European Innovation Partnerships - EIP*

The establishment of European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs) in different sectors represents a new approach under the Europe 2020 Strategy to advance EU research and innovation. EIPs are challenge-driven, focusing on societal benefits and rapid modernisation. EIPs should provide favourable conditions for research and innovation partners to co-operate and achieve better and faster results compared to existing approaches.
The agricultural European Innovation Partnership (EIP-AGRI), which was launched by a communication in February 2012 , aims to foster a competitive and sustainable agriculture and forestry sector. The agricultural European Innovation Partnership (EIP-AGRI) works to foster competitive and sustainable farming and forestry that 'achieves more and better from less'.  It contributes to ensuring a steady supply of food, feed and biomaterials, developing its work in harmony with the essential natural resources on which farming depends.

EIPs act across the whole research and innovation chain, bringing together all relevant actors at EU, national and regional levels in order to:

  • step up research and development efforts;
  • coordinate investments in demonstration and pilots;
  • anticipate and fast-track any necessary regulation and standards; and
  • mobilise ‘demand’

 


Objectives

EIPs streamline, simplify and better coordinate existing instruments and initiatives and complement them with new actions where necessary. This should make it easier for partners to co-operate and achieve better and faster results compared to what exists already. Therefore, they build upon relevant existing tools and actions and, where this makes sense, they integrate them into a single coherent policy framework. Flexibility is important; there is not a 'one-size-fits-all' framework.

Existing European Innovation Partnerships:

Status
running
Target Group
Organizations
Activities
Research activities
Subjects
-
Source Regions
European Union
Source Countries
-
Eligible Regions
European Union
Eligible Countries
-
Grant Types
-
Funding Bodies
-
Languages
Bulgarian, English
Support Types
-
Deadline Date
-
Programme
-
Programme Owner
-
Managing Authority
-
Supporting Programme
-
Resources
-
Refering Grants
-
Annual
yes

Focus

EIPs are launched only in areas, and consist only of activities, in which government intervention is clearly justified and where combining EU, national and regional efforts in R&D and demand-side measures will achieve the target quicker and more efficiently. The pilot European Innovation Partnership was on Active and Healthy Ageing. Currently there are five EIPs.

 

- Active and Healthy Ageing

- Agricultural Sustainability and Productivity

- Smart Cities and Communities

- Water

- Raw Materials

 

The European Innovation Partnerships are NOT a new instrument (nor an instrument in the sense of a programme), or yet another layer coming on top of what already exists. EIPs are not funding instruments of Horizon 2020, nor do they substitute the existing institutional decision mechanisms. However, the objectives developed in the EIPs' Strategic Implementation Plans are key contributions to the definition of priorities in the annual work programmes of Horizon 2020, with obligations on both sides (the Commission and the EIP) to ensure dialogue and follow-up on proposed priorities.

On the contrary, the aim is to simplify, looking at ways to optimise and streamline the use of existing instruments and synergies between them, and to fill the gaps.

For the EU level, the partnerships should, in particular, examine how the different instruments such as Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs), the Article 185 Joint Programmes, European Technology Platforms (ETPs), Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIs), the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), and Lead Markets Initiatives (LMI) can contribute to reaching the stated objective and to overcome the bottlenecks to achieving it. 

(pg. 9: Innovation Union: Frequently Asked Questions regarding European Innovation Partnerships under Europe 2020)

 

The role of EIPs in implementing Horizon2020 is to increase the impact of actions funded under Horizon 2020 by linking them to a broader strategy. The EIPs will provide systematic input on a continuous basis during the implementation of Horizon 2020. They will deliver important contributions to the definition of priorities in the annual Work Programmes of Horizon 2020, through the Strategic Implementation Plans and also through experience gained during the implementation of different actions under the EIPs.

 

Specific Horizon 2020 priorities, notably among the SocietalChallenges, will support, interface and establish links with the actions and activities developed in the context of the EIPs. The implementation of Horizon 2020 will seek to contribute to achieving the aims of the specific EIPs by providing key knowledge, ensuring dialogue, and supporting the follow-up on proposed priorities.


Duration
2014-2020

Proposal Submission
Implementation

   1. European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing

Links: Innovation Union website

   2.  European Innovation Partnership on Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability

Link: http://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/

The agricultural European Innovation Partnership (EIP-AGRI), which was launched by a communication in February 2012, aims to foster a competitive and sustainable agriculture and forestry sector that "achieves more from less". It will contribute to ensuring a steady supply of food, feed and biomaterials, both existing and new ones, sustainable management of the essential natural resources on which farming depends, and working in harmony with the environment. For achieving this aim, the EIP-Agri needs to build bridges between research and practice (farmers, businesses, advisory services, NGOs, etc).

 

The innovation model under the EIP-AGRI goes beyond speeding up the transfer from laboratory to practice (referred to as the "linear innovation model"). The EIP-AGRI adheres to the "interactive innovation model" which focuses on forming partnerships - using bottom-up approaches and linking farmers, advisors, researchers, businesses, and other actors in Operational Groups. This will generate new insights and ideas and mould existing tacit knowledge into focused solutions that are quicker put into practice. Such an approach will stimulate innovation from all sides and will help to target the research agenda. Innovation under the EIP-AGRI may be technological, non-technological, organisational or social, and based on new or traditional practices.

 

Operational Groups will bring together farmers, researchers, advisors, businesses, NGOs and other actors to implement innovative projects pursuing the objectives of the EIP-AGRI.

