29 Amendments of Pilar DEL CASTILLO VERA related to 2011/0387(COD)
Amendment 36 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 2 a (new)
Recital 2 a (new)
(2a) The EIT and the KICs should foster strong synergies and complementarity with the structural funds.
Amendment 38 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 2 b (new)
Recital 2 b (new)
(2b) EIT should promote the widening of participation to spread excellence across Europe.
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Amendment 41 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 a (new)
EU funding for Research and Innovation is of key significance and should be exploited for leverage. The EIT shall attract additional financing promoting a multifund approach and strengthening of the bridges that link EIT with the structural funds. The EIT should confer a "seal of excellence" on positively evaluated projects that have not otherwise been able to achieve funding because of budgetary limitations. National and structural funds could be used, in collaboration with the EIT, for providing return and installation grants to EIT graduates.
Amendment 42 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Excellence shall be the main driver for EIT. The widening of participation shall be promoted in order to stimulate excellence across Europe, including the concept of "stairway to excellence" which will enable us to create the conditions for the participation of small units of embryonic excellence, such as small research groups and highly innovative start ups.
Amendment 43 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 c (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 c (new)
The EIT shall encourage the creation of sustainable innovative start-ups and spin- offs and increase the number of post- graduate students in order to improve the delivery of its outputs.
Amendment 44 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 a (new)
Article 1 a (new)
Article 1a EIT headquarters The EIT Headquarters is located in Budapest, Hungary.
Amendment 45 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 b (new)
Article 1 b (new)
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 1 – point 1.1 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Annex – part 1 – point 1.1 – paragraph 4 a (new)
The EIT is the single instrument within the Horizon 2020 framework that has a strong emphasis on the educational aspect. The EIT should emerge as a world-class provider of post-graduate education, as it combines high quality training, mobility, entrepreneurial experiences in a setting where actual innovation is taking place, and introduces a disruptive educational paradigm for higher education.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 1 – point 1.1 – paragraph 5
Annex – part 1 – point 1.1 – paragraph 5
To achieve this goal, the EIT combines strategic orientation at EIT level with a bottom up approach through its Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). KICs are highly integrated partnerships, bringing together excellent universities, research centres, small and large companies and other innovation actors on a long-term basis around specific societal challenges. Each KIC is organized around a small number of interconnected co-location centres where partners work closely together on a daily basis and with an unprecedented degree of common strategic objectives. Co-location centres build on existing centres of excellence, developing them further into local innovation ecosystems and linking them together into a broader network of innovation nodes across Europe. Within the EIT framework, the individual KICs have been given a large degree of autonomy in defining their internal organisation, composition, agenda and working methods, allowing them to choose the approach that is best suited to meet their objectives. At strategic level, the EIT organizes the selection process of KICs, coordinates them with a flexible framework and disseminates their best governance and funding models. Cross- KIC coordination and cooperation should be exercised by the EIT in order to ensure synergies and added-value creation from the multitude of EIT partners and the cross-pollination of ideas within the EIT.
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 1 – point 1.1 – paragraph 12 a (new)
Annex – part 1 – point 1.1 – paragraph 12 a (new)
Currently the EIT, through the existing KICs and co-location centres, faces an issue of geographical concentration; this should be taken into consideration in the future, following the launch of future KICs and the expansion of EIT's operations.
Amendment 67 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 1 – point 1.2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Annex – part 1 – point 1.2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
· Enhancing the impact of investments on education, research and innovation and testing new ways for innovation governance: The EIT acts as an "innovation catalyst", adding value to the existing research base, by accelerating the take-up and exploitation of technologies and research outcomes. Innovation activities contribute in turn to align and leverage research investments and to make education and training activities more responsive to business needs. To this end, the EIT has been equipped with a substantial degree of flexibility to test out new innovation models, allowing for true differentiation in the KICs' governance and funding models and quick adaptation to better cope with emerging opportunities.
