S34Growth- enhancing policies through smart specialisation and interregional cooperation: new industrial value chains for growth

Transcription

1 1 S34Growth- enhancing policies through smart specialisation and interregional cooperation: new industrial value chains for growth (Inter)Regional Action Plan Zuid-Holland - March

2 2 Contents 1 GeneralInformation PolicyContext...3 Actionsenvisaged Background...3 ActionElaborationexploration...4 ActionDevelopmentandTestingofinterregionalvoucherscheme...6 ActionIncreasedinterregionalcollaboration...7 Timeframe...9 ProgrammeManagementandimplementation...9

3 1 General Information 3 Project: Regional Action Plan S34Growth Partner organisation: Province of Zuid-Holland Other partner organisations involved: - Managing authorities European programmes, - Innovation Quarter, - Knowledge institutes (TNO) Country: Netherlands NUTS2 region: province of Zuid-Holland Contact person: Wijnand van Smaalen address: w.van.smaalen@pzh.nl Phone number: +31(0) Policy Context The Regional Action Plan aims to impact: - Investment for Growth and Jobs programme Name of the policy instrument addressed: - Kansen voor West Operational Programme (West Netherlands) 3 Actions envisaged 3.1 Background Rationale behind our Regional Action Plan In order to ensure European competitiveness at a global level we need to improve competitiveness of European industry. We believe that strengthening European collaboration between industry and SMEs is a precondition. At this moment international collaboration between SMEs and knowledge institutes is not common, caused by several reasons such as lack of capacity, knowledge and financial means. Therefor the partners within the project S34 Growth, including the Province of Zuid- Holland want to facilitate and stimulate international cooperation among them. Objectives for this RAP are: Elaborating the international dimension in (new) smart specialisation strategies. Exploring the possibilities of giving the Zuid-Holland ERDF programme Kansen voor West an interregional dimension. Building upon current and future interregional cooperation within the framework of Interreg, Smart Pilots programmes, Digital Innovation Hubs and Vanguard (Alignment with other EU & regional initiatives). Exploration of the possibilities of concrete and effective tools and instruments to stimulate practical interregional cooperation on innovation and smart specialisation,

4 4 e.g. Voucher Schemes, Exchange of Best Practices or Joint Technology Infrastructure Investments. (Heat)mapping and identification of European key players based on their patents and their involvement in European projects. Increasing regional stakeholders involvement and engagement.. Organising partner meetings to identify further EU collaboration amongst S34Growth partners. 3.2 Action 1 Elaboration & exploration The purpose of WP1 is to explore the cooperation possibilities related to smart specialisation between the participating S34Growth regions. Collaboration could be focused on exploring EU financing possibilities, the development of joint interregional voucher schemes and interregional cooperation in current ERDF and RIS3 programs Desk study on cross-border instruments Mapping / benchmark of current cross border instruments such as: CrossRoads 2, Boost4 health, etc. This action will provide a qualitative analysis of cross-border instruments/programmes. It will be used as a building block in our strategy Feasibility study / SWOT Analysis of an Interregional voucher scheme Voucher schemes are practical investment tools to stimulate interregional cooperation between SME s and knowledge institutes. On the national or regional level these schemes have proven to be effective in lowering the financial gap between knowledge providers and companies in need for new technology, market intelligence or strategic consultancy services (e.g. CrossRoads). The objective of an interregional voucher scheme is to provide an individual company with a voucher or collectable financial incentive, which can be used to contract interregional innovation services from knowledge institutes in different participating S34Growth regions. In particular the opportunities to set up this voucher scheme making use of ERDF will be elaborated in relation to the financial and legal context. Specific activities: Feasibility study focusing on: Definition of the specific target group of SME s Definition of (international) knowledge institutes that might qualify as service provider Listing of eligible topics (export, consultancy, training, R&D, etc.) Listing of eligible costs Geographical scope and demarcation Necessary scheme budget Size and maximum incentive per company Implementing body of the scheme Legal construction of the scheme SWOT analysis The to be defined SME s target group of the Voucher Scheme should support the Smart Specialisation Strategy of Zuid-Holland. We will explore whether this should be focused on for example the thematic areas Biobased or Smart Manufacturing, or that other S3 industries

