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WG Green Hydrogen kick-off meeting

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The AER working group on Green Hydrogen is organising its kick-off meeting on 13 March 2023 from 09:30-11:30

The proposal for this working group is led by Catalonia (ES). It is supported by Burgenland (AU), Lower Austria (AU), Valle D’Aosta (IT), Flevoland (NL), Maramures (RO), Värmland (SE), Västra-Götaland (SE), Fribourg (CH), and Denizli (TR), Kosice (SK)

This meeting will be open to AER members only

During this first meeting, AER members interested in sharing experiences and knowledge on the topic of Green Hydrogen will:

  • get to know each other (pitch on the region)
  • share why the topic matters for them now
  • share how the working group would create value for them: what they expect, how they would like to contribute
  • define activities for the coming months

The group will also agree on who should be the Chair of the Working Group

More information on how to set-up a working group at AER here.

For any questions, please contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius

Context: scaling up the renewable hydrogen economy

There is significant work to do to scale-up production and demand. At present, hydrogen makes up less than 2% of Europe’s energy mix and is still largely produced from fossil fuels. Producing clean hydrogen from renewable sources like wind and solar is expensive, and while technology has improved and come down in cost, there remain challenges connecting hydrogen production to energy grids and securing enough investment to make it viable.

Regions have a key role to play in scaling up the renewable hydrogen economy across Europe. As noted in a 2020 opinion adopted by the Committee of the Regions, green hydrogen “has the capacity to promote regional and local development because significant parts of the value chain can be established in regions and municipalities”. With the right level of private and public investment, European regions can lead in the creation of self-contained “hydrogen hubs” that link all elements of the value chain.

Regions have a crucial role in facilitating, supporting, and developing collaborations for the deployment of green hydrogen.

By cooperating and sharing experiences and best practices, regions can inspire each other inter-regionally to the best possible solutions in several areas.

Picture by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash

Proposal for a Working Group on Green Hydrogen Adopted

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The Executive Board which took place on 13 October 2022 in Brussels (BE) adopted the proposal for the creation of an AER working group on Green Hydrogen.

The proposal for this working group is led by Catalonia (ES). It is supported by Burgenland (AU), Lower Austria (AU), Valle D’Aosta (IT), Flevoland (NL), Maramures (RO), Värmland (SE), Västra-Götaland (SE), Fribourg (CH), and Denizli (TR).

Policy Exchanges to Accelerate the Green Transition

On May 17th, the AER co-organised with Catalonia the event “Green (H)ydrogen: Powering Our Regions’ Future” at the AER premises in Brussels (BE), under the impulse of the Vice President for Sustainability, Environment & Climate, Albert Castellanos.

The event was an opportunity to:

  • Hear from EU policymakers about opportunities for regions to develop the green hydrogen industry locally; specifically, about funding opportunities under the clean hydrogen partnerships programme and other relevant instruments;
  • Share regional experiences on the development of renewable hydrogen value chains and the impact on regional development
  • Get insights from representatives from the hydrogen industry and work towards developing private and public partnerships for regional development of the hydrogen economy;
  • Have an open discussion/networking session between AER members and identify partnership opportunities.

In the context of this event (presentations are available on the event webpage), as well as through a survey which was circulated, AER members expressed interest in continuing to exchange on the topic, both to exchange experiences in the development of green hydrogen and with views to developing partnerships and EU-funded projects.

Focus of the Exchange and Dissemination of Best Practices

There is significant work to do to scale-up production and demand. At present, hydrogen makes up less than 2% of Europe’s energy mix and is still largely produced from fossil fuels. Producing clean hydrogen from renewable sources like wind and solar is expensive, and while technology has improved and come down in cost, there remain challenges connecting hydrogen production to energy grids and securing enough investment to make it viable.

Regions have a key role to play in scaling up the renewable hydrogen economy across Europe. As noted in a 2020 opinion adopted by the Committee of the Regions, green hydrogen “has the capacity to promote regional and local development because significant parts of the value chain can be established in regions and municipalities”. With the right level of private and public investment, European regions can lead in the creation of self-contained “hydrogen hubs” that link all elements of the value chain.

The role of regions in facilitating, supporting, and developing collaborations for the deployment of green hydrogen was also highlighted during the event on May 17th.

By cooperating and sharing experiences and best practices, regions can inspire each other inter-regionally to the best possible solutions in several areas.

Proposed Activities

The working group aims to

  • organise an event, either in person or online, on EU-funding opportunities and support systems around green hydrogen for regions.
  • facilitate the exchange of regional experiences: how are regions encouraging & supporting the development of the hydrogen economy?
  • develop policy briefs, collect good practices, develop, and share research insights

Next Steps

Regions interested to participate & contribute to the AER working group on Green Hydrogen can fill in this form, to be informed about the activities of the Working Group.

A first online meeting will be announced in the coming weeks on the AER website, to get to know each other, specify interests, identify joint activities, agree on collaboration, and chose a Chair for the working group.

The proposal, which was adopted by the AER Executive Board can be found here.

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Skills for the Bioeconomy @AER Summer Academy in Donegal

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The ambition of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy is to create a community amongst European regions to share challenges, and opportunities, and create the ground for future partnerships and projects.

Youth at the heart of the shift to green gold

On the occasion of the AER Summer Academy in Ireland, the AER working group on the Bioeconomy facilitated a workshop with young people, to challenge the current situation and ask how the bioeconomy can become the green gold for a sustainable future.

Getting the opportunity to increase knowledge and awareness around the challenges in the field of agriculture, especially for youth, was a wonderful and rewarding experience. The discussions and conversations we had during as well as after the workshop were very interesting, I learned that youth in other regions face many of the same challenges as we do in Norway with the low profitability, lack of free time and challenges with recruitment and finding substitute workforce when needed. In addition to the aforementioned challenges which I believe are essential to overcome for farming to become more attractive for the future generations, this workshop made me reflect a lot upon the importance of giving young farmers opportunities for development such through exchange programs. I brought this perspective with me into many conversations, and hopefully, it will lead to facilitation of such opportunities in the nearest future in my own and other regions.

Sigrun Myrvang, youth representative, Innlandet (NO)

Indeed sustainability has three pillars: economic, social, and environmental.

In an increasingly resource-scarce world, we want to lift and empower youths and young leaders, through our democratic institutions and build tolerance for each other’s needs. I think young people see this more clearly than previous generations

Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy

The AER Summer Academy: a forum for exchanges

The AER Summer Academy is a forum for exchanges of experience when it comes to regional development and expertise in Europe.

Objectives:

  • Promoting regional democracy and the principle of subsidiarity.
  • Providing an opportunity for regional representatives to build networks with their counterparts across wider Europe.
  • Fostering interregional cooperation.
  • Promoting European integration, identity and sense of belonging among young people.
  • Facilitating exchanges of experience and good practices between regions, policy-makers and young people.
  • Supporting mutual learning.

The European Year of youth: an opportunity to reframe policies

The 2022 edition of the AER Summer Academy was a very special edition. Indeed, this was the first in-person edition since the COVID-19 pandemic. As has been shown since, the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on youth. The event taking place during the European Year of Youth, was an opportunity to reframe policies and policymaking. This was the opportunity to make mobility and exchanges with peers across Europe possible again. To listen to young voices, and learn to listen better too.

Skills & the bioeconomy

The bioeconomy covers all sectors and systems that rely on biological resources. It spans over sectors as diverse as food, construction, energy and waste management. In the context of societal challenges such as climate change, food security, energy independence and environmental sustainability, the bioeconomy is deemed to generate solutions for a better use of resources, life-cycle management and the development of new materials.

Because the industries in the bioeconomy, the value chains, the collaborations between stakeholders are new, there are major challenges in terms of skills: both to develop the right skills and to attract & retain skills in the industry.

The workshop looked specifically at food and food production for the future, with sustainability and security as the tagline. A key focus was on young voices in relation to food production and education, innovation and recruitment.

Speakers:

Upcoming activities of the working group

The Working Group will organise an experience-sharing workshop on the sides of the AER Bureau meeting in December. The exact date of the workshop will be communicated ASAP

Regions interested in the topic, could be specifically interested in the following event which take place in the context of the European Week of Regions:

  •  Food 2030: Regions as agents of change for sustainable food systems and biobased solutions
    Region Värmland invited the CEO of Paper Province, a cluster organization, to present their experience in the transition to biobased solutions. The session will provide feedback on the Food 2030 policy and emphasise the role of regions in the green transition through a bioeconomic lens. The participatory lab will focus on food and sustainable food production. It will also be an opportunity to provide feedback on food systems and bio-based solutions directly to representatives from the European Commission.

If you would like to be informed about the activities of the Working Group on the Bioeconomy, please fill in this questionnaire (3 questions + contact details), it is possible to join anytime!

Photo taken in Donegal by Ainars Djatlevskis on Unsplash

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Interview with Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy

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How exchanging experiences with other regions leverages knowledge and the ability to create impact: the Chair of the newly created working group on the bioeconomy & skills, Aud Hove, Innlandet (NO), shares about her motivation for setting up a working group within the AER network.

