Ref. Ares(2019)5332022 - 21/08/2019
2. SPEAKING POINTS
• The European Union strives to create enabling framework conditions
for open innovation to thrive. In an effort to institute incentives for
open innovation, the following actions are pursued:
o Eliminating barriers to cross-border capital flows (Capital
Markets Union and Digital Single Market);
o Shaping the right conditions for data, knowledge, ideas and
technology to circulate as openly as possible (European Open
Science Cloud);
o Embedding innovation in regulatory practice through the
application of the "Innovation Principle" (
please see details in
the background).
• We consider EU industry as a key driver of productivity and
innovation. Partnerships with industry under Horizon 2020 have
delivered, and are good examples of collaborative research across
"borders" - countries, sectors, technologies. FP9 is still work-in-
progress, but it will address digital as well as industrial technologies.
We would therefore welcome and encourage Cisco's participation in
a wider range of European R&I activities across thematic areas to
help spread digitisation.
• The European Commission will also aim to extend the use of
financial instruments that crowd in private investment in
digitalisation. EUR 5.8 bn have already been approved Under the
European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) for projects in the
digital sector.
• Innovation implies adapting skills to rapidly evolving technologies
and business opportunities. Europe needs to improve the relationship
between industry, researchers and education and training systems.
The Lamy Group Report "LAB-Fab-App" underlines the importance
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of reinforcing the support for skills and competence development in
the post-2020 EU programme for research and innovation.
• The New Skills Agenda for Europe has put in place several actions
to tackle industry needs in terms of skills of the future
(please see
details in the background).
o Among these, the Blueprint for Sectorial Cooperation on
Skills is receiving input from research and innovation. For
example, the new initiative on Additive Manufacturing builds
on European research and innovation activities. Other sectorial
initiatives directly related to innovation are in the automotive
sector, construction, green technologies & renewable energy,
or the steel industry. Also digital skills are addressed.
• To accelerate the upskilling of Europe's citizens and take advantage
of digitisation, corporates like Cisco have a key role to play:
o Cisco can contribute to identifying and anticipating the
competences and skills needed for addressing the social,
economic and technological challenges at stake and how to
generate them through education and training;
o Cisco's innovation centres facilitate knowledge transfer and
collaboration between different actors – especially innovators
and industry. This will be one of the priorities of the EIC;
o Cisco's innovation centers in Europe (in Berlin, Paris,
Barcelona and London) have positive impact on city
ecosystems. In 2017, also thanks to its thriving start-up scene,
Paris was named 'European Capital of Innovation' (Station F is
the world's largest start-up campus, and it can host up to 1,000
start-ups).
• Recognising the need to support entrepreneurs in order to capitalise
on Europe's scientific excellence, I have made the establishment of a
European Innovation Council a priority of my mandate.
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o The EIC aims to meet the needs of entrepreneurs, and
streamline existing support structures to simplify access. The
EIC pilot, which is currently running until 2020, offers a range
of instruments including funding opportunities, coaching as
well as business acceleration services. I am confident these
measures will have a significant impact on speeding up the
translation of ideas into breakthrough, market-creating
innovations, and empowering European entrepreneurs to scale
up their businesses internationally.
• Today [March 8th] I will be announcing the finalists of the EU Prize
for Women Innovators, recognising female entrepreneurs who have
developed and brought an outstanding innovation to the market. The
European Commission commends Cisco's efforts to promote the
upskilling of girls and support the development of female talent in
technology.
• We commend Cisco on its commitment to promoting STEM
education. STEM education is key to increasing society's appetite for
innovation, and ensuring that Europe is at the forefront of scientific
and technological advancement. Building capacities and developing
innovative ways of connecting science to society has been a priority
under Horizon 2020.
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Pastora Valero, Vice President, Public Policy and Government Affairs, for Europe,
Middle East, Africa and Russia (EMEAR) for Cisco Systems Inc.
Pastora Valero is Vice President, Public Policy and
Government Affairs, for Europe, Middle East, Africa and
Russia (EMEAR) for Cisco Systems Inc., the global leader
for networking for the Internet. She leads government affairs
activities for Cisco in the EMEAR region and is responsible
for developing and advancing Cisco’s technology and
communications policy agenda with respect to broadband,
Internet governance, IP enabled services, trade, energy and
technology policy issues. She joined Cisco in 2003, and prior
to her regional role, she led Cisco’s European Union
Government Affairs strategy between 2003 and 2013.
