2013年-CEPS欧洲政策研究中心_A_New_Approach_to_Innovation_Policy_in_the_European_Union_96页_5mb

Summary of "A New Approach to Innovation Policy in the European Union"

Core Content

This report, authored by the CEPS Task Force, outlines a comprehensive and forward-looking strategy for enhancing the European Union's innovation policy to improve its competitiveness in a global economy. It emphasizes the need for a more integrated, market-driven, and demand-oriented approach to innovation, while also addressing structural and institutional challenges that hinder the effectiveness of current policies.

Main Recommendations

1. A Functioning EU Internal Market

• A unified internal market is essential for innovation.
• Fragmented financial markets and inconsistent regulations (e.g., taxation) prevent cross-border investment and innovation.
• Mobility barriers for professionals and SMEs need to be addressed.
• Key elements include the Community Patent, clear technology transfer rules, and a coherent standardisation process.

2. Integrated and Comprehensive Approach

• Innovation policy should start from market and societal demand, not just scientific questions.
• All actors in the innovation chain—industry, academia, public and private financiers, NGOs, etc.—must be involved.
• Demand-side measures like the Lead Market Initiative and pre-commercial public procurement should be developed to stimulate innovation.

3. Alignment of Public Policy with Market Needs

• Innovation occurs in markets, so public policies must reflect market realities.
• Regulations should be 'smart'—efficient, proportionate, future-proof, and technology-neutral.
• Simplification of innovation-related regulations is crucial to avoid chilling new market developments.

4. Improved Institutional Governance

• The current fragmentation of competences across EU Directorates-General (DGs) leads to a lack of policy coherence.
• A more centralized and coordinated approach is needed to simplify the funding landscape.
• The Secretariat General should play a central role in coordinating and directing innovation policy.
• The President of the European Commission should take ultimate responsibility for ensuring a coherent and effective innovation policy.

5. Subsidiarity in EU Innovation Policy

• The EU should only intervene where there is clear added value.
• Impact assessments must be used to justify EU-level innovation policies.
• Coordination between member states and EU-level policies is essential, especially in R&D processes.

6. Extended Co-Regulatory Schemes

• Public-private partnerships (PPPs) should be extended to address strong societal needs.
• Involving market players in the design of the new Framework Programme (FP8) ensures that demand is adequately considered.

7. Enhanced Leadership, Ownership, and Accountability

• The Impact Assessment Board (IAB) should include a representative from DG Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) to ensure innovation is considered in policy-making.
• Policy-makers should assess the alignment of governance and policy at every stage.
• Monitoring and evaluation strategies should be implemented to track the impact of innovation policies.
• A dedicated agency should manage innovation funding instruments to improve synergies and communication with stakeholders.
• Innovation policy should be coordinated with other EU policy objectives at the budget allocation stage.
• A principle of dropping less effective policies or instruments should be applied to avoid unnecessary complexity.

8. Efficient Use of Financial Instruments

• The EU must invest in R&D, differentiating between basic and applied research.
• The European Investment Bank (EIB) should expand its support for innovative SMEs, including early-stage financing and risk-sharing mechanisms.
• Instruments like clustering should be developed to aggregate local initiatives and support SMEs.

Key Areas of Focus

A Patent System for EU 2020

• Role of National Patent Offices (NPOs): NPOs should maintain a role in the pan-European patent system, particularly for non-patent procedures like trademarks and designs.
• Language Regime: A single or reduced language regime for patent documentation would lower costs and legal uncertainty.
• Cost and Quality: Patent fees should be affordable and aligned with policy goals; quality of patents must be improved through better coordination and oversight.
• Litigation System: A unified patent litigation system with an acceptable level of centralisation is needed to ensure consistency and reduce legal fragmentation.
• Coordination: Patent authorities must coordinate to avoid conflicting decisions and a 'race to the bottom'.

Technology Transfer and Climate-Related Technologies (CRTs)

• Promoting CRTs: Support should be given to SMEs and local development in generating and transferring CRTs.
• Avoiding IPR Removal: Removing IPRs is unlikely to increase access to CRTs for less developed countries (LDCs); instead, cooperation with multinationals and foreign firms is necessary.
• Tariff Barriers: Eliminating tariff barriers for CRTs will facilitate their diffusion and access.
• Professionalisation of IP Management: Universities and public research institutions should develop professional IP and technology management capabilities to support the 'Third Mission' of the Lisbon Agenda.

Standards and Standardisation Policy

• Scope of Standards Policy: EU standards should be market-driven and not imposed top-down.
• Governance Reform: A single EU standards agency should replace the current three bodies (CEN, CENELEC, ETSI) to enhance cooperation.
• Competition Rules: Clear guidelines on standards and IPRs are needed, including support for pro-competitive patent pools.
• Sector-Specific Rules: Standards should be crafted based on sector-specific needs, with an emphasis on open standards only where they are non-competitive.

Key Information

• The EU has lagged behind the US and Asian economies in innovation and R&D investment.
• The EU2020 strategy and the Innovation Union initiative are key to re-launching Europe's innovation capacity.
• The report highlights the importance of aligning innovation policy with other EU priorities such as climate, energy, and health.
• A clear and measurable set of indicators is needed to evaluate the performance of innovation-related policies.
• The role of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in supporting SMEs and innovative projects is critical and requires reform.

Conclusion

To make the EU a more attractive place for innovation, a new, integrated, and market-driven approach is necessary. This includes reforming the internal market, improving institutional governance, enhancing coordination between different levels of policy, and ensuring that financial and legal instruments support innovation effectively. The report calls for a more strategic, coherent, and accountable innovation policy framework that aligns with the broader goals of the EU2020 strategy and fosters sustainable growth and competitiveness.