The proposed European Innovation Act is a step in the right direction, but overlooks a place-based approach and the vital role of HEIs as ecosystem orchestrators.
EURASHE welcomes the European Innovation Act’s recognition of the need to strengthen Europe’s innovation ecosystems and its efforts to lift barriers that continue to hinder the uptake and scaling of innovation across Member States. The focus on public procurement, regulatory experimentation and improved framework conditions is an important step in the right direction. However, we believe the proposal could have been more ambitious in fully harnessing Europe’s territorial diversity and knowledge base.
In particular, the Act leaves significant untapped potential in adopting a stronger place-based approach to innovation. Europe’s innovation capacity is distributed across all its regions, cities and local ecosystems. A more explicit recognition of regional innovation actors and the specific challenges faced by developing and transitioning regions would have strengthened the Act’s contribution to cohesion, competitiveness and resilience. Better alignment between European, national and regional innovation policies, as well as measures to bridge innovation gaps, should remain a priority in the implementation phase. In particular, public procurement strategies should be designed to fully harness and build the innovation capacity of different regions.
Furthermore, EURASHE regrets the limited recognition of higher education institutions as key drivers of innovation. They can play a unique role in connecting research, education, skills development and societal engagement. They are essential orchestrators of R&I ecosystems by connecting research and innovation actors, businesses, public authorities, and citizens, translating knowledge into practical solutions while preparing the skilled workforce needed for Europe’s competitiveness.
A stronger focus on universities as innovation partners would have enhanced the Act’s capacity to support knowledge valorisation, upscaling and the regional innovation ecosystem as a whole. As the European Innovation Act moves forward, EURASHE encourages policymakers to better integrate higher education institutions into its implementation and recognise the essential role they play in research and innovation policies, skills agendas, and regional development strategies. Only through such an integrated approach can Europe fully unlock its innovation potential and ensure innovation benefits all regions and communities.