Pastora has almost two decades of experience in regulatory
and public policy issues in the telecommunications and
Internet related areas, as well as on EU public policy with respect to competition, trade
and information technology regulation.
Prior to Cisco, she was Vice-President Regulatory Affairs for Global TeleSystems
(GTS), a pan-European fibre optic network operator. She started her career with the
Brussels law firm Van Bael & Bellis, and dealt in particular with EU trade and
competition law issues. Pastora holds leadership positions within several industry
organizations including as Chair of the Digital Economy Committee of the American
Chamber of Commerce to the E.U., and Board member of the Trans-Atlantic Business
Council (TABC). She is a qualified lawyer in Spain, holds a Masters degree in
European law (ULB, Brussels) and an L.L.M in International law (VUB, Brussels).
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3.2 Implementation of the Innovation Principle
In May 2016 the Council adopted conclusions on 'Better Regulation to Strengthen
Competitiveness' and 'Research and Innovation Friendly Regulation' which call on the
Commission together with Member States to promote the use of the Innovation
Principle. This was also strongly echoed by the strategic note of the European Political
Strategy Centre (EPSC) on 'Towards and innovation Principle Endorsed by Better
Regulation', issued on 30 June 2016.
Following the Commissioners' Project Team meeting in January 2017 DG RTD
completed a full screening of the Commission Work Programme 2017 to identify those
initiatives where the Innovation Principle could be piloted. The screening identified six
legislative initiatives in four thematic areas for priority application of the Innovation
Principle. In addition, work is still ongoing to examine the application of the Innovation
Principle in two policy initiatives that will be developed in 2018. Some of the initiatives
are already adopted others will be adopted in the first semester of 2018. They are the
first concrete examples of an Innovation Principle applied in the European legislative
process.
3.3 Blueprint for sectoral cooperation on skills
The Blueprint for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills was launched as part of the New Skills
Agenda in June 2016. The Blueprint is a framework for strategic cooperation in a given
economic sector between key stakeholders such as: business, trade unions, research,
education and training institutions (focusing on Vocational Education and Training) and
public authorities. The aim is to support an overall sectoral strategy and to develop
concrete actions to address short and medium term skills needs that will after be rolled-
out at national and regional level.
The Blueprints are launched and funded under the Erasmus+ programme. The partners
cooperating in the Blueprint will look into how major global, societal, and technological
developments are likely to affect jobs and skills needs, and assess their potential impact
on growth, competitiveness and employment in the sector.
The first five Blueprint Alliances, starting work in January 2018 include:
• Automotive;
• Maritime technology;
• Space - geo information;
• Textile, clothing, leather and footwear;
• Tourism.
The next six sectors in the current call under Erasmus+ are:
• Additive manufacturing;
• Construction;
• Green technologies & renewable energy;
• Maritime shipping;
• The paper-based value chain;
• The steel industry.
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3.4 European Capital of Innovation Award 2018
The fourth edition of the European Capital of Innovation Award was launched on 22
February 2018 at the Covenant of Mayors Ceremony.
iCapital is an award foreseen within the Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2018-2020,
Challenge 6. The Award acknowledges outstanding achievements of a city in opening
up its innovation ecosystem to new models of innovation, experimentation, and citizens'
engagement. Cities that make the most to promote innovation within their communities
and that have mainstreamed innovative practice in ordinary urban processes will be
awarded and set as inspiring role models for others.
The 2018 European Capital of Innovation will altogether award 6 prizes:
• 1 European Capital of Innovation 2018, that will be awarded with EUR 1
million.
• 5 Runner-Up cities, that will receive EUR 100 000. This number has increased
from previous editions, when only 2 Runners-Up were awarded.
With an increase in the number of prizes, this award will increase the likelihood of
awarding even more cities, mayors, and perhaps smaller (or non-capital) cities. Also,
more cities will be invited to hearings and to be part of the iCapital Alumni Network.
The prize setup (eligibility, award criteria, and titles of the winning cities) is based on
previous editions and ensures consistency to potential applicants. The main goal of this
year's prize management is to enhance the visibility of the prize also outside the circles
of potential applicants and bring it to the level of other EC prizes for cities.