Amendment 70 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 1 – point 1.2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Annex – part 1 – point 1.2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
· Smart funding through leverage combined with a results- and business-oriented approach: The EIT provides up to 25% of the KICs budget and catalyzes 75% of financial resources from a wide range of public and private partners, creating a significant leverage effect by pooling large–scale investment and streamlining different sources of public and private towards jointly agreed strategies. Moreover, by focussing on both market and societal impact, the EIT follows a results-oriented approachWith the significant 1-to-3 leveraging effect, the total budget allocated to the EIT of 3,64% of the total Horizon 2020 budget, manages to leverage an additional more than 10% of the Horizon 2020 budget, from public and private funds, towards achieving the EU's research and innovation agenda. Moreover, by focussing on both market and societal impact, the EIT follows a results-oriented approach. EIT should act as an investor, following an entrepreneurial logic, and its investments should be acting as leverage for other sources of private or public funding. KICs operate according to a business logic, on the basis of annual business plans, including an ambitious portfolio of activities from education to business creation, with clear targets, deliverables and key performance indicators (KPIs) against which they are measured.
Amendment 76 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 1 – point 1.3 – paragraph 4
Annex – part 1 – point 1.3 – paragraph 4
Moreover, there are opportunities for mutually reinforcing interaction with the Union's Cohesion Policy by addressing the linkages between the local and global aspects of innovation. Co-location centres provide for cross-border collaboration and are well positioned to capitalise on various funding schemes from their respective regions. The co-location centres play a major role in strengthening the local-global connectivity of the KIC as a whole, including through close co-operation with regional authorities, in particular those involved in designing and delivering the Regional Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3). Regions and Member States which are the site for co-location centres will have opportunities to gain positive benefits through economies of agglomeration and the reaping of positive externalities. These opportunities will be fostered if a close cooperation is established between the KIC partners in the regions and the authorities and organisations involved in designing and delivering the Smart Specialisation Strategies (RIS3) as described in Annex IV in COM(2011) 615, 2011/0276 (COD), C7-0335/11 . In contrast, regions which are excluded from these activities may experience risks of cumulative negative effects. This could reinforce existing inequalities, bringing positive benefits to regions which exhibit existing strengths in innovation capacity but adversely affecting those with existing weaknesses. These risks could be avoided through the EIT Fellowship Scheme, and if the regions which are not a site for co- location centres adopt Smart Specialisation (RIS3) including partnership with regions hosting existing and potential co-location centres, such as Regional Implementation and Innovation Communities (RICs). Furthermore, linkages between KICs, SMEs and local cluster organisations, such the Climate KIC´s existing Regional Innovation and Implementation Communities, could be strengthened to increase their involvement of SMEs in the activities of the KICs. While opportunities for synergies differ depending on the thematic area of a KIC, a number of initiatives and programmes at EU level seem particularly prone to offering benefits from cooperation and coordination. As the very concept of the EIT/ / KICs rests on adding value to existing European excellence, the KICs – present and future –and RICs will by definition seek to explore these synergies to a maximum. KICs will add value to initiatives that may exist in the relevant areas, including Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIs), European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs) and Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).
Amendment 82 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – paragraph 2 a (new)
The EIT needs, in the long term, to cultivate a clear identity and a world-wide EIT brand name as being Europe's innovation and entrepreneurship engine and a world-class provider of education in this field. The EIT can develop into the embodiment of the Union's innovation agenda, just as the ERC is the embodiment of European excellence and global leadership in science. Nurturing a strong EIT brand may include actions to create a strong human and business network around the EIT community (students, alumni, educators, entrepreneurs, professionals etc) and foster a sense of identity and visibility. Such actions may include the organization of science and innovation conferences, annual events, competitions and awards, graduation ceremonies etc.
Amendment 91 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.1 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.1 – paragraph 3 a (new)
As people are the actual carriers of innovation, provision could be made, where appropriate, to ensure the sufficient participation in EIT educational programmes of students coming from the periphery of the EU (e.g. through scholarships co-funded by Member States and the Fellowship scheme). The EIT is encouraged to collaborate with Member States and regions to ensure that EIT graduates will find opportunities and the support needed in order to express their innovation and entrepreneurship potential within the EU.