Can you please introduce yourself?

My name is Aud Hove, I serve as the deputy county mayor in Innlandet county, Norway. I come from a small mountainous village and municipality, named Skjåk, but due to my occupation, I currently live in Lillehammer. I have always been interested in bio-based business and nature management.

In Norway we have a saying “from the earth to the table” not different from EU new initiative Farm to Fork, emphasizing that value chains must play together and do no significant harm to others or the environment.

Our region, Innlandet needs our farmers and we need the industry so that people get what they need for a living. At the same time, I also believe that we must change some of our habits and consumption. Norway, Europe, and the western world consume far more than we produce and it is not sustainable in the long run.

What motivated you in launching the working group on the bioeconomy & skills?

The bioeconomy is both the past and the future. We have always harvested from the wood and fields, but oil, gas and coal have taken up too much space in the last decade.

I’m convinced that collaboration, experience sharing, knowledge, and research and education it is the key to success.

Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy

The value chain in biomass and green carbon can be used more sustainably, wisely while we at the same time look for new products fit for green Innlandet and Europe.  

I’m convinced that collaboration, experience sharing, knowledge, and research and education it is the key to success. Bioeconomy, and circular economy is not only necessary for a green transition, but also our green gold, our future livelihood. 

What do you want to achieve with this working group?

Innlandet and Norway cannot solve global environmental challenges alone.

As emphasised in the Paris Agreement, the EU Green Deal, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, international collaboration and solutions are needed. Sharing good examples and tackling common challenges across national borders is a part of Innlandet’s strategy.

We want to create a common understanding of different opportunities and challenges, by learning from others and sharing our best practices. Developing and improving the bioeconomy is part of the solution for climate and environment, and I think Innlandet has expertise and know-how which we can share with the rest of Europe.  

What will the working group do in the coming months?

Our ambition is to create a community amongst European regions to share challenges, opportunities and maybe future partnerships and projects.

First we will facilitate a workshop on the occasion of the AER Summer Academy in Ireland with young people, where we will challenge the current situation and ask how the bioeconomy can become our green gold in a sustainable future. Indeed sustainability has three pillars: economic, social, and environmental. All three pillars must be weighted equally to get a fair distribution and a future in harmony. In an increasingly resource-scarce world, we want to lift and empower youths and young leaders, through our democratic institutions and build tolerance for each other’s needs. I think young people see this more clearly than previous generations.

Second, we are planning a meeting of the working group on the side of the AER General Assembly, during the European Week of Cities and regions, the second week of October 2022. This meeting will be focused on experience exchange.

In Spring 2023, we want to organise an online activity around project development.

Another activity we will carry out is the mapping of the specificities of each region and their good practices as a basis for matchmaking, study visits, potential projects

If this collaboration with other regions was a film, what would be the title?

“Together we can build a better and greener future”

Or: “Leapfrogging green bio-based transitions –  A tale of European Regions”  

Thank you Aud Hove for the interview!

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AER working groups: it’s simple

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The long-awaited guide for members willing to set up a new working group is finally there!

Working groups are for all AER members

All AER members can participate in working groups. Any AER member can submit a proposal for setting up a working group on a new topic.

It is possible to contribute to the work by:

  1. Sharing needs and topics your region would be interested to work on
  2. Offering expertise, flagging good practices you would like to share with AER members, proposing speakers
  3. Participating in events organised by the Chairs of the Working Groups
  4. Representing AER at thematic events: all AER members can be AER ambassadors!

To do this, contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius with ideas, proposals, requests.

How to propose a new Working Group

1. Identifying partner regions

Any AER member can submit a proposal for setting up a Working Group. A region, which would like to set up a working group should test the idea with other members and find supporting regions, in order to ensure there is a core group of regions that will be interested in dedicating time to exchange on the topic, and to be able to define activities that will be relevant to more than one region

Any AER member wishing to set up a Working Group should therefore find at least three supporting regions, which will contribute to shaping the activities, participate and contribute to the work. Either the AER member is already in contact with regions that could join the new Working Group, or they request the help of the AER Secretariat to contact regions that may be interested.

2. Submitting a proposal to the Executive Board

The region, which would like to set up a working group should develop a draft proposal for the focus of the Working Group and list a few potential activities to be presented to the EB together with supporting regions. The Draft Proposal for setting up the new Working Group, should:

  • mention the topic of the Working Group
  • clarify the focus of the exchange and dissemination of best practices
  • indicate the lead region and the supporting regions
  • propose a few activities which they would like to implement within the first two-years mandate
  • define an objective for the work of the Working Group (what will the activities help to achieve?)

3. The EB establishes the creation of the new Working Group

Once the proposal for setting up a new Working Group has been approved by the EB, an article is published about the new Working Group including information on:

  • the proposed focus
  • objective
  • lead region and supporting regions
  • envisioned activities

Regions interested to join the new Working Group and shape activities are invited to provide inputs by email.

4. Appointing a Chair

A first meeting of the working group will be organised in person or online, to appoint a Chair and agree on joint activities. The meeting will be announced beforehand on the AER website. The meeting will be open to all AER members. During this first meeting, Working Group members will agree on implementation details and responsibilities. Each Working Group decides on its own working structure

Role of the Chair of a Working Group

The Chair is responsible for the leadership of the Working Group and liaising with the Vice-President in charge of the Working Group policy area.

Each Working Group Chair’s region is charged to appoint a seconded officer to act as working group secretariat in liaison with the AER secretariat. The seconded officer is responsible for:

  • Co-organising events and projects in collaboration with the secretariat;
  • Managing the content of the meetings;
  • Drafting speeches and policy contributions;
  • The Chair will take the responsibility for the planning of the Working Group’s activities;

The Chair of the Working Group will inform the Vice-President in charge of the related policy area about the activities organised by the Working Group.
The Vice-President in charge of the related policy area will inform the Chair of the Working Group about upcoming events or EU policy developments, which may be of interest to the Chair and where the findings of the Working Group could be shared
When the Vice-President in charge of the related policy area is invited to external events, they will mention the activities of the working group

Photo by Hello I’m Nik on Unsplash

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Green (H)ydrogen: Powering Our Regions’ Future

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You can check out the agenda and full list of speakers HERE.

Why is Europe talking about hydrogen?

Hydrogen is a versatile energy source with significant potential. It can be used as a feedstock, a fuel or an energy carrier, and has many possible applications across industry in the transport, heating and construction sectors. Most importantly, it does not emit CO2 and produces almost no air pollution when used. The European Commission estimates that “green” hydrogen from renewable sources could make up 13-14% of Europe’s energy supply by 2050, and act as a replacement for fossil fuels in high polluting sectors. 

However, there is significant work to do to scale-up production and demand. At present, hydrogen makes up less than 2% of Europe’s energy mix, and is still largely produced from fossil fuels. Producing clean hydrogen from renewable sources like wind and solar is expensive, and while technology has improved and come down in cost, there remain challenges connecting hydrogen production to energy grids and securing enough investment to make it viable.

What’s in it for Regions?

Regions have a key role to play in scaling-up the renewable hydrogen economy across Europe.  With the right level of private and public investment, European regions can lead in the creation of self-contained “hydrogen hubs” that link all elements of the value chain. Indeed, the EU has committed to a total generation capacity of 40GW of renewable hydrogen by 2030, and in early 2022 launched a call worth €300.5 million for projects to develop “cutting-edge hydrogen technologies” under its Clean Hydrogen Partnerships programme.

In this context, the AER and the Government of Catalonia are initiating discussions among European regions on hydrogen in the energy transition. This knowledge exchange and networking session will be the first step towards sustained exchanges between regions on the development of green hydrogen. It will be an opportunity for AER members to identify common priorities in the field, project and funding opportunities with the European Commission, and accelerate work towards building a hydrogen community within the AER network.

How can I get involved?

Members are welcome to register online to view this event remotely. There will be limited possibilities for those who join online to take the floor during the open session.

Members interested in joining a future working group on green hydrogen can fill in this survey.

Presentations

Presentation by Pere Margalef SVP Technology Officer Hydrogen

Presentation by Albert Ballbé, Head of technical evaluation, monitoring and verification of R&D projects in ACCIÓ, Catalonia (ES)

Presentation by Ana Ursua, General Director, Navarra Industrial Association, Navarra (ES)

Presentation by Giampaolo Canestri, Head of Energy Efficiency and Open Innovation Sector – engineer at Compagnie Valdôtaine des
Eaux, Valle d’Aosta (IT)

Skillnet Training Session II – Making the Most of Direct Grant Funding Programmes

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“Accessing European funding is often complex. We want to help our nearly 140 members in 30 countries make the best of these possibilities.“

This is how Christian Spahr, AER Secretary General opened our second webinar on EU funding opportunities for regions, “Unboxing the MFF – Accessing Direct Grant Funding Programmes”.

The programmes under discussion: Erasmus Plus, Creative Europe, LIFE, Horizon and Digital Europe are core building blocks of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the EU’s €2.018 trillion long-term budget.