3.5 EU Prize for Women Innovators 2018
Awards have a strong potential to drive innovation through the recognition of
achievements and the promotion of role models. Following the success of its four
editions in 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2017, the EU Prize for Women Innovators 2018 was
launched on 05 September and closed on 15 November. Three prizes of €100,000,
€50,000 and €30,000 will be awarded in the main Women Innovators category and one
prize of €20,000 will be awarded to the winner of the Rising Innovator Award
(innovators aged 30 or younger).
The aim of the Prize is to raise public awareness of the need for more innovation and
more women entrepreneurs, and to recognise the success of women in innovation.
Although women are increasingly active in research and innovation, there are still too
few of them who create innovative enterprises. This represents an untapped potential for
Europe, which needs to use all its human resources to their full potential to remain
competitive and find solutions to economic and societal challenges.
The 2018 contest was open to women of all nationalities residing in an EU MS or
associated countries to Horizon 2020. They must be the (co-) founder of an active
company across any sector which was registered before 1 January 2016, and whose
annual turnover was at least EUR 100,000 in 2015 or 2016 (EUR 50,000 for the rising
innovator category). The contestants must have received public or private funding for
Research and Innovation.
Like for the 2017 edition, 2018 winners will be selected by a jury composed of
independent experts from business, finance and academia.
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1. All application are assessed against the following criteria:
2. The originality and marketability of the company's product or service.
3. The economic impact measured by the number of countries where the product or
service is sold, and by the size of the turnover achieved with this service or
product in 2015 and 2016.
4. The societal impact of the company's product or service, measured by the
number of jobs created and the potential of the service or product to help Europe
address a grand societal challenge.
5. The impact and leadership role of the contestant.
The finalists are announced on 8 March and the winners will be awarded in June 2018.
3.6 EU Support for STEM Education
Science Education forms the basis for the full achievement of the Innovation Union and
the European Research Area. Under the Science With and For Society agenda, a range
of initiatives have been financed to pursue greater participation of young people in
science and encourage long-term scientific careers. Innovative formal and informal
science education teaching and learning is important in order to raise both young boys'
and girls' awareness of the different aspects encompassing science and technology in
today’s society and to address the challenges faced by young people when pursuing
careers in STEM.
The annual European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) is one of Europe's
premier events for showcasing young scientific talent. It is an annual science
competition that brings together winners of national science competitions (young people
between 14 and 20 years of age) to compete with their European counterparts. It was
established in 1989 to promote the ideals of co-operation and interchange between
young scientists and to attract young people to careers in science. It was held in Tallinn
in 2017 and will be held in Dublin in September this year. The contest awards over 30
different prizes. The most prestigious ones are monetary and funded by the European
Commission.
Scientix, the on-line community for science education in Europe was developed to
ensure a wide uptake and dissemination of STEM education practices. Scientix
promotes and supports a Europe-wide collaboration among STEM teachers, education
researchers, policymakers and other STEM education professionals. This activity is
funded by the Horizon 2020 SwafS programme.
3.7 EU Investment in Digitisation
Between 2001 and 2011, over 30% of all economic growth in the EU can be attributed
to digital investment and production.
Support for digital is spread across a range of programmes
• Horizon 2020 (€13 bn.)
• The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF, €1 bn.)
• The Creative Europe Programme (€1 bn.)
A major source of funding is the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF)
[€17bn. were invested in digital in the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF
and €2.3 billion are planned to be invested to digital skills under the European Social
Fund (ESF) in 2014-2020].
The EU supports investment in digitisation, offering private investors extensive support:
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• Around €20 billion were put to digital projects under European Structural
Investment Funds (ESIF).
• A significant part of EFSI is spent on digital projects (€ 6 b, 11%).
• We are also working with centrally managed financial instruments such as
Connecting Europe Facility (CEF, an equity fund for broadband), Creative
Europe: Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility (CCS GF).
• Generic EU financial instruments are InnovFin and COSME Equity for Growth,
implemented through EIB/EIF.
• France and Germany are thinking about creating a scheme to digitise their
industries, with the focus on SMEs.
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4. SOCIAL MEDIA
Accounts:
Cisco's corporate account: @Cisco
Chuck Robbins: @ChuckRobbins
Pastora Valero: @pastora_valero
Hashtags:
#EUSkillsAgenda
#iCapitalAwards
#WIPrizeEU
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