Choose water
as a priority in your Regional Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation
(RIS3)
The inclusion
of water as a priority in the Regional Innovation Strategy for Smart
Specialisation (RIS3) can bring your region more, high quality jobs, economic
revenues and an attractive innovative, environmental conscious profile. Uptake
of water as a priority in this strategy guarantees that during the period 2014
– 2020 it is possible to apply for funding for water under the Cohesion
funds.
Three reasons
to choose water as a priority in the RIS3 are:
WssTP would
like to encourage Europe’s regions to tap into their unique capabilities and to
benefit from the newest EU initiatives on water innovation. Three reasons to
choose water as a priority in the RIS3 are:
1.
Water has a strong interdisciplinary and regional
character enabling your region to excel in your specific capabilities while
providing possibilities for all sectors, SMEs, government, RTOs and the public
alike. Action for water can count on a very high support among European
citizens (75%).
2.
Water is going to be one of the first priorities for
Horizon 2020. Choosing water as a priority in your RIS3 allows your region
access to extra funding for innovative demonstration projects necessary to
secure your frontrunners seat.
3.
Your region can more easily tap export possibilities
of the rapidly growing world water market estimated to be at least $1 trillion
by 2020 (today $400 billion a year).
Who to
contact?
In every
member state managing authorities are appointed to coordinate the programmes
for the Cohesion funds. The contact information for the managing authorities
for a specific region can be found through this link (http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/manage/authority/authority_en.cfm
)
WssTP
activities
WssTP has sent
a letter to the Managing Authorities highlighting the possibilities of Water in
the RIS3. Further WssTP assists DG REGIO in setting up a network of
regions specialised in water innovation. The Intergroup on Water of the
European Parliament will dedicate a meeting early Spring 2013 on Smart Water
Specialisation. The EU Innovation Partnership on Water sets up dedicated action
groups Spring 2013 as well. You are cordially invited to take part in these
initiatives. Please contact us (Nicole Zantkuijl, Policy Manager WssTP on nicole.zantkuijl@wsstp.eu; mobile
00 31683 537624) and we will make sure to involve you.
WssTP approach to Regional policy 2014-2020
The Cohesion Policy is the funding instrument of the EU which focuses on strengthening regions.
The Cohesion Policy consists of a set of six proposals from the European Commission for the funding for the period 2014-2020 (October 6th, 2011). General and specific provisions are proposed for:
-
the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF): Strengthens economic, social and territorial cohesion in the EU by correcting imbalances between regions;
-
the European Social Fund (ESF): increases employment opportunities of EU citizens, and
-
the Cohesion Fund: supports investment in climate change adaptation and risk prevention as well as investment in the water and waste sectors, and the urban environment (MS with GNI per inhabitant below 90 % EU-27 average).
With respect to the Commission’s Proposals on the Cohesion Policy WssTP has two key requests:
1. Clearly identify water innovation as a vital challenge for the ERDF: This year in June, at the world stage for Rio, Europe puts water forward as one of the top five priority areas in which clear operational targets with agreed time frames are needed. To clearly express that ‘water is vital for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’ WssTP calls the European Parliament to make sure smart water innovation is a clear priority for the Cohesion Policy as well.
2. Target water to materialize the possibilities for smart regions specialization: The EU water sector involves some 600.000 direct jobs and 136.000 jobs through SME’s all over Europe. It’s growth potential is huge. Materializing it’s promising possibilities requires European regions to choose for water. WssTP calls the European Parliament to recognize water as a sector of Smart Specialization, both for the EU Proposal as for the Partnership Contracts of their own country.
To learn more about the Cohesion Policy, you can click here.
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