The Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU wants to strengthen existing mechanisms rather than revise them or create new ones, according to the draft conclusions on the importance of research and innovation in the EU’s strategy for start-ups and scale-ups, published on Monday 25 August.
Presented in May, this strategy aims to support the growth of young innovative companies and prevent them from moving abroad (see EUROPE 13650/2).
With regard to the European Innovation Council Forum (EIC Forum), the Presidency requests the European Commission to “regularly report to the Member States about the implementation of the strategy”. It would also like to invite the Commission to “set-up an adequate coordination and monitoring mechanism for the Startup and Scaleup Strategy, taking into account existing fora and with the objective of alleviating reporting burdens”. However, the initial proposal mentioned revising the format and mandate of the EIC Forum, “to be able to take over the proposed coordination and monitoring role for the startup and scaleup strategy with the possibility to extend to innovation policy as a whole”.
The Presidency also proposes to emphasise the need for “capacity building, exchange of experience and sharing of good practice”. It notes that “transnational networks of higher education institutions and research performing organisations can play a key role in achieving these objectives”.
Finally, the Danish authorities suggest stressing that “closing the gender gap is essential as a matter of social justice and strategic investment in the competitiveness and productivity of the Union”. They stress the importance of “advancing gender equality and promoting women’s participation, entrepreneurship and leadership in innovation and start-ups”.
The draft conclusions will be discussed at the Research Working Group meeting on Monday 1 September.
To read the draft conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/i5e (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)