etc.) is currently developed. Mapping and contacts among partners have allowed several partners to find a high level partner to supplement technical and transversal disciplines to cover the needs that were lacking in order to achieve the objectives of industrial players.

The 3DP Pilot has now the ambition to increase the number, the extent and the scope of the collaboration projects by addressing remaining barriers, such as funding, business models or IPR-related issues.

Vanguard Initiative

BIOGRAPHY

Roberta Negriolli has been working for the Lombardy Regional Government since 1998. In 2015 she joined the Lombardy Region Delegation to the EU in Brussels. She is now involved in the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region â&#x20AC;&#x201C; EUSALP â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as a member of the action group on Research and Innovation. She is interested in the Vanguard Initiative as a model to implement and enhance interregional cooperation in specific fields through a dialogue between the territory and the institutions at every level.

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LOMBARDY Innovation governance as framework of the Vanguard Initiative experience

ver the past decade, Regione Lombardia has been strongly fostering research and innovation and, in recent years, it has set up a regulatory framework for a stronger consistency and integration of the research and innovation regional policies (these policies are presently managed by manifold stakeholders, projects and sectoral programmes). Before describing the whole research and innovation ecosystem, as well as its tools, it is worth remembering the context where the whole system is deployed. With about 10 million inhabitants, Lombardy is the third most populated region in Europe (17% of the Italian population, 2% of the European Union with 28 Member States). The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Lombardy, amounting to 360 million euros, is the second largest GDP among European regions (approximately 22% of the Italian GDP and almost 2.5% of the European GDP). Its 14 Universities represent a key knowledge-transfer driver to manufacturers; furthermore, they play an important role in terms of research excellency. 1.31% of the GDP is spent on Research and Development (less than the 2% European average and the

3% established by the Europe 2020 Strategy). Nevertheless,

Lombardy is aware of the strategic role of Research and Innovation for its territorial sustainable development, production system’s competitiveness, human capital’s growth and citizens’ well-being. To this purpose, Lombardy is the first Italian region that has set up its legal framework (Regional Law nr 29 of 23/11/2016, following the S3) to define a single strategic governance. Moreover, it enhances and structures the governance mechanisms through its threeyear Strategic Programme for Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer as well as an unceasing dialogue with R&I process stakeholders (businesses, citizens, universities). This is further supported by the Regional Forum for Research and Innovation, in order to meet this policy’s specific planning, implementation, monitoring, assessment and review needs. Lombardy’s Region S3 (Aerospace, Agri-Food, Green Industry, Creative and cultural industries, Health Industries, Advanced Manufacturing,

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Sustainable Mobility) encourages the territory’s growth and aims at concentrating its resources on the processes that innovate and provide new competitiveness. As a matter of fact, these purposes are shared by all traditional supply chains that drive the regional economy, the development of Technological Clusters and the reconversion of productive activities. In the framework of the 2014-2020 ERDF Lombardy’s Operational Plan, the S3 is presently implemented by the calls launched in the frame of Axis 1 as well as by the whole monitoring and updating process to keep itself consistent with related needs, including the exchange and support of all existing and possibly interested stakeholders (ongoing outward looking process with European Regions and EU Commission). It is in this context that

the Vanguard Initiative has been developed and implemented through the system of Technology Clusters that are playing an intermediate governance role to the whole territory. This system was set up over 10 years ago upon several industrial districts; successively the existing 9 Regional Technology Clusters (RTC) have been developed and consist of businesses, universities, research centres, public and private institutions and further financial stakeholders. Each Cluster refers to a specific technological area.

The RTC are hence officially acknowledged and funded via regional decrees. Additionally, they are a relevant element for the S3 governance and actively contribute to identify the development themes to be linked to the specialisation areas. In this context, Regione Lombardia provides its (also financial) support to the RTC, including those that are directly involved in the Vanguard’s pilot projects: Fabbrica Intelligente (Smart factory), Chimica Verde (Green chemistry), Energia (Energy), Alta Tecnologia Agrofood Lombardia (High Technology Food and Agriculture Lombardy). In particular, the ESM pilot projects on Efficient ad Sustainable Manufacturing (Leader: AFIL/ Lombardy and EURECAT/Catalunya) and on Bio-economy (Leader: Cluster Green Chemistry/ Lombardy and South Holland/Ranstad) are led by Lombardy. Additionally, Lombardy joins the two other pilot projects “3D Printing” as well as “ADMA Advance Manufacturing for Energy”.