These programmes will be a crucial source of source of funding for regions in areas as diverse as skill development, technological innovation, the green transition and promoting our cultural heritage into the future. As Christian Spahr put it, “These programmes are essential for a sustainable recovery and to create better living conditions for the citizens in our regions.”

So how can regions make the best of the updated programmes? We invited experts from the European Commission to give regions an overview of funding opportunities in the Autumn edition of ‘Unboxing the MFF’.

Our wrap-up below gives a flavour of what is on offer to regions. More detailed information is available through the AER Project Unit. You can check out our speakers’ presentations here.

Erasmus+

Erasmus+ is perhaps the best-known of the EU’s programmes. Supporting education, training, youth and sport across Europe, it has seen its budget nearly double to €26.2 billion in the new MFF, meaning there are significant opportunities for regions within it. But how can regions tap into the substantial resources available to support their communities?

The first thing is understanding the new “horizontal priorities” for the programme, and coming forward with proposals that are a good match for at least one of them. For the new programme, these are ‘Greening’ the programme to make mobility more sustainable, ‘Digitalising’ it through increasing access to digital learning tools, and enhancing ‘Inclusion & Diversity’, i.e. making the programme more accessible to groups that have not been able to benefit from Erasmus+ before. Our first speaker from the Erasmus+ Coordination Unit, Mr Dario Nicolella stressed that these elements “should really be reflected in project proposals” to improve the odds of being selected.

One novelty he noted that will be of interest to regional and local authorities are the Cooperation Partnerships. Among these, the small scale projects are geared towards “participants with less experience and grassroots organisations.” They have smaller budgets and have simplified rules, with lump sums of either €30,000 or €60,000 available. Those wishing to apply should form a consortium made up of at least three EU or partner countries, and address one of the horizontal priorities mentioned above. For larger activities, the new ‘lump sum’ model will also be applied to projects from 2022, with budgets of €120,000, €250,000 or €400,000 available. The ultimate aim, he explained, is to “transition to a simpler and more flexible budget model.” The AER Project Unit is available to provide further guidance on accessing these funding opportunities.

Creative Europe

Creative Europe provides support to the culture and audiovisual sectors across and beyond Europe. Similar to Erasmus+, Creative Europe has cross-cutting priorities to be addressed by all projects: inclusion, diversity, gender equality and greening.

With an increased budget of €2.4 billion, this programme will finance actions in the cultural and creative sectors to promote European cultural and linguistic diversity and heritage. The programme is divided into three strands:

  • Culture: covering actions in the cultural and creative sectors (except the audiovisual sector)
  • Media: covering activities in the audiovisual sector
  • Cross-sectoral: covering actions across all cultural and creative sectors.

So what’s in it for regions? Ms Kastner said that the supports available under the European cooperation projects are an area “where regions can have a big impact”, including in identifying micro-organisations that might be interested in the programme. The cooperation projects also support cross-border cooperation, and provide higher pre-financing and co-financing rates. There is also greater flexibility on the number of partners in each consortium, with the European Commission adding a new “medium scale” category for consortiums of five partners in five countries. To find out more about these calls, Ms Kastner advised interested parties to contact the Creative Europe Desks in their country.

Are associate countries eligible for calls under Creative Europe programme? Ms Kastner advised regions from these areas to “check how far the accession to the programme has advanced” in their country, and that “it is a good idea to start looking for partners” if they are interested in joining a consortium to join a project.

Digital Europe & Horizon Europe

Our next expert speaker from the European Commission, Mr Andreas Geiss took us through Digital Europe, which is focused on bringing digital technology to businesses, citizens and public administrations, and has a budget of €7.58 billion to spent over the life of the programme.

The aim of Digital Europe, Mr Geiss explained, “is to accelerate best use of digital technologies; increasing digital innovation hubs and focusing on high-impact digital technologies: high-performance computing, Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity and advanced digital skills.” Through this, the goal is for Europe “to become less dependent on systems and solutions coming from other parts of the world.”

There are funding instruments available through Digital Europe that regions can avail of. For example, grants for capacity building and deployment, grants for support and coordination, single entity procurement and joint procurement (you can view the sub-actions below). Of particular interest will be the support action of between 50% and 70% for SMEs. The first set of calls in digital tech and the European Digital Innovation Hubs have already been launched, and you can find out more about the conditions for the calls in the tender opportunities portal.

Next up was the Horizon Europe programme, which aims to boost European research and innovation through its substantial budget of €95.5 billion. Our two experts, Mr Clement Evroux and Ms Vera Fehnle pointed to areas within Horizon that can make a big difference for regions. “Under Pillar 2,” Mr Evroux explained, regions and local authorities “play an active role in a high number of work programmes”.

Pillar II (see chart below) is clustered into an array of areas, including ‘Health’, ‘Culture’, ‘Creativity & Inclusive Society’, ‘Digital, Industry & Space’, and ‘Climate, Energy & Mobility.’

Ms Fehnle highlighted that Horizon’s co-funded partnerships offer national and regional public authorities the possibility of participating as partners. She noted that some co-funded partnerships should include “a geographically representative distribution of national and regional research and innovation authorities and funding agencies from EU Member States.”

Co-funded partnerships are included in Cluster 1 (Health), Cluster 5 (Climate, Energy & Mobility) and Cluster 6 (Food, Bio Economy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment).  Participation of regions is also encouraged in Cluster 2 (under ‘Safeguarding Endangered Languages in Europe, Coordination and Support action’) and Cluster 3 (Civil Security for Society, Disaster-resilient society for Europe and one topic on Resilient Infrastructure). More details of actions targeting regions can be found in the presentation slides.

The subsection of the programme dedicated to ‘Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research area’ is “also of particular relevance to regions.”

The LIFE Programme

We closed the session with an overview of the LIFE Programme from our final European Commission presenters, Mr Jean-Claude Merciol and Mr Pierluca Merola. The LIFE programme, worth €5.4 billion, supports projects related to environment and climate action. LIFE’s budget has increased by €2 billion for the 2020-2027 period. Mr Merciol noted there has also been “a shift in priorities towards the circular economy”, and the new programme “has a greater focus on nature and biodiversity.”

The good news for regions, according to Mr Merciol, is that “smaller projects at regional level can make a big impact,” and most projects take “a bottom up approach”. Indeed, outermost regions, for example, can avail of small scale grants under LIFE for projects that make a contribution to halting and reversing biodiversity loss “up to 100%.”

Mr Merola went into more depth on the sub-programme clean energy transition, which contributes “to creating market and regulatory conditions enabling the green transition in the EU’s territories.” He noted two areas of particular interest to regions: the development of local and regional investment projects and the another aimed at involving citizens in the clean energy transition. 

Key takeaways — what advice would our expert panel give to regions?

So what parting advice did our expert panel have for applicants? Their ‘top tips’ were:

  • Keep an eye on the portals for open calls
  • Have a clear idea of what you want to do
  • Look for consortiums and find partners as early as possible

Still not sure where to start? Want a more detailed briefing on this Training Session and other funding opportunities? The AER is on-hand to give one-to-one guidance on how to make the most of EU Funding opportunities. For more information, please contact our European Projects Coordinator, Ms Agnese Pantaloni.

In the meantime, you can find our speakers’ slides at this link. Make sure to keep an eye on our website to find out when the final webinar in our “Unboxing the MFF” series is announced!

***

This training session was organised as part of the Skillnet Project, which is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission. Skillnet aims to strengthen the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system’s role and capacity to design high-quality VET programmes tailored to current societal needs through enhanced transnational and cross-sectoral partnerships. To learn more about funding opportunities within the Skillnet Project, visit our dedicated Partnerships in Focus Hub.

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Autumn Digest 2021: Funding Opportunities for EU and Non-EU Member Regions

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Are you in pursuit of some new EU project funding opportunities? Here are some openings worth looking into!

In line with the new Multiannual Financial Framework programme 2021-2027 which aims for more inclusivity and to support green and digital transitions, the AER Project Unit has mapped EU funding opportunities and calls for project proposals that are linked to green issues, digitalisation, and democracy & citizens participation.

Green Transition

Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Europe and the world. Among the 6 priorities the European Commission proposed for the years 2019-2024 Climate Action is at their top concern. According to the Commission, “EU policy protects the environment and seeks to minimise risks to climate, human health and biodiversity. The European Green Deal aims to make Europe the world’s first climate-neutral continent, in part by developing cleaner sources of energy and green technologies.”

Recovery of coastal and maritime tourism in the Western Mediterranean
Programme: European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF)
Deadline: 12 January 2022
Eligibility: EU and eligible non-EU member states
In line with the priorities of the European Commission, this call topic aims to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the coastal and maritime tourism ecosystem in the Western Mediterranean, as part of a smart and resilient blue economy. Moreover, it aims at preserving the marine and coastal environment and marine cultural heritage and contributing to the attractiveness of coastal areas as a unique asset for competitiveness in the Mediterranean. The action particularly looks at supporting tourism stakeholders to tap into the growing ecotourism niche tourism market and boosting innovation and digitalisation in the tourism sector, thus increasing its contribution to economic growth and jobs in the Mediterranean.

