Guide to Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation

System 63 and The European Carbon Dioxide and Storage Laboratory 64 all other 45 projects
included in the ESFRI Roadmap are either localised or coordinated by the EU15 Member
States.
Regions have to ensure that their research infrastructures are managed by professionals and
that they are able to provide high added value, financial and non-financial support services to
SMEs, and avoid duplication of investment in infrastructures similar to those already in place
nearby.
How to act?
The EU landscape for research infrastructures is undergoing dynamic changes. But this
welcomed trend is yet to bring improvement and better balance in distribution. This will
require specific actions towards the pooling of the existing national/regional resources
augmented by the available EU funding. Furthermore, both streams of such funding should be
better focussed on activities which contribute to the full utilisation or intellectual potential
across the EU regions.
Regions should envisage improving their framework conditions and access to finance for
research and innovation, so as to ensure that innovative ideas can be turned into products and
services that create growth and jobs.
The contribution of the stakeholders at regional and national level needs therefore to be
enhanced. Regional and local authorities should work in partnership and take measures that
would create a 'stairway to excellence' for research and innovation infrastructures and
businesses within their areas of responsibility. Investments in existing and new RIs should
combine in the most efficient and effective way the instruments and funds available (e.g.
taking into account also the needs of the industrial users, i.e. large amounts - not lab scale -
faster results, and standards for quality control).
This need for synergies has been stressed by the key EU institutions, namely: the Council 65 ,
the Parliament 66 and the Commission 67 . In this context, the Commission has produced the
'Practical Guide to EU funding opportunities for Research and Innovation' 68 and is exploring
how far the Regional Policy can provide financial support to the construction of RIs foreseen
in the ESFRI roadmap 69 .
Member States should set visible targets and sustainable support for operational costs and
involvement of priority ESFRI projects or regional RIs and they should also complete the
process of development of national roadmaps for RIs.
The authorities establishing National Roadmaps for Research Infrastructures (in connection
with the EU ESFRI Roadmap) should work together with the authorities involved in
63 (SIOS; http://www.siossvalbard.org/servlet/Satellite?c=Page&pagename=sios/Hovedsidemal&cid=1234130481072)
64 ECCSEL; http://www.eccsel.org/
65 Conclusions of 17 May 2010
66 EP Resolution (EP:A7-0138/2010, P7_TA(2010)0189; May 2010
67 COM (2010)553 and SEC(2010)1183, 06.10.2010
68 SEC (2010)1183, item 3.2.
69 COM (2010)553, item 4 and SEC (2010) 1183, item 3.3.1.
76