Strategic Evaluation on Innovation and the knowledge based economy in relation to the Structural and Cohesion Funds, for the programming period 2007-2013

Summary:

Since 2000, innovation and knowledge have become favourite buzzwords in European policy documents inspired by the ‘Lisbon Strategy’ goal to make the EU the most competitive, dynamic, knowledge-based economy by year 2010. The importance of innovation and knowledge-based policies in restructuring economies and making them more competitive has been increasingly drawn to the attention of policy makers and stakeholders.

The regional policy level is no exception to this trend. Regional innovation strategies, operational programmes (OPs) and measures in favour of research, technological development and innovation (RTDI) or more generally ‘competitiveness’ have been designed and funded with the support of the Structural Funds (SFs) since the early 1990s. Since 2000, the emphasis on RTDI type measures in the SF has been increased in line with the Lisbon goal

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