Local Green Deals
Programme: Single Market Programme (SMP)
Deadline: 24 November 2021
Eligibility: EU and eligible non-EU member states
The new The Single Market Programme (SMP) was adopted on 28 April 2021 and provides an integrated package to support and strengthen the governance and functioning of the Single Market. 

The call within this programme contributes to the European Green Deal objectives of climate-neutrality, sustainability, prosperity and inclusiveness and in parallel to develop more sustainable regional or local strategies and resilient business models. The general objective of this topic is to provide support to SMEs, regional and local economic operators to lead the twin green and digital transition and implement actions aiming to direct the local economy towards a sustainable and inclusive pathway, create new jobs, mitigate the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis and accelerate a new, green and fairer recovery. To achieve this, this call will support projects that boost transnational and cross border cooperation among local administrations and local businesses to co-create, co-design and deliver Local Green Deals.

Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction for extreme climate events: from early warning systems to long term adaptation and resilience building
Programme: Horizon Europe
Deadline: 23 November 2021
Eligibility: EU Member States and eligible non-EU countries
The focus of this call is to improve dialogue and cooperation among scientific and technical communities, stakeholders, policy-makers and local communities in the field of extreme climate events and associated events (e.g. forest fires, droughts, floods, heatwaves and storms) and disaster risk reduction. It aims to enhance community engagement for prevention, preparedness, response, recovery and learning to extreme climate events by strengthening knowledge and involvement of volunteers linked to recognised organisations into the planning, design, and implementation of prevention, including building with nature, preparedness, and emergency response activities.

Sustainability and educational aspects for renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies
Programme: Horizon Europe
Deadline: 5 January 2022
Eligibility: EU Member States and eligible non-EU countries
This funding calls for a framework to be established where sustainability and educational aspects for renewable energy and fuel technologies are addressed in the context of the current climate crisis. In this context, and taking into consideration circularity and sustainability, projects should aim to enhance and promote sustainability by addressing social and environmental aspects (air pollution, waste management, job opportunities, wildlife concerns, etc.) of renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies at a global level, thus ensuring the European Green Deal priorities are met.

Technical support to clean energy transition plans and strategies in municipalities and regions
Programme: Programme for Environment and Climate Action (LIFE)
Deadline: 12 January 2022
Eligibility: EU Member States and eligible non-EU countries (associated with LIFE programme)
The call aims to provide local and regional authorities with the necessary capacity to deliver sustainable plans and strategies for the energy transition. To successfully support the achievement of energy and climate targets, transition strategies and plans need to be institutionalised, cross-sectoral and tailored to the level of innovation, ambition and specific geographic context of the involved authorities. Local and regional authorities are a decisive lever for the EU to achieve its carbon neutrality target by 2050. Policy-makers and administrations at all sub-national levels need to commit to and effectively plan the clean energy transition of their respective territory, energy systems and infrastructures at an unprecedented level of ambition and pace with a long-term time horizon.

Community-driven clean energy transition in coal, peat and oil-shale regions
Programme: Programme for Environment and Climate Action (LIFE)
Deadline: 12 January 2022
Eligibility: EU Member States and eligible non-EU countries (associated with LIFE programme)
This call aims to empower coal, peat and oil-shale regions to advance the clean energy transition in their territories by developing and implementing the sustainable energy-related elements of their territorial just transition plans and effectively combining the support provided by the Just Transition Mechanism and/or and other sources of available funding.

Digital Transition

Over the last years, digital technology has played an increasingly important role in the lives of many around the world. This is why the Commission adopted the EU’s digital strategy as one of its top priorities in the upcoming years. The strategy aims to make this transformation work for people and businesses, while helping to achieve its target of a climate-neutral Europe by 2050.

The Commission is determined to make this Europe’s “Digital Decade”. Europe must now strengthen its digital sovereignty and set standards, rather than following those of others – with a clear focus on data, technology, and infrastructure. Under this priority falls Digital Europe (DIGITAL), a new funding programme adopted by the European Commission and will be focused on bringing digital technology to businesses, citizens and public administrations.

Reinforcing digitalisation related know how of local energy ecosystems
Programme: Horizon Europe
Deadline: 5 January 2022
Eligibility: EU Member States and non-EU countries
This call aims to increase the autonomy of local ecosystems to participate in the decentralisation of energy systems and energy transition and the number of participants in flexibility markets. It also wants to cover the gap on knowledge around digitalisation of energy services and contribute to the reskilling & upskilling of individuals and organizations. Furthermore, it will facilitate the creation of a network of parties interested in joining forces for public procurement of energy related digital services.

Democracy & Citizens Participation

The European elections of 2019 have shown a record-high turnout and with that demonstrate a new vibrancy of European democracy. Yet, the Commission feels that Europeans need a stronger role in the decision-making process and a more active role in setting their priorities. In that light, in order to protect our democracy from external interference, a joint approach is considered necessary to tackle issues such as disinformation and online hate messages. This makes for democracy and citizens participation to go hand in hand regarding the approach of the Commision for the coming years.

Social Economy Missions for community resilience
Programme: Single Market Programme (SMP)
Deadline: 24 November 2021
Eligibility: EU Member States and eligible non-EU countries
The objective of this call within the new SMP programme is to co-fund projects, which will build resilience and increase the capacity of regional or local public administrations, social economy SMEs and civil society to overcome difficulties and crises. The call will support building local resilience through transnational and inter-regional peer-learning and collaboration in the field of social economy, also, developing social economy local action plans with the cooperation of social economy stakeholders and formulating recommendations to be potentially replicable in other parts of Europe.

Smart solutions for smart rural communities: empowering rural communities and smart villages to innovate for societal change
Programme: Horizon Europe
First deadline: 15 February 2022 
Second deadline: 6 September 2022
Eligibility: EU Member States and non-EU countries
The successful proposal will contribute to fostering a sustainable, balanced and inclusive development of rural areas, supporting the implementation of the European Green Deal, in particular its fair and just transition component, the European digital strategy, the European pillar of social rights and the EU long-term vision for rural areas. It will do so by supporting digital, social and community-led innovations and by equipping rural communities with innovative and smarter solutions that increase access to services, opportunities and adequate innovation ecosystems, including for women, youth and the most vulnerable groups, improve attractiveness and reduce the feeling of being left behind, even in the most remote locations.

Support for information measures relating to the EU Cohesion policy
Programme: DG Regio
Deadline: 11 January 2022
Eligibility: EU Member States
The main aim is to provide support for the production and dissemination of information and content linked to EU Cohesion policy, including inter alia the Just Transition Fund and the recovery plan for Europe, while respecting the complete editorial independence of the actors involved. The specific objectives of this call are to promote and foster a better understanding of the role of Cohesion policy in supporting all EU’s regions and to increase awareness of projects funded by the EU – through Cohesion policy in particular – and of their impact on people’s lives. Moreover, it aims to encourage civic participation in matters related to Cohesion policy and to foster citizens’ participation in setting priorities for the future of this policy.

Assessing the socio-politics of nature-based solutions for more inclusive and resilient communities
Programme: Horizon Europe
Deadline: 15 February 2022
Eligibility: EU Member States and non-EU countries
The objective of this call is to contribute to the EU’s goal of leading just digital, economic and ecological transitions that will leave no one behind, supporting, in particular, European Green Deal priorities such as the biodiversity strategy for 2030. R&I will contribute to developing rural, coastal and urban areas in a sustainable, balanced and inclusive manner thanks to the deployment of nature-based solutions and to a better understanding of the environmental, socio-economic, behavioural and cultural drivers of change. R&I will also further support the empowerment of communities to deploy nature-based solutions to adapt to climate change and turn digital and ecological transitions into increased resilience, well-being and positive long-term prospects, such as jobs for all (including for women, young people and vulnerable groups).

Strengthening European coordination and exchange for innovation uptake towards sustainability, quality, circularity and social inclusion in the built environment as a contribution to the new European Bauhaus (Built4People)
Programme: Horizon Europe
Deadline: 25 January 2022
Eligibility: EU Member States and non-EU countries
In line with the New European Bauhaus, this proposal aims to better acknowledgement and integration of quality architecture and design principles, blending design and sustainability in innovative solutions to improve the sustainability of the built environment, including, if appropriate, cultural heritage, also ensuring compliance with the principles of circular economy, with due consideration of relevant aspects such as style, human-centric inclusivity and accessibility for persons with disabilities.

For more information on EU funding programmes and calls for proposals, please take a look at the funding and tender portal of the European Commission. Additionally, you can find further information by consulting our series of webinars “Unboxing the Multiannual Financial Framework” available on the AER website.

If you require any further information or assistance in finding partners or putting together a project proposal, please do not hesitate to contact the AER Project Unit.

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A New Horizon for Europe: Navigating into the European Horizon for Research and Innovation

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The launch of the new Horizon Europe funding programme worth 95.5 billion EUR and its first round of calls have being sparking enthusiasm and interest among the multiple actors that were long awaiting for initiating and testing their innovative actions for the green and digital transition, as well as an inclusive economy. Yet, while the scope of the funding programme meets widespread societal demands, it may not be that easy to navigate within one of the world’s largest research and innovation programmes. What do you need to know? The article provides an overview of the main opportunities under this programme as well as the links to the recordings from the informative sessions held by the European Commission.