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In order to support all this, In 20 15 Lombardy Region set up a permanent working group with the Cluster Managers, the RTC Steering Committee (Cabina di Regia) which is meant to be an exchange momentum between public stakeholders and the RTC itself so as to unceasingly consolidate and enhance the RTC. The “Pact for Development Committee” is also provided as an exchange method, through which businesses, unions, institutions, universities etc. and Regione Lombardia have jointly become partners to develop the territory. In this framework, all levels of society can express themselves according to the subsidiarity principle. As a first concrete sign of Regional commitment, in the framework of the 2017 Annual Political Meeting of Vanguard Initiative, the former Regional Minister for R&D Luca del Gobbo announced the launch of a first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) addressed to the group of Vanguard Regions involved in a project dealing with Circular Economy, the “De and Remanufacturing demo case”, developed in the frame of the “Efficient and Sustainable Manufacturing “ Pilot Project.

Signing the MoU, Minister Del Gobbo has shown his willingness to stimulate other regions to support the initiative and hence to start the procedure to join the group of frontrunners delivering the first investment projects. Through this MoU, Regional governments commit themselves in supporting part of project implemented in their regions and in providing regional funding in a logic of co investment, based on smart specialization principles and inter-regional collaboration. Following this MoU, the partners of the ESM pilot project “De and Remanufacturing”, “Smart and Adaptive” and “Digital and Virtual” demo-cases met on 29th of June 2018 in Milan to present the realised developments and next steps on their 2018 action plan. Furthermore, this Memorandum of Understanding has been further illustrated among the interested regions in order to raise the partnership’s awareness and possible future membership. Therefore, RegioneLombardia firmly believes in this multi-level governance which has to be carried out both at local as well as at European level. Regione Lombardia will further encourage cooperation between European regions and thoroughly monitor the initiatives development and implementation.

Vanguard Initiative

BIOGRAPHY

Florence Hennart is qualified attaché, economist, in the Economic Policy Directorate at the Walloon Regional administration for Economy, Research and Employment. She’s been working for the Public Service of Wallonia since 2001. She’s in charge of the follow-up of European policies for innovation and competitiveness in connection with the regional policies. She’s notably responsible for the regional smart specialisation policy. Florence Hennart is representing Wallonia in the Vanguard Initiative network, and member of the board since January 2017. She’s leading the Policy Influencing Task Group since July 2016.

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SHAPING THE EU POLITICAL AGENDA Effective lobbying of the Vanguard Initiative In a few years, the Vanguard Initiative have gained a high political momentum. The network’s unique approach of leading by example has allowed to influence and co-shape EU policies in support of interregional collaboration. This has led to the creation of Thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms, with associated services, and to the launch of a new COSME call for strategic clusters partnerships for S3 investment, and of a pilot action for interregional innovation projects. Furthermore, within the proposed multi-annual financing framework (MFF) package for 2021-2027, the Commission is proposing a new INTERREG component dedicated to Interregional innovation partnerships.

he Vanguard Initiative was launched in November 2013 as a political initiative aiming at promoting regional smart specialisation and cluster-based interregional cooperation as central elements in the EU agenda for industrial renewal. Since the start the ambition of the Initiative was to co-shape future EU policy developments, and the Initiative has developed in pursuing close dialogue with the European Commission (EC). Going beyond delivering political messages, the Vanguard Initiative is learning by doing. Vanguard Initiative regions together with companies are identifying and pursuing commercial opportunities that will be of benefit to their own regional economies, but will also have the potential to deliver a competitive advantage for Europe. Through progressing

the Vanguard Initiative pilot projects in key industrial priorities and value chains, as well as generating potential commercial leads, the Vanguard Initiative is also gaining experience and generating an evidence base that is supporting the development of future policy approaches.

