A New Approach to Innovation Policy in the European Union

Innovation policy is increasingly coming under the spotlight in the European Union, and has been given a prominent role in the EU 2020 strategy and in the flagship initiatives that will aim to ensure that Europe succeeds where the Lisbon strategy failed. In years to come, problems such as the fragmentation of competences at EU and member state level; the need to fill the ‘skills gap’ and address the changing nature of innovation; the absence of a Community patent and a common framework for litigation; the need to refine the EU policy on technology transfer and standardisation; and the need to provide suitable funding instruments to boost the potential of innovative companies will all take on more urgency. The CEPS Task Force on Innovation Policy – chaired by Maria Anvret – reflected on these issues between September 2009 and May 2010. This Report, drafted by Rapporteurs Massimilano Granieri and Andrea Renda on the basis of contributions by industry representatives, officials of EU institutions, academics and practitioners provides recommendations on all the above-mentioned issues, with a view to contributing to one of the greatest challenges of today: unlocking the EU’s innovation potential and promoting its competitiveness in a global economy.