The new HORIZON EUROPE: Priorities and structure

As part of the new Multiannual Financial Framework, the European Union has established the Horizon Europe programme as successor of the well-known Horizon 2020. As its predecessor, #HorizonEU deploys a large-envelop of financial incentives to support research and innovation that will contribute to achieving the EU priorities across and beyond Europe.  

As defined in the First Strategic Plan 2021-24, in the first four years, the programme will focus its investments towards actions aimed at:

  • Promoting an open strategic autonomy by leading the development of key digital, enabling and emerging technologies, sectors and value chains
  • Restoring Europe’s ecosystems and biodiversity, and managing sustainably natural resources
  • Making Europe the first digitally enabled circular, climate-neutral and sustainable economy
  • Creating a more resilient, inclusive and democratic European society  

PILLAR II: Clusters, ‘EU missions’, and calls

It is especially under the second pillar ‘Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness’ that the European Commission is providing the ground and support to different kind of stakeholders (universities, research institutions, public authorities, associations, NGOs, SMEs and large companies) for research addressing key societal, economic, and environmental challenges, and to reinforce and innovative the technological and industrial capacities in line with the EU policies and the Sustainable Development Goals.

A key novelty introduced with the Horizon Europe programme are the EU-Missions. Missions are commitments to address the most serious challenges that our world is facing and contribute to the goals of the European Green Deal, the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, and the Sustainable goals through a wide portfolio of actions – research projects, policy measures, or even legislative proposals.

Cluster 1 – Health

Actions supported under this cluster will be aimed at:

  • Improving and protecting the health and well-being of citizens through new knowledge, innovative solutions and the integration of a gender perspective to the preventions, monitoring, and curing of diseases
  • developing health technologies, mitigating health risks, protecting populations and promoting good health and well-being
  • making public health systems more cost-effective, equitable and sustainable

The Cluster is divided in 6 destinations under which the first calls are already open for submission:

The deadline for all the open calls under the Health Cluster is 21st September 2021. Forthcoming calls under the same destinations will open on 6th October and will close on 21st April 2022 (1st February for 2-stages submissions).

EU-Mission: Preparing UNCAN.eu, a European initiative to understand cancer (deadline 20th October 2021)

Detailed information concerning the Cluster and its calls can be found in the Cluster 1 Working Programme.

Cluster 2 – Culture, Creativity, and Inclusive Society

Actions within this cluster will contribute to strengthening the EU democratic values, safeguarding our cultural heritage, and foster inclusion and growth through socio-economic transformations.

The Cluster is divided in 3 destinations under which the first calls are already open for submission:

  • 5 Calls under Destination 01 – Innovative research on democracy and governance (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 01)
    • Activities launched within this destination will contribute to reinvigorating and modernising democratic governance through the development of evidence-based innovations, policies, policy recommendations, and institutional frameworks that expand political participation, social dialogue, civic engagement, gender equality and inclusiveness. Additionally, they will support enhancing transparency, effectiveness, accountability and legitimacy of public policy-making.
  • 6 Calls under Destination 02 – Innovative research on the European cultural heritage and the cultural and creative industries ((link to the recording of the info session on Destination 02)
    • Activities launched under this destination will aim at protecting and promoting historical sites and monuments, artefacts, heritage sites, landscapes, museums and other cultural institutions, languages, customs, traditions, and values through new or existing conservation and restoration technologies and methods employing green and digital paths. Innovative management actions and models for cultural institutions will seek to expend the industry triggering inclusive growth, jobs, social cohesion and diversity,
  • 7 Calls under Destination 03 – Innovative research on social and economic transformations ((link to the recording of the info session on Destination 03)
    • Actions launched under this destination will contribute to foster social and economic resilience and sustainability through an improved knowledge of the social, ethical, political and economic impacts of drivers of change – as digitalisation, demographic trends, globalisation, and migration. The implementation of research activities in the field will strengthen inclusive growth ensuring that no one is left behind especially in light of old and new societal and economic challenges.

The deadline for all the open calls under the Culture, Creativity, and Inclusive Society Cluster is 07th October 2021. Forthcoming calls under the same destinations will open on 20th January 2022 and will close on 20th April 2022.

Detailed information concerning the Cluster and its calls can be found in the Cluster 2 Working Programme.

Cluster 4 – Digital, Industry and Space

Activities under this cluster will support digital, space, and key enabling technologies that are strategically important for Europe’s industrial future and especially for achieving a global industrial leadership in clean and climate-neutral industries, as well as autonomy in digital technologies and a secure data-agile economy.

The Cluster is divided in 6 destinations under which the first calls are already open for submission:

The deadline for all the open calls under the Digital, Industry and Space Cluster is 21st October 2021. Forthcoming calls under the same destinations will open on 23rd November 2022 and will close on 05th April 2022.

EU-Mission: Better prepared regional and local authorities to adapt to climate change (deadline 14th September 2021)

Detailed information concerning the Cluster and its calls can be found in the Cluster 4 Working Programme.

Cluster 5 – Climate, Energy and Mobility

Actions under this cluster will contribute to the fight against climate change by increasing the understanding of its causes, evolution, risks, impacts and opportunities, as well as by facilitating the development and implementation of more climate and environment-friendly solutions to the transport and energy sectors.

The Cluster is divided in 6 destinations under which the first calls are already open for submission:

The deadline for all the open calls under the Climate, Energy and Mobility Cluster is 19th October 2021. Forthcoming calls under the same destinations will open on 14th October 2021 and will close on 12th January 2022.

EU-Missions (deadline 14th September 2021):

Detailed information concerning the Cluster and its calls can be found in the Cluster 5 Working Programme.

Cluster 6 – Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Actions financed through this cluster will support the reduction of environmental degradation, reversing the decline of biodiversity and better managing natural resources through transformative changes of the economy and society. They will contribute to the objectives of the EU Green Deal in relation to the Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, the Farm to Fork strategy, the European Climate Pact, initiatives under sustainable industry and eliminating pollution, the long-term vision for rural areas, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Cluster is divided in 7 destinations under which the first calls are already open for submission:

The deadline for all the open calls under the Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Cluster is 6th October 2021. Forthcoming calls under the same destinations will open on 28th October 2021 and will close on 15th February 2022.

EU-Mission: Preparing the ground for healthy soils: building capacities for engagement outreach and knowledge(deadline 14th September 2021)

Detailed information concerning the Cluster and its calls can be found in the Cluster 6 Working Programme.

Are you seeking to develop or join a proposal under the calls above?

All the above topics are key priorities for the AER and its members, hence we are looking forward to support members and their stakeholders in the development of a proposal, as well as in the establishment or search of a consortium. To know more about how we can support you, have a look at this article on the services of the project unit and get in touch with our European Projects Manager! Additionally, the AER is glad to assess the possibility to join consortium working on the calls in light of the strong relevance of the topics for the AER.

SAVE THE DATE! the AER will offer the possibility to further explore the novelties and opportunities introduced by the Horizon Europe programme during the next MFF info session that will be held on September 24th! The session will look at several funding programmes: Horizon Europe, Erasmus+ and Creative Europe, Digital Europe, and Life.

Picture from Unsplash by Christian Lue

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AER Climate Debate: Back to Our Future – Regions Leading Europe’s Green Recovery

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The COVID-19 crisis brought the world to a standstill in 2020. City centres became ghost towns, economic activity slumped, and political priorities fell by the wayside as managing the pandemic became the all-consuming political focus. However, what has not stood still despite the pandemic is the alarming rate that our planet continues to heat up. Unless we align our recovery with our climate targets, another global pandemic will be a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’. The need to make up for lost time to meet these targets – all while ensuring a resilient recovery from the pandemic – presents a once-in-a-generation political challenge.

The scale of the task at hand has not been lost on Europe’s leaders, who are determined for the EU to spearhead global efforts to meet the Paris Climate Goals. Indeed, Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen’s lofty choice of metaphor – describing the European Green Deal as our “man on the moon moment” – reflects the political impetus to deliver a climate ‘moonshot’ by 2030.

But as any seasoned astronaut will tell you, a successful mission to a great degree depends on the people leading on the ground. That is why on 9 June as part of EU Green Week, the AER’s Task Force on Climate brought together international experts, EU and regional policymakers for an open discussion on how our regions can lead a sustainable, resilient recovery across Europe. Moderated by AER President, Magnus Berntsson, this was a chance to explore how regions can chart the path towards carbon neutrality, and ensure “a better, greener and more resilient future” for our villages, towns and cities.

Europe’s Moonshot – Leading the Mission on the Ground

All things in nature, including the climate crisis, are connected and demand a collective response. In his opening remarks, President Berntsson stressed the need “for joint action by all levels of government” to achieve global objectives. This was echoed by first speaker, Veronika Hunt Šafránková, Head of the United Nations Environment Programme Brussels Office. She underlined that the “interconnected nature” of challenges like pollution, biodiversity loss and global warming means “they must be addressed together to maximise benefits and minimise trade-offs.” Regional and local authorities are essential actors in this effort, for example, by translating green funding into “effective stimulus policies that will lead us towards decarbonisation.”