The Vanguard Initiative has been piloting a new approach for creating inter-regional smart specialisation platforms, and has developed a 4-steps methodology – LEARN – CONNECT – DEMONSTRATE – COMMERCIALISE. This methodology is now fully endorsed by the European Commission and operational for all EU Regions through Thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms.

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Policy influencing activities have been coordinated in a dedicated Task Group created in 2015. The main target of the Task Group is influencing the EU policy agenda by providing policy input material and organising policy influencing activities in those areas of policy that are most important to creating the conditions that enable Vanguard pilot projects to flourish. A Vanguard Initiative Position Paper “Regions and future EU policies for Growth and Investment” was adopted at the High Level Directors meeting of the network in November 2016, together with a more practical paper about financing needs and possible solutions that was developed within the Vanguard Pilot Monitoring Task Group, building on concrete experience from the pilots and Demo cases. Those papers allowed engaging in a constructive dialogue with EU high level representatives. In particular, The Policy Influencing Task Group had two meetings with the cabinets of several Commissioners – among them Juncker’s cabinet) in the first half of 2017, as well as meetings with the European Commission Director General for Regional and Urban Policy, and Directors in the Research and Innovation and the Growth DGs. These meetings enabled constructive exchanges about bottlenecks, financing needs and possible solutions.

Complementary, the participation of the pilots to the Thematic smart specialisation platforms has allowed to get involved in a structured dialogue with several European Commission services (DG REGIO, GROW, RDT, CONNECT, ENER, AGRI) and the EIB.

This VI approach building both on structured and politically backed policy messages and experience in the pilot has proved to be very efficient in bringing forward evidence-based positions. The VI policy influencing efforts were not limited to the EC, as several contacts took place with the European Parliament, with the Committee of Regions and with the Council. The annual political meetings of VI members were also used for pursuing dialogue with European institutions. As a result of policy influencing efforts developed by the whole network, the Vanguard Initiative and its main policy positions – e.g. the case for interregional investment and cluster collaboration support – have gained a high political momentum in the last months.

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It has inspired inflexions in the EU policy making as well as new policy initiatives (Thematic smart specialisation platforms and connected services, new COSME call for strategic clusters partnerships for S3 investment, pilot action for interregional innovation projects, etc.). The VI was also quoted in several EC communications, as well by the President Juncker at the Cohesion Policy Forum in June 2017. The VI approach was also backed by several Council Conclusions, as well as European Parliament and Committee of Regions opinions.

Furthermore, the footprint of the Vanguard Initiative can be observed in the Commission’s proposal for the MFF 2021-2027 package, the most visible one being the newly proposed Interreg Component 5 on interregional innovation investment. The budget of this component is 970 millions €. But it is also possible to point to the increased focus on smart specialisation as guiding principle, with a new outward-looking dimension,

the launch of a Joint Cluster initiative within the Single Market Programme, which will contribute to develop industrial value chains, or the new focus on innovation ecosystems and bottom-up approaches in Horizon Europe. The Vanguard Initiative is actively pursuing the dialogue with European institutions about those proposals, and the Policy Influencing Task Group is elaborating a new position paper about the MFF, which aim is to support policy influencing efforts from the whole network in the coming weeks and months. In particular, VI aim at co-designing the new Interreg component with DG REGIO, for an appropriate answer to pilot project’s identified financing needs. Secondly, VI have started the discussion with DG RDT, through a meeting with its Director General in July 2018, about increased synergies between Horizon Europe and Cohesion policy, and more broadly about the regional dimension of innovation. Vanguard Initiative will also pursue the dialogue with the European Parliament, the Council and the Committee of Regions, tabling on amendment proposals for improving the draft regulations.