The innovation model under the EIP-AGRI goes beyond speeding up the transfer from laboratory to practice (referred to as the "linear innovation model"). The EIP-AGRI adheres to the "interactive innovation model" which focuses on forming partnerships - using bottom-up approaches and linking farmers, advisors, researchers, businesses, and other actors in Operational Groups. This will generate new insights and ideas and mould existing tacit knowledge into focused solutions that are quicker put into practice. Such an approach will stimulate innovation from all sides and will help to target the research agenda. Innovation under the EIP-AGRI may be technological, non-technological, organisational or social, and based on new or traditional practices.
Operational Groups will bring together farmers, researchers, advisors, businesses, NGOs and other actors to implement innovative projects pursuing the objectives of the EIP-AGRI.

As a key instrument of the EIP, a Brussels-based network facility will work as an intermediary enhancing communication between science and practice and fostering cooperation. This "EIP Service Point" will encourage the establishment of Operational Groups and support their work through focus groups, seminars and workshops, the establishment of data bases (on relevant research results and good practice examples), support for partnering, and help desk functions.


A particularly important action format of the EIP Network is the so-called Focus Group which is established to share knowledge and practical experience from concrete innovative projects. Focus Groups will in particular build upon the outcome of Operational Groups.


The EIP network will facilitate the effective flow of information in order to ensure that successful projects of Operational Groups do not remain singular events but contribute to advancing and mainstreaming of innovative approach beyond the local and regional level.

You can learn more about the Innovation Partnership on the EIP-AGRI website.

 

   3. European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities

Link: http://ec.europa.eu/eip/smartcities/

Source: COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION SMART CITIES AND COMMUNITIES - EUROPEAN INNOVATION PARTNERSHIP: http://ec.europa.eu/eip/smartcities/files/ec_communication_scc.pdf

 

The Smart Cities and Communities European Innovation Partnership was launched on 10 July 2012, by European Commission. The Smart Cities and Communities EIP (SCC) is a partnership across the areas of energy, transport and information and communication with the objective to catalyse progress in areas where energy production, distribution and use; mobility and transport; and information and communication technologies (ICT) are intimately linked and offer new interdisciplinary opportunities to improve services while reducing energy and resource consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) and other polluting emissions.

 

SCC focuses on industry led innovation as a key driver to achieve economic and social change in urban areas and promotes actions across the innovation cycle and across different sectors. It will support existing and future EU initiatives for úr ban areas in the field of environment (i.e.resource efficiency, water, waste, pollution,green infrastructures) and climate policies.

You can learn more about the Innovation Partnership on the SCC website.

 

   4. European Innovation Partnership on Water

Link: http://www.eip-water.eu/about

The European Innovation Partnership on Water - EIP Water - is an initiative within the EU 2020 Innovation Union. The EIP Water facilitates the development of innovative solutions to address major European and global water challenges. At the same time, the EIP Water supports the creation of market opportunities for these innovations, both inside and outside of Europe.

 

The EIP Water aims to remove barriers by advancing and leveraging existing solutions. Its implementation has started in May 2013 with the main objective to initiate and promote collaborative processes for change and innovation in the water sector across the public and private sector, non-governmental organisations and the general public. This is mainly done via the establishment of Action and other Working Groups.

 

Eight priority areas have been chosen for the EIP Water. They centre on challenges and opportunities in the water sector, and on innovation driven actions that will deliver the highest impact. Five thematic priorities have been selected:

In addition, selected cross cutting priorities are:

Smart technology has been defined as an enabling factor for all priorities.

You can learn more about the European Innovation Partnership on Water on the EIP Water website.

 

   5. European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials

Link: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/raw-materials/innovation-partnership/index_en.htm

 

The EIP on Raw Materials will bring together EU Member States and other stakeholders (companies, NGOs, researchers, etc.) to promote innovation along the entire value chain of raw materials. This includes:

 

- Exploration: to promote coordination and integration among the EU's Geological Surveys.

- Extraction: to extract more deeply, in remoter areas and under harsher conditions, and to ensure Europe retains the skills needed to do so.

- Processing: to develop new technologies for efficient water management, energy consumption and recycling.

- Recycling: to introduce new cost-effective and environmentally-sound recycling techniques and best practices regarding the collection and treatment of waste.

- Substitution: to find alternative materials for certain applications, or to replace those applications with an alternative technology not dependent on key raw materials.

 

The Partnership will target non-energy, non-agricultural raw materials. Many of these are vital inputs for innovative technologies that offer environmentally-friendly, clean-technology applications. They are also essential for the manufacture of crucial alloys and new and innovative products required by our modern society, such as batteries for electric cars, photovoltaic systems and devices for wind turbines.

 

You can learn more about the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials on the website of DG Enterprise and Industry.



Budget
-

Available Calls
-

Total Funding Amount
-

Selection Criteria

In order to be successful, the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) needs to involve a very large number of partners across the European Union. The Call for Commitment and the rules of participation are available on the EIPs website.


Open To
-

Notes

Innovation Union: Frequently Asked Questions regarding European Innovation Partnerships under Europe 2020: http://ec.europa.eu/research/innovation-union/pdf/eip_faq.pdf#view=fit&pagemode=none

 

Frequently Asked Questions regarding European Innovation Partnerships, May 2012: http://ec.europa.eu/research/innovation-union/pdf/eip_faq_may_2012.pdf#view=fit&pagemode=none

 

* These initiatives are not financed fully from the EU's budget.