The European Commission shares this view. Our second speaker, Elena Višnar-Malinovská, Head of Unit for Adaptation at DG CLIMA called for regions “to come on board the spaceship” to help reach emissions targets. Regions, she noted, have already started implementing effective climate and energy laws, adopted climate-friendly budgets, and will be essential in monitoring how closely Europe’s climate targets are being adhered to.

AER members are leading from the front on this issue. Arnau Queralt-Bassa, Director of the Advisory Council for Sustainable Development of Catalonia [ES], pointed to Catalonia Region’s new CO2 fund that would be paid for using a Carbon Tax. Another example came from Värmland Region [SE], where policies aimed at improving energy efficiency have seen a 70% reduction in carbon emissions from buildings, according to Eva Hallström, Chair of the AER’s Working Group on Energy & Climate. Similarly, Donegal County Council in Ireland is in the process of creating an energy agency and making use of “nature based solutions” to meet climate challenges. All of Donegal Council’s policy initiatives are being framed within a written “statement of intent” guided by the Sustainable Development Goals. So while regions are working on the ground to translate global ambition into local action, they cannot go it alone.

Global Challenges & Supporting Local Solutions

The climate crisis affects Europe’s regions in different ways and to varying degrees. A truly sustainable and resilient recovery is therefore only possible if it meets the diverse territorial needs of all Europe’s regions. Dominique Riquet, Member of the European Parliament and Rapporteur on the Opinion of the Committee on Transport on the Just Transition Fund, noted that many Eastern European regions will struggle to shift to climate neutral economies without “ambitious financial support”.

It also demands a real say for regions in implementing Green Deal legislation. “Regions” he stressed “will need to play a key role in drafting the legislation delivering the Green Deal to make sure regional differences are taken into account.” The success of the Green Deal will to a large degree “depend on the ability to tailor legislation”. He pointed to the success of regions in managing European programmes – in particular Cohesion Policy – as clear evidence of their experience and expertise in making sure that funding gets where it is needed. Mr Riquet stressed that regions “will be more important than ever” when it comes to implementing elements of the Green Deal like the ‘Fit for 55’ package.

This need for a territorial approach was further emphasised by our final speaker, Andries Gryffroy, Member of the European Committee of the Regions and its Rapporteur on the European Green Deal. “The Green Deal”, he said “is a credible plan, but must take “a bottom-up, balanced and targeted approach” if it is to effectively address the many environmental, economic and social challenges presented by the climate crisis. The same logic applies to national recovery plans. Chair of the AER working group on Transport and Mobility, Martin Tollén, pointed out that while regions are working hard to deliver sustainable solutions to reduce carbon emissions, there are limits to what can be done going it alone. Mr Tollen underlined that “Regions need to be “fully integrated in the design and implementation” of national recovery plans to meet diverse territorial needs and drive the wider green agenda.

Other important disparities that need to be addressed were highlighted in contributions from AER members. Victor Vaugoin, Director of Lower Austria’s EU Liaison Office, said that the nexus between the green and digital transitions means that less well-resourced rural regions could lose out on new opportunities in the green economy. For this reason, it is essential that the digital skills gap is addressed to ensure a fair transition. Another vitally important concern – gender equality – was highlighted by Värmland [SE] Councillor, Kenneth Johansson from the AER’s Equal Opportunities Group. Woman are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis, and it is therefore crucial that this lopsided impact “is better understood” and – more importantly – “reflected in legislation, programming and planning” at all levels of government.

Europe’s ‘moonshot’ mission to save our planet will only be a success if all levels of government “come on-board”. As we learned during the debate, local and regional authorities are leading the recovery using all resources available to them. However, to ensure a fair, green and resilient recovery, their ambitions needs to matched with political and financial support European and national level; offering regions significant financial support and a real say in how legislation is implemented to meet territorial needs.

No one is questioning Europe’s ambition when it comes to achieving our climate targets. However, starting locally and supporting our regions will be absolutely crucial if this moonshot mission is to ever get off the ground.

***

📺 Missed our Bureau debate? Never fear – you can rewatch on youtube channel here!

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Skills for Effective Innovation Ecosystems

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Article by Sandra Evans, Project Coordinator at Universität Tübingen.

It is not a secret anymore that open innovation ecosystems provide optimal conditions for creating new value. But what makes innovation ecosystems effective, or how are effective innovation ecosystems created? This important question was the topic of a panel discussion organised by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) as part of a set of very topical webinars organised within the Erasmus+ Skillnet project on enabling multi-stakeholder approaches to help build more innovative societies.

As we all have witnessed in the past year, a crisis can be an incredible driver for innovation by honing in on the most pressing issues. With the COVID-19 pandemic the overall mission was to reduce the number of infected persons and reach herd immunity. Accordingly, a diversity of stakeholders were able to very quickly align under a clear common goal and effect respective contributions. What the Coronavirus crisis also revealed was that governments and private companies were able to effectively work together in order to produce and certify vaccines in record time. However, what are the conditions that facilitate and optimize innovation activities?

Arnault Morrison, thematic expert on research and innovation at the Policy Learning Platform (PLP) of Interreg Europe, presented five actionable policy recommendations from a diversity of policy briefs published by the PLP. All are indeed key prerequisites for regions to benefit from sustainable innovation and resulting economic development:

  1. understand regional institutional context (especially the strengths and weaknesses)
  2. promote the diffusion of technology (rather than the invention of new)
  3. promote interregional learning and collaboration (i.a. by sharing good practices)
  4. promote an entrepreneurial mindset and startups (and decrease risk averseness)
  5. form a regional task force for regional skills assessment.

In addition, two regions elucidated their approaches towards building efficacy in two topically different ecosystems. Agneta Kardos from the Timiș County Council in Romania focused on how interregional learning and collaboration was crucial in building the local (informal) health and social care ecosystem. The presentation very nicely demonstrates that the process takes time, requires perseverance as well as a framework for exchange and learning. This framework was provided by different European funding instruments (primarily Interreg programs), which since 2008 have not only evolved with respect to terminology and approaches (e.g., moving from triple towards quadruple helix approaches) on the topic of aging populations, but also have been able to help build trust and a multi-stakeholder dialogue in the Timiș region.

Christiane Egger, deputy manager at the Upper Austrian Regional Energy Agency, shared her experiences from the energy transition in her region. One of the key pillars in the transition was the formal network of energy and environmental businesses, namely the Cleantech Cluster Upper Austria, which engaged in dialogue with policy makers. The mission of the energy transition has a clear message: to reach climate neutrality by 2050. In order to reach this mission, the agency takes on the role as orchestrator of the formal/informal and narrow/broad innovation networks and uses the carrot (financial incentives) – stick (regulatory framework) policy approach, which they have amended to include tambourines (dissemination and awareness raising) and a skateboard (innovation to speed up the process).

Ultimately, all speakers in their presentations and the ensuing discussion highlighted communication and connectedness as central to the innovation process and creating effective open innovation ecosystems.

Identifying and understanding the strengths and weaknesses in the respective regions, as the first recommendation by Arnault Morrison puts forward, provides the necessary base for formulating clear common goals and missions to guide policy priorities. While this seems trivial, it is absolutely crucial and will help to guide innovation activities by better understanding the actual needs and demands and thus, better being able to match demand and supply.

It is not easy to bring different stakeholders to the proverbial table, yet this can be instructive to everyone involved. Within the framework of the Interreg Europe project ACSELL, the SCIROCCO Exchange Tool was identified as a good practice to assess the readiness for demand-driven innovation in regions or ecosystems (https://www.interregeurope.eu/policylearning/good-practices/item/5304/scirocco-exchange-tool-to-assess-readiness-for-demand-driven-innovation/). This tool facilitates and structures the multi-stakeholder dialogue around 12 dimensions and helps to identify strengths and weaknesses. An improved understanding of the local needs and context as well as structured dialogue with all stakeholders is an important first step to creating effective innovation ecosystems.

Available EU funding opportunities and initiatives:

Picture by Romain Tordo from Unslpash.

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Why Innovative Skills are the Catalyst for Rural Areas

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On 25 March, the Assembly of European Regions hosted the “Ambitious Skills and Innovation Strategies: A Territorial Approach” webinar. The event was part of the series of webinars on EU funding opportunities organised within the Skillnet project (co-founded by the Erasmus+ Programme) to bring together experts in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and to establish collaborations for future EU project proposals.

We are now living in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where machines and artificial intelligence play a significant role in enhancing productivity and wealth. These changes have given rise to new skills requirements and a growing skills shortage among businesses and especially SMEs, which often struggle to find the talent they require. The new skills requirements are not only limited to high-tech and manufacturing competences but also cover interpersonal skills, as well as competences related to sales, human resources, care, and education.

