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📣 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨-𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 The General Affairs Council, under the EU2023ES Spanish Presidency, included a point of information on the Atlantic Macro-Region last Tuesday. Interested Member States asked the next Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2024 and the European Commission to work on the next step which is the development of a mandate for the European Commission to create an Atlantic Macro-Region. This is very much welcomed by the Atlantic Arc Commission which has been promoting the Atlantic Macro-Region for many years. We believe it is great step towards a strengthened Atlantic area! 🔹 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐀𝐂 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨-𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧? AAC Member Regions have been working on the topic since 2018, with key milestones: - 2020: Adoption of an AAC Political Declaration asking the European Council to develop a mandate for the European Commission to create an Atlantic macro-regional strategy. Check it here: https://lnkd.in/eGNaS8Yn - 2021 : Trilateral declaration between Spain, France and Portugal agreeing to explore the creation of an Atlantic Macro-Region - 2021: European Parliament and COR report in favour of creating an Atlantic Macro-Region - 2023: Adoption of the Cardiff Declaration at the AAC General Assembly, reiterating the cal for the creation of an Atlantic Macro-Region and sketching the contours of the ideal Macro-Region for Atlantic regions. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eYHcVx6k 🔹 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨-𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧? In the AAC Cardiff Declaration, Member Regions supported the deepening of cooperation on the following issues: - An Innovative and sustainable Atlantic Economy (including cooperation on education) - An Inter-Connected Atlantic Area (including improving rail, ports and energy connection)  - An Atlantic area Resilient to climate change  - Social and cultural cohesion  - Improving governance for a more effective presence of the Regions, including the EU's Atlantic Outermost Regions (OR) and articulating some form of participation by non-EU States. 🔹 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭? The work will be launched under the Belgian Presidency. In line with its political commitments, the AAC stands ready to discuss with Member States and Commission and support their work towards a European Council’s mandate to the Commission for the establishment of the Atlantic macro-regional strategy. Stay updated for the next evolutions! 🌍 #atlanticmacroregion #atlanticarea #atlanticcooperation

#neweurope I am sure there are exceptions, but ‘New Europe’ is generally seen as less active in the EU’s #digitalagenda policy debates, compared to their Western counterparts. What are the reasons and how to approach them? 1️⃣ Smaller (or decentralized) bureaucracies which can’t keep up with Brussels’ pace. Eastern EU flank’s bureaucracies are often smaller and less well-compensated compared to the Western ones. This results in understaffing and difficult talent pooling in already small markets. Sometimes digital agenda is also scattered among different ministries, agencies and their respective attachès which doesn’t help. EU’s digital regulatory scope is expanding rapidly and what worked in 2014, has already not worked between 2019-2023 and certainly won’t work in 2029. Some serious changes need to be made both in terms of budgeting, scope and ambition. NB. Solid & timely participation is impossible without seamless communication among Member States' representatives in Brussels + Capitals + the local industry. 2️⃣ Modest public affairs culture. Local market representatives’ involvement in shaping policy agenda is a part of an efficient democratic process. Big Western countries have strong and influential national business associations which follow and address the digital agenda policy debate proactively - both on national and European levels. 'New Europe's' business associations have historically been more reactive than proactive – partly due to local market’s disinterest and less mature lobbying culture. Market representatives are disinterested in the EU’s policy until the moment EU’s policies knock on their door. A good thought experiment for local market sceptics is asking oneselves “How are we going to live once we become contributors, not beneficiaries and the market is already harmonized?”. 3️⃣ Cultural & historical reasons. Although different in various aspects, people from 'New Europe' are often less outspoken and more introverted. Or at least we like to think so. For some ‘New Europe’s’ countries it’s a cultural, for others - learned behavior. Political reforms were easy before the accession in 2004/7. There was plenty of legislative homework coming ‘from Brussels which needs to be done ASAP’, and, judging from Lithuanian politicians memories, that strict approach was correct and useful, resulting in plenty of fast & important reforms. But it’s 2024 and ‘New Europe’ already has a seat at the table. Being constructive towards Western counterparts is important - we owe them a lot. Self-reflecting on the limitations of ‘New Europe’s’ countries capacity in various parameters is ok. This doesn’t mean the supranational policy agenda which shapes the future of the EU’s digital market should be approached fatalistically. Especially if it may stifle innovation, reduce competitive advantages or benefit some, but not the others.

While the Commission's first priority – the European Green Deal – ranks highest in terms of the number of initiatives planned (167), the other priorities – 'A Europe fit for the digital age', 'An economy that works for people', 'A stronger Europe in the world', 'Promoting our European way of life', and 'A new push for European democracy' – have higher rates of initiatives actually adopted (from 52 % to 60 %, and 82 % for the fourth, largely due, for the latter, to its less legislative nature). Read more about it in the #EPRS analysis on 'The six policy priorities of the von der Leyen Commission: An end-of-term assessment' available here: https://lnkd.in/eC5z6C-E #greendeal European Parliamentary Research Service

"Unlike you might expect, in terms of 𝐑&𝐈 (𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 & 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧) spending, Europe i̳s̳ ̳n̳o̳t̳ ̳behind the US. However, how we coordinate and spend this money is an organizational disaster. (...) - 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘴 - 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 - 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘹 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤" A more fundamental EU-problem is the very low research-to-commercialization-ratio. (...) In addition, radically new technologies at low TRL are with 250 Million EUR in the EU vs. 6 Billion USD(!!!) in the US 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝!"