Amendment 93 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.1 – paragraph 4
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.1 – paragraph 4
KICs not only build on their partners' existing excellent research base, but are also the frontrunners for promoting and implementing the EIT's educational mission. The objective is to educate and train talented people with the skills, knowledge and mindset needed in a global knowledge economy and society. To this end, the EIT actively promotes, inter alia, the EIT- labelled degrees by monitoring their quality and coherent implementation across KICs. In this endeavour they will make extensive use of peer and expert evaluations, and establish a dialogue with national and quality assurance bodies. This will enhance the national and international recognition and reputation of the EIT labelled qualifications and raise their attractiveness globally, while providing a platform for collaboration at international level. The attractiveness of research in Europe could be further promoted by providing research grants to top science students, provided they commit to an R&D project in Europe or they establish an innovative start-up in Europe. In the future, KICs will be encouraged to expand their educational activities beyond post- graduate education to a greater variety of study modes to cater for a wider range of innovative, professional development activities, involving executive education, tailor-made training courses and summer schools, as well as internships within the KICs and their partners. To enhance the impact of KICs' educational activities and to reach out to a wider audience, KICs may envisage the design, on an experimental basis, of distant and e-learning modules and degrees, as well as modules for undergraduate courses or packages targeted to school education.
Amendment 94 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.1 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.1 – paragraph 4 a (new)
In this context, and in order to expand the talent-base within the EU and to ensure the availability of sufficient numbers of skilled individuals that are necessary to actually deliver innovation, the EIT should participate in efforts to enhance the attractiveness of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education. KICs could develop coaching programs for young Europeans by means of internships, school visits, grants for top high-school students and university students in STEM fields, funded management or business school and/or entrepreneurship classes for top science students over the summer.
Amendment 97 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.2 – paragraph 1
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.2 – paragraph 1
In order to further enhance impact and to incentivise innovation in new areas of societal challenges, the EIT will gradually expand its portfolio of KICs, through a rigorous, transparent and competitive process that takes into consideration bottom-up approaches and the evolving societal challenges landscape in the EU, yet provides clarity and predictability for potential participants. By following an incremental development path in establishing new KICs, the EIT will ensure that lessons learned from previous rounds are duly taken into consideration, and that KICs are set up only in areas where there is a clear innovation potential and top-class excellence to build on. In the period 2014- 2020, new KICs will therefore be set up in two waves, i.e. three new KICs each in 2014 and 2018, leading up to a portfolio of nine KICs in the period 2014-2020 (equalling the set-up of 40-50 co-location centres across the EU). A potential new selection process for KICs in 2018 shall strongly build on the results of a thorough external evaluation of the EIT and existing KICs, including an assessment of KICs' economic and societal impact and the contribution of the EIT to strengthening the innovation capacity of the EU and Member States, as well as on the results from the evaluations of Horizon 2020.
Amendment 100 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.2 – paragraph 1
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.2 – paragraph 1
In order to further enhance impact and to incentivise innovation in new areas of societal challenges, the EIT will gradually expand its portfolio of KICs. By following an incremental development path in establishing new KICs, the EIT will ensure that lessons learned from previous rounds are duly taken into consideration, and that KICs are set up only in areas where there is a clear innovation potential and top-class excellence to build on. In the period 2014- 2020, new KICs will therefore be set up in two waves, i.e. three new KICs each in 2014 and 2018, leading up to a portfolio of nine KICs in the period 2014-2020 (equalling the set-up of 40-50a corresponding amount of co-location centres across the EU). A potential new selection process for KICs in 2018 shall strongly build on the results of a thorough external evaluation of the EIT and existing KICs, including an assessment of KICs' economic and societal impact and the contribution of the EIT to strengthening the innovation capacity of the EU and Member States, as well as on the results from the evaluations of Horizon 2020.