In the context of regional innovation strategies, rural areas should play an essential role, not just as a source of raw material and places to locate space-intensive activities, but as genuine partners and drivers of innovation. Additionally, increasing attention should be addressed to the many interdependencies between regional development policies and the skills required to sustain innovation strategies.

Interreg EU Policy Learning Platform – Support for regions in delivering better place-based policies

Existing networks and platforms offer increasing support to regional authorities across Europe to develop and deliver better policies through a territorial approach. Among these, Elena Ferrario, Thematic Manager of the Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform (PLP), presented the services of the PLP as online learning, events, and personalised policy advice through a free on-demand peer review service. The latter is a service offered to local, regional, and national policy makers who seek advice on a specific policy framework through the design of a two-day knowledge-exchange experience with experts and peers. The cooperative approach within the Interreg community allows to identify the thematic experts who will set the to-do-list of actions within two working days (online or onsite), and after 12 to 18 months they will follow-up with the implementation results.

The application for the peer review service is open permanently and is an easy process. Interested regions can access the Terms of References and/or contact Elena Ferrario [[email protected]] to apply.

Additionally, the PLP outlines policy briefs, concise and to-the-point documents outlining recommendations and best practices for regional and local authorities and policymakers. In this context, Katharina Krell, Thematic Expert of the Interreg Europe PLP, highlighted the Skills for Innovation and Skills for Energy Transition briefs, which feature policy recommendations that draw on Interreg Europe’s experience with projects on the development of skills for innovation, and which aim to show regions a path towards better regional innovation policymaking.

Good practice from the Donegal County – Education and training for high tech skills

The ICT FinTech and engineering industries are key sectors within the Donegal County, contributing to regional development and boosting place-based innovation. To this aim, Mr. Vinny McGroary, Area Training Manager at the Donegal Education & Training Board (ETB), stated that the County encourages the continuous development of new skills through Donegal ETB. The latter provides second-level education programmes and Further Education Training which include a partnership of collaborations within the community, voluntary and private sectors, as well as with businesses.

The national strategy is focused on promoting growth through the improvement of working skills from the beginning of apprenticeships right up to the professional level. Additionally, Donegal ETB provides a number of full-time and part-time programmes for the development of skills tailored to the industry’s needs, and many of these courses are industry certified and endorsed by employers. Among these, the Skills to Advance and Skills for Work programmes are tailored to upskill people with a lower skill set and who need more opportunities to make progress in their professional careers. The Apprenticeship programme enables close collaboration with industries through a combination of learning in the workplace and education in the training centre.

The provision of these trainings focusing particularly on the ICT, FinTech, and Engineering sectors has been of core relevance to address the high rates of school drop-out. Additionally, it contributed to boost solid partnerships between people, businesses, and local organisations.

Funding incentives for territorial development

As presented by Agnese Pantaloni, EU Projects Coordinator at the Assembly of European Regions, the EU has deployed several means to support territorial development in rural areas. Among these we find:

  • The Common Agricultural Policy 2021-2027 (CAP) will be supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development which is designed to reduce economic, environmental, and social constraints in urban areas and outermost regions, fostering knowledge transfer and innovation while promoting social inclusion, and economic development.
  • Additionally, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) supports Technical Vocational Education and Training systems through investment on skills development for smart specialisation, employability, and adaptation to labour market changes.
  • The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) brings together the existing European Social Fund with the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI), the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) and the Fund for Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD). Initiatives supported through this newly established fund will likely focus on the acquisition of digital skills through schooling and education, support measures to improve the recruitment, and promote the socio-economic integration of newcomers from third countries.
  • Interreg Programmes aim at fostering a more competitive, smarter, greener, resilient and connected Europe. Interreg Programmes include cross-border, transnational, and interregional.
  • With a budget of over €28 billion, the ERASMUS+ Programme supports mobility and learning for all across the European Union and beyond. It provides opportunities for study periods abroad, traineeships, apprenticeships, and staff exchanges in all fields of education, training, youth and sport.
  • Horizon Europe finances research and innovation projects in thematic areas such as climate change, transport, health, food, agriculture, rural development, energy efficiency. Participating in Horizon Europe is open to all types of organisations based in the EU and all over the world, both public and private sector organisations, working on individual and collaborative based projects.

Where to find resources & support?

LEADER/ CLLD: European initiative that supports development projects to revitalise rural areas through bottom-up approaches.
European Network for Rural Development: Hub for sharing ideas & experiences on how rural development policies work in practice, facilitating knowledge sharing and networking among all rural stakeholders in the EU.
Smart Specialisation Platform: The platform that provides guidance and good practice examples, tools to facilitate strategy formation & mutual learning of the smart specialisation strategy (S3).
EIP-AGRI: European Innovation Partnerships that build bridges between science and practice, collecting knowledge and best practices for farmers, foresters, advisers, and others.
Policy Learning Platform: The second action of Interreg Europe programme that provides a space for continuous learning, where a network of policy makers can benefit from personalised expert advice, updated news and examples of peer-reviewed good practices.

Open and Future EU Funding Opportunities and Initiatives

To learn more, you can download the presentations from the webinar on the event webpage, and join discussions through the Peer Learning Clubs!

Photo from Unsplash @jeshoots

This webinar was organised as part of the SKILLNET series of webinars on EU funding opportunities. SKILLNET is a project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission. Through building transnational and cross-sectional partnerships, SKILLNET aims to strengthen the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system’s capacity to design high-quality VET programmes tailored to current societal needs. To this end, after each webinar, a bulletin with open and upcoming EU opportunities is circulated among relevant stakeholders.

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Registrations open! Bright Ideas- The Role of Regions in Improving Energy Efficiency

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Eva Hallström, Chair of the AER Working Group on Energy and Climate Change invites all AER members and friends to join an event on the role of regions in improving energy efficiency. Regions will share their experience, challenges, and enablers. This event is co-organised by Värmland (SE) and Viken (NO)

Energy Efficiency: how to achieve the transition in the industry?

This webinar aims to build a platform for discussions regarding the EU’s work on energy efficiency, focusing on the green transition within the industry. It will be an opportunity to share ideas, experiences, and best practices.

Experiences from the Bioeconomy Region

Värmland and Viken are both members of the “Bioeconomy Region”, a leading region of the forest bioeconomy.

To achieve climate goals while making use of the full potential of the forest bioeconomy, the rate of development and innovation needs to be faster. This is why the Interreg project «The Bioeconomy Region» was created in 2017 by a number of actors in inner Scandinavia

Both regions will share how they support improved energy efficiency in fields as diverse as production, construction or logistics.

Synergies with the Green Deal

The industry will play a central role in the transition to improved energy efficiency and carbon neutrality in Värmland, Viken, and in Europe as a whole. this is why synergies between the European Green Deal and the EU’s Industrial Strategy are needed.

This webinar on energy efficiency will also be an opportunity to gather inputs and testimonies, which will contribute to the work being developed by the AER Task Force on Climate.

Find the programme and link for registrations on the event webpage

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BRIGHT IDEAS – The Role of Regions in Improving Energy Efficiency

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Eva Hallström, Chair of the AER Working Group on Energy and Climate Change invites all AER members and friends to join an event on the role of regions in improving energy efficiency. Regions will share their experience, challenges, and enablers. This event is co-organised by Värmland (SE) and Viken (NO)

Energy Efficiency: how to achieve the transition in the industry?

This webinar aims to build a platform for discussions regarding the EU’s work on energy efficiency, focusing on the green transition within the industry. It will be an opportunity to share ideas, experiences, and best practices.

Experiences from the Bioeconomy Region

Värmland and Viken are both members of the “Bioeconomy Region”, a leading region of the forest bioeconomy.

To achieve climate goals while making use of the full potential of the forest bioeconomy, the rate of development and innovation needs to be faster. This is why the Interreg project «The Bioeconomy Region» was created in 2017 by a number of actors in inner Scandinavia

Both regions will share how they support improved energy efficiency in fields as diverse as production, construction or logistics.

Synergies with the Green Deal

The industry will play a central role in the transition to improved energy efficiency and carbon neutrality in Värmland, Viken, and in Europe as a whole. this is why synergies between the European Green Deal and the EU’s Industrial Strategy are needed.

This webinar on energy efficiency will also be an opportunity to gather inputs and testimonies, which will contribute to the work being developed by the AER Task Force on Climate.

Programme:

13:00 Welcome by Eva Hallström, Chair WG on Energy and Climate change, AER
13:10 Regional perspectives on Energy Efficiency

 

Stina Höök, Regional Councillor, Region Värmland, SE

Johan Edvard Grimstad, Regional Councillor Region Viken, NO
13:30 Projekt BIS – Climate measures and energy efficiency through Regional cooperation and innovation 

 

Sandra Svennberg, Head of Unit, Department of regional development, Region Värmland, SE

Janne Buhaug, Head of rural and regional business development Region Viken, NO
13:50 Digitisation as method to achieve Energy Efficiency

 

Charlotta Kullander Hedbom, Energy and Climate Advisor
14:00 Panel discussion
14:20 The AER Task Force on Climate: how the findings of this webinar will be used for joint advocacy work

 

Magnus Berntsson, AER President, Chair of the AER Task Force on Climate
14:30 Conclusion

 

 

Food for Thought – why regional leadership is a key ingredient in Smart Food Innovation

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Technology has brought many improvements to the lives of people across the globe. Life expectancy has been trending upward, and many diseases can now be successfully treated, contained, or even completely cured. A big part of this improvement is due to the advances made in the domain of food production and supply. However, recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic have shown us that challenging times lay ahead and that we need to continue improving technology to rise to the challenge. But how can regions lead the way towards more sustainable food systems, while ensuring our citizens are not left behind?