Check out the three-Policy Brief series Maaike Okano-Heijmans and I wrote on the Digital pillar of the EU's infrastructure investment program Global Gateway. 💪 1. We present the program state of play and identify four Dutch 🇳🇱 Digital strengths 🔎 2. We highlight the digital needs of three partner countries ⏭ 3. We perform a matchmaking exercise can and encourage other member states to do the same 🇪🇺's Global Gateway gained political momentum in the second half of 2023. To deliver on its promise, member states and EU officials posted in partner countries must be more proactive to understand local needs and offer them the investment they are looking for.

🍃 How can we deliver the European Green deal for a more competitive European Union? CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) new report sets out a roadmap for policymakers delivering 30 actionable policy recommendations. We must focus on market-driven innovation that boosts competitiveness. 📗 Read the full report here 👇 https://lnkd.in/ePBpiBUX #GreenDeal #GreenTransition #EuropeUnlocked #NetZero 

Back in Brussels after two eventful days in Denmark, where the publication of the Draghi report last Monday almost coincided with the European Commission's annual event in Denmark, "Supporting Competitiveness in Europe", organised in cooperation with Danish Industry and the Danish Ministry of Finance. The key note speech delivered by Celine Gauer (European Commission) focused on the innovative features of the Recovery and Resilience Facility as a public funding instrument, before leading Danish companies shared their perspectives and the pain points they face when competing in a global market. Discussions then turned to how best to address Europe's competitiveness challenges. Most seemed to agree on the diagnosis and causes of competitiveness challenges. One key takeaway is that remedies are available, but require a multifaceted approach along the whole chain, from the design of public funding instruments to public procurement, such as: ➡ improving and simplifying public funding, ✍ ➡ stimulating private investment, 💶 ➡ deepening the single market, and 🌍 ➡ ensuring an adequate supply of skills. 🎓 ⚒ 👩🔧 #NextGenEU Foto: Jakob Melgaard

📢 Last week 🇪🇺 EU ministers adopted key #research policy files at the EU Competitiveness Council. YERUN welcomed this, but we urged leaders to look beyond mere #competitiveness. While important, it's not the sole measure of the value of #university R&I. Key YERUN reflections: 🔹 Balanced Objectives: EU Ministers must balance promoting research #valorisation and #security, considering both #openness and protection against misuse. 🔹 Open #Knowledge Society: Restricting talent and #international collaboration undermines #European values and research competitiveness. 🔹 Broader Impact: Beyond economic benefits, research should drive societal #impact. We call for policies that empower #universities to engage with societal actors and address global challenges. 👀 Explore YERUN's contributions to key political files: Council conclusions on the ex-post evaluation of #Horizon2020 and future outlook: 🔺 FP10: Attractive, impactful and inclusive ⬇ https://lnkd.in/dqsusHKA Council conclusions on #knowledgevalorisation: 🔺Fostering Societal Impact: The Role of Valorisation in European Research & Innovation⬇ https://lnkd.in/dzApFk27 Council recommendation on enhancing research security: 🔺YERUN policy input on knowledge security ⬇ https://lnkd.in/dnw95huA Inspired by Enrico Letta's report, "Much more than a market," we call for a broader perspective: “much more than competitiveness.” Let's embrace the full potential of forward-looking research universities to tackle global challenges, foster societal impact, and enhance the lives of citizens in Europe and beyond! 🚀 🔥 👇 https://lnkd.in/d4d6ymxH

** NEW REPORT LAUNCH ** 📘 Join us for the launch of our “2024 Voices – Citizens Speak Up!” report tomorrow, 28 February 16h00-17h00 CET live from the European Parliament in Strasbourg and online: https://lnkd.in/gdrCcyxn  We will reveal what 2024 citizens aged 18-65+ from 7 EU countries (#Belgium #France #Germany #Italy #Poland #Spain #Sweden) see as the main concerns, solutions, and trusted actors to deliver around 4 key themes:  #ClimateChange  #Democracy  #Economy  #Security  With a big focus on the role of #AI and #technology too! Join us and don't miss this chance to:  --> Understand the concerns and aspirations of your fellow Europeans.  --> Shape the future of the EU with a #RenewedSocialContract based on real people's voices.  --> Be part of a vital conversation about Europe's challenges and opportunities.    #DebatingEurope #FutureofEurope #CitizensVoices

The #globaltrends to 2040 | Choosing #europe’s #future | By the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS): ESPAS is an inter-institutional collaboration among the officials of the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European External Action Service, with the support of the European Committee of the Regionsand the European Economic and Social Committee, which monitors global trends and offers strategic foresight to the European Union’s decision-makers.