Vanguard Initiative

BIOGRAPHIES

Piotr Kaczor graduated from Dalarna University (Sweden) in Sociology and Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University (Poland) in International Relations. He also holds a postgraduate diploma in EU Funds Management from AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow. Since 2007 he has been working for the regional government in the Marshal Office of the Małopolska Region. He was a coordinator of European Interreg projects in the Information Society Department: the B3 Regions (on broadband networks) and the Regional Telemedicine Forum (on e-health). Currently, in the Department of Treasury and Economy he works with the Małopolska Smart Specialisations and the Regional Innovation Strategy of the Małopolska Region. He is also the coordinator of the InnoBridge (Interreg Europe) project on commercialization of R+D results. He has been cooperating with the Vanguard Initiative for New Growth through Smart Specialisation since 2013.

Wojciech Łapiński graduated from the Faculty of Management at the Warsaw University in Poland (2005), a recipient of the Prime Minister scholarship (2004), a recipient of two scholarships of the Commissariat Général aux Relations Internationales in Belgium (2005 and 2006); he received his Diplôme d’études approfondies en sciences de gestion with a specialization in International Marketing (2007) at the Solvay Business School – Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium. From 2012 till 2015 expert of the Department of Trade Promotion and Investment of the Polish Embassy in Brussels. From 2015 an EU Policy Officer at the Representation of the Małopolska Region in Brussels. Responsible for cooperation with the Vanguard Initiative in Brussels in the name of Małopolska.

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MAŁOPOLSKA CONQUERS BRUSSELS Małopolska in the Vanguard Initiative

he Vanguard Initiative (VI) Association is a political initiative of leaders of highly developed regions of the European Union, which set the tone and define directions for development and economic growth of the EU. How did Małopolska – as the only Polish region, become a part of this group?

Thanks to the efforts of the Representation of the Małopolska Region at Brussels, at the end of 2013 Małopolska was invited to participate in a high level conference entitled „Regions as Motors of New Growth Through Smart Specialisation”. The originator and main organizer of the conference was the Flanders Region and the European Commission (Directorate-General for Regional Policy). The conference was opened by the thenincumbent President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, and the speakers at the conference included personages such as the Chair of the European Parliament Committee for Regional Policy, prof. Danuta Hubner, the European Commissioner for Regional and Urban Policy, Johannes Hahn as well as the European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Maire GeogheganQuinn. Importantly, the conference was the time of announcing of a declaration of over a dozen European regions which underlined

the enormous role of regional smart specializations in creating economic growth and new workplaces. This way, 8th November 2013 was the date of forming an informal group of 11 regions (which, besides Małopolska, also included i.a. Flanders, South Netherlands, Northern Westfalia, Scotland and Finland’s Tampere) which, due to its innovative approach, was called the Vanguard Initiative. Initially, its aim was lobbying for formulating provisions on the key role of regions in the process of the reindustrialization of Europe in the conclusions of the European Council, the summit of which was supposed to take place in February 2014. On 30th January 2014 in Brussels there was a debate held with the participation of high representatives of the European Commission which crowned the works on a common position of the VI regarding the vision of the development of industry in Europe. The leaders of the regions included in the Vanguard Initiative (at that time their number increased to 15) gathered in order to discuss with the European Commission the content of the open letter expressing the support for collaboration aimed at reindustrializing the EU, basing on the concept of smart specializations.

Vanguard Initiative

The signatory of the letter from the side of Małopolska was its then-incumbent Marshal, Marek Sowa. The next stage of VI’s actions was submitting the joint letter to the then-incumbent President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy (March 2014). The VI, however, did not limit its works to the implementation of that goal. Further, more ambitious challenges emerged. They included designing the Smart Specialization Platform and developing an own, four-level methodology of operation: “Learn – Connect – Demonstrate – Commercialize”. Since the beginning of its existence, the Vanguard Initiative was a kind of “soft”collaboration which was, on a daily basis, carried out by representatives of regional offices in Brussels and experts in various areas – defined in the regional strategies of smart specializations. However, the pioneer cooperation which developed and was carried out at a greater and greater scale made it visible that the Vanguard Initiative requires a brace which would bond the transregional collaboration basing on political commitment. This was the reason for preparing a document specifying that the VI would concentrate on interregional collaboration aimed at stimulating joint investments, supporting the development of clusters as well as on engagement for the development of smart specializations in the regions. This document was signed by political leaders (of already 26 regions at that time) on 13th November 2014 in Milan, which has also given rise to its name: The Milan Declaration. Under the decision of its Regional Assembly, Małopolska signed the Milan Declaration at Brussels on 16th April 2015 and its signatory was Marshal Marek Sowa.