Amendment 101 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.2 – paragraph 2
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.2 – paragraph 2
New KICs will be set up in areas of large societal challenges which offer a true innovation potential. The EIT thereby fully contributes to the goals of the larger EU policy agenda and in particular to the objectives of Horizon 2020, which identifies a number of large societal challenges, and enabling and industrial technologies. The objective is to set up KICs in thematic areas which, due to their magnitude and complex nature, can only be addressed through a cross-disciplinary, cross-border, and cross-sectoral approach. The selection of the thematic fields therefore needs to be based on a careful analysis as to whether a KIC can bring true added value and have a positive impact on economy and society. Furthermore, KICs shall have substantial size in order to be "world-class players" and to able to change the innovation landscape in the EU and to contribute significantly in their respective area towards tackling the societal challenges. The KICs selection process shall in any case be based on the quality, viability, and potential of the proposals.
Amendment 102 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.2 – paragraph 3 – point 4
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.2 – paragraph 3 – point 4
· Create sustainable and systemic impact, measured in terms of new educated entrepreneurial people, new technologies and, new business and new high-skilled jobs;
Amendment 143 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.2 – paragraph 10 – point 2 a (new)
Annex – part 2 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.2 – paragraph 10 – point 2 a (new)
Cooperation as described in 1.3., paragraph 4, can be facilitated by the setting-up of RICs.
Amendment 148 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.2 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Annex – part 2 – point 2.2 – paragraph 3 a (new)
The EIT and the KICs shall function as model implementations of the knowledge triangle in the EU and should, eventually, emerge as service providers for innovation capacity building across the EU in designing and implementing innovation policies and 'smart specialization' strategies.
Amendment 153 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.2 – paragraph 6
Annex – part 2 – point 2.2 – paragraph 6
The EIT will therefore put in place a specific people sthe EIT Fellowship Scheme to ensure that talent – students, researchers, teaching staff and entrepreneurs at all career levels – beyond the co-location centres will be fully connected to the initiative. Such a scheme will not only provide top talents from beyond the KICs with the opportunity to benefit from the innovation environments created within the co-location centres, but will also provide them with incentives to make full use of the knowledge and know- how acquired in areas beyond the KICs. Typically, the EIT Foundation could play a significant role in this area.
Amendment 158 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.2 – paragraph 8 a (new)
Annex – part 2 – point 2.2 – paragraph 8 a (new)
The EIT and the KICs are encouraged to develop educational synergies with EU and Member States policies, in order to support the future availability of the necessary human capital that is essential for fulfilling Europe's path towards scientific, technological and innovation leadership. To this end, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education should be promoted, and entrepreneurial coaching, internships and grants for young Europeans and top high-school and university students should be created. In order to improve the delivery of the EIT outputs, the activities performed by the KICs should have a measurable impact on the creation of sustainable innovative start ups and spin-offs, notably by means of supporting the networking and entrepreneurial activities of the receivers of EIT degrees and trainings.
Amendment 159 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 2 – point 2.2 – paragraph 9 – point 1
Annex – part 2 – point 2.2 – paragraph 9 – point 1
· In close cooperation with the KICs, establish a scheme (‘the EIT fFellows’)hip Scheme allowing high talent people from across the EU and beyond to get involved in the activities of KIC co-location centres for a limited period of time, thereby creating mutual benefits for the participant as well as for the KIC.
Amendment 167 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 3 – paragraph 2
Annex – part 3 – paragraph 2
The governance model of the EIT has proven its overall value. However, experiences from the initial period show that further efforts can be made to enhance the effectiveness of the EIT's decision- making and implementing mechanisms. The relationship between the EIT Governing Board, responsible for strategic decisions, and the EIT headquarters, responsible for implementation, has to be more clearly defined and streamlined. The EIT headquarters will have to define the critical domains where the EIT should provide support to the KICs, striking an appropriate balance between supporting and monitoring functions. Finally, the Governing Board needs to better ensure that strategic decisions are properly informed by the experiences from the KICs and the wider innovation community. The strategic goal for the EIT is to become more than the sum of its parts, therefore cross-KIC coordination and cooperation should be exercised by the EIT in order to ensure synergies and added-value creation from the KICs and the multitude of partners within the EIT ecosystem.
Amendment 184 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – part 4 – point 4.2 – paragraph 5
Annex – part 4 – point 4.2 – paragraph 5