Through the intermediaries of Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Johannes Hah and Research, Science and Innovation Commissioner Carlos Moedas, the European Union has launched a new initiative, EU4Innovation, in Yerevan with the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine).
The initiative will combine all EU activities that support the development of Eastern Partnership countries' innovation capacities, notably those funded under the Horizon 2020 programme and the European Neighbourhood Instrument. Moedas commented: "Innovation is crucial to increase Europe's competitiveness and to address global challenges such as climate change or sustainable development. Our new initiative, EU4Innovation, will boost innovation capacities of our Eastern partners. It will stimulate innovative ideas and support them on the way to market, while at the same time drawing on the existing knowledge and networks we are building in the EU". At a press conference, Moedas said EU4Innovation was a common framework with two pillars – integrating systems and fostering competitiveness: "We have to invest in skills, funding and in building capacity of excellence", he stated. "Developing and implementing research and innovation policy is key to improving competitiveness, boosting economic growth and creating jobs", Hahn said, stating that successful economies have strong upstream research and development capacity.
The commissioners took advantage of their meetings with the research and innovation ministers of the six Eastern Partnership countries to discuss the Eastern Partnership and progress since the Riga summit in May 2015. "We are moving forward with a more focused and strategic approach (…) The Eastern Partnership is mature and remains the driver for regional networking and cooperation (…) Delivering on reforms is vital: remarkable efforts have been made, but we need to see sustained implementation", Hahn stated. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)