In particular, the Milan Declaration obliges the regions to undertake actions aimed at:

building and supporting interregional collaboration networks which will allow for undertaking joint investments in fields which are of priority for Europe (e.g. Pilot Projects in the areas included in the strategies of smart specializations, including those referring to advanced manufacturing technologies);

facilitating access to joint financing for projects co-financed by various partners in such a way so as to utilize the synergy between regional, national and European instruments which support interregional collaboration;

searching for solutions aimed at increasing public and private investments in pilot and demonstration projects implemented by industrial clusters (with the participation of the European Investment Bank / European Investment Fund);

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introducing the strategies of smart specializations in such a way so as to contribute to the improvement of coordination of actions between regions, clusters formed from the bottom-up and European partnership programs (also through the development of new policies supporting specific sectors and initiatives);

engaging in the implementation of the European cluster policy through the development of smart specializations and participation in pilot projects which develop the interregional collaboration between clusters.

Collaboration within the Vanguard Initiative requires the engagement of local clusters, research centres and enterprises. For this purpose, in February 2016 Małopolska organized a conference in Katowice together with Śląsk (Silesia). The organizers invited local entities operating within the Małopolska smart specializations to participate in the conference.

The direct effect of that meeting was the engagement of the Małopolska LifeScience Cluster in works related to the Bioeconomy Pilot Project. Due to the gradual development of Pilot Projects and Demo Cases carried out within their scopes, the Vanguard Initiative had to obtain legal personality. This was also required due to the position which the VI already managed to obtain in the Brussels arena.

Małopolska supported VI’s actions in this scope and next, under the resolution of the Regional Assembly of the Małopolska Region and the consent of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of 28th March 2018, it became an official member of the Vanguard Initiative Association.

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For the whole time, the works of the Vanguard Initiative have been conducted at two levels – the Brussels level and the regional level. In Brussels, through its Representation.

Małopolska actively participates in works aimed at omitting bottlenecks and creating new possibilities for economic growth through smart specializations with the support of EU funds. In the region, in turn, in order to intensify the collaboration with the VI, in 2018 the Małopolska Region announced a call for the implementation of public tasks, entitled “International collaboration of the industry in the areas of Smart Specializations (Vanguard Initiative)”. The aim of the call was revealing a moderator of collaboration between Małopolska’s companies, clusters, scientific units, R&D units and the Vanguard Initiative. The collaboration is supposed to allow the stakeholders from Małopolska to actively participate in the Pilot Projects and Demo Cases carried out within the scope of the VI which strengthen the industrial potential of the region. The winner of the contest was the Klaster LifeScience Kraków Foundation and the scope of its tasks includes i.a. mapping Małopolska’s resources and their assigning to the topics of undertakings carried out within the scope of the Vanguard Initiative, and in further stages – including Małopolska’s enterprises, clusters to active collaboration within the scope of Pilot Projects and Demo Cases of the Vanguard Initiative, and also the promotion of the Vanguard Initiative in Małopolska. The Klaster LifeScience Kraków Foundation is currently organizing the collaboration between Małopolska’s companies, enterprises and scientific units which are interested in participating in innovation activity related to two of five pilot projects of the Vanguard Initiative: “Bioeconomy”and “High class manufacturing thanks to 3D printing”. The main aim of the action is developing and supporting in Małopolska the long-term collaboration directed at the development of new technologies in the following areas: Bioeconomy and 3D Printing, as the components of Małopolska’s smart specializations.

