Brussels, 14/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - The success of the innovation-research dimension in the EU 2020 strategy will depend on the coordination and relationship between the different policies, especially between regional and research policies. This is the message sent out on Thursday 14 July by Commissioner Maíre Geoghegan-Quinn (Research) and the first vice president of the Committee of the Regions, Luis Valcarcel Siso. Just ahead of the publication of a new appeal for projects in the research arena, this meeting mainly aimed to raise awareness among the regional authorities about the opportunities contained in the seventh framework programme.
As a person from one of the peripheral regions herself and also because she is aware of the needs and opportunities in these regions, the commissioner underlined the need for pro active participation of all regions in an effort to stimulate research and innovation in Europe and to rectify the innovation gap between the highest performers and those that still have a lot of catching up to do. Luis Valcarcel is both vice-president of the CPMR (Conference of the Peripheral Maritime Regions) and president of the Murcia region in Spain. He highlighted “the need to trust the responsibility and competence of the different regions. Therefore, we are proposing that the conditions for regional policy take into account the development of these regional innovation strategies, which should be based on a partnership with the regions.” The Committee of the Regions is organising a forum on the 12-13 December. This event will focus on research and innovation in Europe, as well as the role that the regions and cities can play. (G.B./transl.fl)