The Innovation Show 2021 – How can we make food our most trusted ally?

On 3 March 2021, the AER and the Province of Gelderland in the Netherlands hosted a unique hybrid event on the opportunities presented by innovation in food value chains, and the key role of regions in driving innovation in the smart food field. ‘How Smart is Your Food?’ brought together local policymakers along with experts from academia and the private sector. Over the course of the morning, our panels discussed synergies between the work of local government and key stakeholders in smart food innovation, and where they can collaborate more closely to meet global goals in health, sustainability and climate. 

After a warm welcome to all the speakers by our host from Gelderland Province, Vivian Stribos, the event kicked-off with an opening statement from AER President, Magnus Berntsson, who underlined the enormous potential smart food innovation has to address global challenges, “a sustainable food value chain has a tremendous effect in terms of fighting and adapting to climate change, as well as in protecting everyone’s health and wellbeing.” Nevertheless, he also stresses it is not feasible to bring about change in such a key aspect of human life without collaboration with regions: “Regions have the power to act upon several levels of the food chain, such as in production, logistics, distribution and waste management. If we want to make our food system future-proof, we cannot do it alone – there must be collaboration.”

The Smart Food & Value Chain Dialogue – why innovation is an urgent matter

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing challenges in food production and supply. The virus has interrupted current practices at these levels of the food value chain due to the high infection rate that has crippled European regions over the last year. We invited Nelly Kalfs, mayor of the city of Lingewaard in the Dutch province of Gelderland, to give her views on how to overcome threats to people’s livelihoods posed by the coronavirus. In her contribution, Ms Kalfs underlined that “now [in the current sanitary crisis] is the right time to invest in food innovation. We have observed that the pandemic has accelerated innovation and that everyone is very energised and motivated to do so.” 

Smart Food and Sustainability – is there an appetite for innovation?

The growing global population has created an ever-growing demand for food, leading to unsustainable supply-chains that put the Earth’s habitats and ecosystems at risk. Moving towards more eco-friendly value chains is vital to protect our planet, but making these changes can be costly, especially for smaller producers.  How can we balance the need for more sustainable value chains, while at the same time protecting people’s livelihoods? Innovation in food systems – starting at local level – offers a way forward. 

During our talkshow on smart food and climate, speakers laid out their thoughts on the complex issue of eco-friendly innovation. Martin Scholten, Principal Advisor to Wageningen University’s Executive Board, stressed that “we all need a high-quality living environment, and we need a food system that is linked to it. Sustainable energy production and farming need to be integrated in this high-quality living environment.” However, he also stressed that a more tailored approach that recognises the needs of Europe’s regions is required, “regions are the living recipients of the transition. If we can go towards regional sourcing and regional marketing for agricultural products, we can set up solutions tailor-made for regions.” He also warned that regions need to be properly supported by the European Commission as they make this shift, “otherwise there will be no Green Deal transition.”

Paul Hospers, Project Leader in Energy Transition at NEXTGarden, was in agreement with Dr Scholten on the urgent need to diversify food value chains, starting at regional level, “Local control and local sourcing have to be prioritised because sometimes big global supply chains are vulnerable and it is good to have multiple sources.”

Victor Serrano, Director of the Institute of Agri-food Research and Development in the Spanish region of Murcia, rounded-up the conversation by stressing a crucial fact yet to be discussed by the other panelists: “a closer relationship between producers and consumers is required to foresee upcoming trends and enable farmers to align their production with the current demand.”

Smart Food Innovation – a cure for Europe’s health woes?

During the Innovation Show’s final panel, speakers discussed the opportunities and challenges of smart food technology in the health field. From monitoring our gut health, to improving food choice, smart food technology has obvious benefits when it comes to helping people lead healthier lives. Indeed, several AER regions are already fostering innovation in this area to help their citizens make better choices when it comes to food. But technology is not a panacea for Europe’s health problems, and brings with it potential risks, especially around costs for individuals and data protection. 

Thea van Kemenade, Director of Health at OnePlanet, believes that technology offers solutions to many problems in health, especially when it comes to making better choices: “we want to concentrate on enhancing food technology, because we strongly believe that consumers need to play a strong role in self-supporting their own health”. Maartje Poelman, Associate Professor of Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles at Wageningen University, stressed that any system change using technology, “cannot just be reserved for the wealthy few, it should be available for all layers of society. Inclusivity is at stake and it needs to be safeguarded.” This “system change” should start at local and regional level in our villages, towns and cities; working in collaboration with citizens “to improve food environments”. 

The value of locally-led innovation was something picked up by our final speaker, Irén Lejegren, Chair of the AER Task Force on Food and Councillor in the Swedish County of Örebro. Ms Lejegren set out how Örebro is a leader in sensory perception and gut health research; which in the long-term will help people make better food choices. She also noted that despite all the opportunities technology can bring, there are also inherent risks, especially when it comes to the use of AI technology and protecting people’s personal data. 

So while technology can certainly help us treat a number of Europe’s health issues, there are several potential side-effects to consider. Policymakers will therefore have to carefully weigh-up the obvious benefits of technology while at the same time ensuring that citizens’ rights are protected. 

Food for thought – a bottom-up approach to smart food innovation 

‘How Smart is Your Food?’ successfully illustrated the complexity but also the necessity of innovation in food value chains to address societal issues, such as unhealthy lifestyle choices and the ecological impact of irresponsible food sourcing and production. 

What is clear is that a bottom-up approach, led by regions as the links between stakeholders is the only way to nurture sustainable, inclusive innovation in the long-run. As AER Secretary General, Christian Spahr put it in his closing remarks, “a single size does not fit all. Regions are different both in terms of production and consumption. We need to form alliances between governments, private stakeholders and researchers to work together towards a common goal: a healthier and more sustainable future for all.” 

***

Regions and other stakeholders can find more information and learn about more opportunities by contacting or visiting the websites of:

Did you ask a question during our Q&A we didn’t get around to? Check out some more responses below!

  • How to support farmers in switching from growing tobacco?

This question is related to different strategies and policies aimed at reducing the consumption and production of tobacco, changing the incentives for farmers, protecting biodiversity and improving soil health
Detailed information related to producers and production of EU tobacco, legal bases and relevant committees is available here:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/plants-and-plant-products/plant-products/tobacco_en
Information on Sustainable agriculture in the CAP and the links with the Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy, the biodiversity strategy:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/sustainability/sustainable-cap_en
Information on the Mission area: Soil health and food:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/horizon-europe/missions-horizon-europe/soil-health-and-food_en

  • What are the actions and measures in place to reduce the use of penicillin?

The below resources provide reports, examples of projects and policies related to the reduction of the use of antibiotics
Report by European Medicine Agency on reduction of antibiotics in animals:
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/european-countries-increase-commitment-responsible-antibiotic-use-animals
The EIP AGRI Focus Groups have been working on a variety of topics including the use of antibiotics. The results of the EIP-AGRI Focus groups are published in this update: https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/sites/default/files/focus_groups_state_of_play_november_2020_update.pdf
Disseminating Innovative Solutions for Antibiotic Resistance Management: https://disarmproject.eu/ 

  • How can the use of nitrogen fixing trees help to fertilize the soil in Spain?

This topic is related to permaculture and practices that enable the interaction between ecosystems or different layers of the same ecosystem
Reduction of nitrogen fertilisation in the Region of Murcia through the application of native microorganisms that fix environmental nitrogen:
https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/reducci%C3%B3n-de-fertilizaci%C3%B3n-nitrogenada-en-la
Innovations for self-sustaining production systems: permaculture, bio-intensive vegetable garden and forest food (Agriculture self-sufficient):
https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/innovazioni-finalizzate-alla-creazione-di-sistemi
GO SETOS – Multifunctional borders for sustainable landscape and agriculture
An EIP-AGRI Operational Group working together to increase the implementation of multifunctional hedgerows that offer environmental benefits as well as climate mitigation and adaptation: https://enrd.ec.europa.eu/projects-practice/go-setos-multifunctional-borders-sustainable-landscape-and-agriculture_en

  • Can you give more information about Reko rings in Europe?

REKO is model for selling and buying local food directly from producers to consumers. Products are sold based on pre-orders made through closed Facebook rings:
https://www.interregeurope.eu/policylearning/good-practices/item/1355/reko-rings-local-food-groups/
Reko rings in Italy are GAS (Gruppi d’acquisto solidale): https://www.portalgas.it/cos-e-un-g-a-s-gruppo-d-acquisto-solidale

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