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To sum up, being a member of the Vanguard Initiative Association offers two-fold benefits: at the EU level, it allows for defining directions of interregional collaboration in the area of smart specializations (the position of the VI is improving every month and already now the Association plays the role of an important partner and consultant of the European Commission) and makes it possible to take advantage of the experiences of other EU regions which, thanks to long collaboration with the EC, have developed effective strategies and methods of implementation of actions which are important for them; and at the business level, it gives Małopolska’s companies and clusters the possibility to develop new technologies with reduced risk and testing costs, it allows them for direct access to other technologies and solutions, developed by regions, companies and scientific institutions of the VI which are engaged in particular Demo Cases. A thing which is also of great value is the prestige: VI’s recognizability as the pioneer of a “from the bottom-up”approach for the benefit of supporting the internationalization of EU’s industry and building its competitiveness through interregional collaboration. VI’s recognizability in EU institutions is very high and the presence of Małopolska among the most innovative regions of the EU as well as the region’s membership in the Association which is frequently indicated by the European Commission as a model example of collaboration undoubtedly strengthen Małopolska’s position and brand in the EU arena. Today the Vanguard Initiative is a unique agreement between 34 regions which supports from the bottom-up actions aimed at the revival of industry in the European Union thanks to economic collaboration in the areas of regional smart specializations. This support is implemented through the development of strong pan-European clusters collaborating within the scope of the most innovative branches of EU’s industry. The regions joined in the VI have considered smart specializations not only as an ex-ante conditionality of the European Cohesion Policy, but also as the guiding principle of their own policies referring to innovation and industry.

Małopolska is still the only region in Poland and the first one in Central and Eastern Europe operating in the Vanguard Initiative Association.

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QUESTIO IURIS

COM (2017) 376 final of 18 July 2017

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Strengthening Innovation in Europe’s Regions: Strategies for resilient, inclusive and sustainable growth (…) 3. KEY CHALLENGES AND NEXT STEPS: BOOSTING INNOVATION-LED GROWTH While evaluations foreseen under cohesion policy regulations will further help to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current approach, it is clear that smart specialisation strategies have already made a signifi cant contribution in terms of reorienting the European Union’s cohesion policy. Europe’s competitive edge relies on its capacity to promote new growth models at regional level, by targeting investments in innovative sectors with significant growth potential and high added value. To achieve this, four challenges have been identified and need to be addressed: z

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Further reform of research and innovation systems within regions; Increasing cooperation in innovation investment across regions; Leveraging research and innovation in less developed and industrial transition regions; Harnessing synergies and complementarities between EU policies and instruments.

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REFLECTION PAPER ON HARNESSING GLOBALISATION European Commission COM (2017) 240 of 10 May 2017 (…) (…) 4.2 …WHILE MAJOR EFFORTS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE EUROPE A MORE COMPETITIVE AND INNOVATIVE ECONOMY… Redistributive policies that ensure benefits for all require signifi cant investments by governments, which in turn can only be financed by a thriving and competitive economy. Policies need to help businesses continuously innovate. Only by creating products and services that meet consumers’ evolving demands can they thrive on global markets and create prosperity and jobs.

more in the industries and workers of the future, focusing on new manufacturing technologies and related industrial (data) services. The European digital single market 27 and innovation strategies should help European companies become global players and quickly pick up on new technological trends.

This requires a vision for the future to modernise our economy by embracing digitalisation, technological and social innovation, decarbonisation and the circular economy. Even if our economy becomes increasingly services-based, industry remains an important pillar. It is also an important source of jobs, filling the middle segment of the labour market and helping to prevent social polarisation. We therefore need to modernise the economy by taking concrete actions at EU, Member State, regional and local level. It is not about keeping declining industries on artificial life support; instead we should invest

Under the Vanguard initiative, 30 European regions collaborate in innovation investment, for example by developing projects, in collaboration with industry, which use 3D printing technologies to create metal inserts that are much lighter and flexible.

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Vanguard Initiative

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BRUSSELS E-MAGAZINE OF THE MAŁOPOLSKA REGION BRUSSELS OFFICE

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Renata Jasiołek CONTACT WITH THE EDITORS: Małopolska Region Brussels Office rue de la Sience 41, 1040 Brussels, Belgium bruxelles@umwm.pl DESIGN: Loyal Solutions www.loyal.com.pl