5 5 should also be involved. This needs to be aligned with the cooperation between Zuid-Holland, Flanders and Lombardy within the current ongoing Interreg project Smart Pilots Biobased Although the idea is that the individual companies will be considered as the final beneficiary, it is obvious that participating knowledge institutes in the S34Growth regions will also benefit indirectly from the contracts between them and the SME s and will also help them to further internationalise Explore interregional dimension/collaboration in current ERDF OP Zuid-Holland & RIS3 involving stakeholders Although ERDF programs are mainly aimed at stimulating national territorial regions, Article 70 of the regulations provides the possibility to allocate incentives in other European regions as well. So far this has been a rather theoretical regulation, because of political considerations not to spend money in regions outside their own country. Zuid-Holland however wants to investigate whether their current and future ERDF programme Kansen voor West could be of help in stimulating interregional cooperating amongst the S34Growth partners. Specific activities: Mapping European key players (3.2.4) / international opportunities in economic perspective Zuid-Holland Stakeholders meeting with MA EFRD Kansen voor West Mapping European key players (heatmap) The objective of this activity is to identify European collaboration at partner level and in particular sectors, based on their involvement in European programs and projects. Based on the level and intensity of collaboration, the province can decide to increase interregional collaboration opportunities by signing for instance. a memorandum of understanding with involved regions. The conclusions from this study will be used during the development of the RIS3 strategy and the ERDF programme Kansen voor West for the Province Zuid-Holland Explore participation in interregional programmes The region of Catalunya has set up an international R&D programme in order to stimulate and facilitate interregional collaboration with the private sector and more in particular SMEs abroad. We will explore opportunities to participate in this and or other international programmes. Specific actions: Exploration of costs and benefits of participation in NUCLIS programme Players involved Province of Zuid-Holland Economic department Province of Zuid-Holland, European & International department Managing Authority ERDF Kansen voor West (West-Netherlands) Innovation Quarter Knowledge institutes such as TNO and Technical University Delft Fieldlabs Timeframe Start date: 1 April 2018

6 6 End date: 1 March Costs (3.6) Funding resources (3.7) Programme Management & implementation (see 3.5) Expected impact and results of the policy improvement Results Desk study on cross border quantitative and qualitative instruments SWOT analysis / Feasibility study on a interregional voucher scheme Exploration of the interregional dimension in ERDF/RIS3 Stakeholder meeting / High level meeting ERDF/RIS3 Concept PM governance structure Exploration on participation in NUCLIS programme Expected Impact More efficient and effective approach to strengthen the interregional dimension in our current and future policy instruments such as ERDF and RIS3. Increased awareness of stakeholders concerning interregional cooperation How will the implementation of this action be monitored The province of Zuid-Holland will monitor the financial and project progress of phase 2 the realisation of the Regional Action Plan and will report accordingly 3.3 Action 2 Development and Testing of interregional voucher scheme The objective of action 2 is to develop and set up an interregional voucher scheme in alignment with other European regions such as Lombardy and Flanders. Afterwards this instrument will be tested in practice and evaluated on their functionality Joint development/alignment of an interregional voucher scheme. Depending on the results of the feasibility study we will draft and develop an interregional voucher scheme aligned with other European regions. Objective of the instrument is to increase interregional collaboration between SMEs, industry and knowledge institutions Testing of an interregional voucher scheme Once the interregional voucher scheme is developed this will be put into practice in real life in order to test the functionality of the instrument. The voucher scheme itself will be funded with other regional sources Evaluation meeting and report After the test we will evaluate the test on functionality, results, impact, costs and benefits. We will organise an evaluation meeting and draft a report with recommendations Players involved Province of Zuid-Holland Economic department Province of Zuid-Holland, European & International department Managing Authority ERDF Kansen voor West (West-Netherlands)

7 7 Innovation Quarter, TNO Knowledge Institutes, Fieldlabs Timeframe Start date: 1 October 2018 End date: 1 March Costs (see 3.6) Funding (see 3.7) Programme Management and implementation (see 3.5) Expected impact and results of the policy improvement Results Draft of an voucher scheme focusing at interregional collaboration Test (pilot) of the voucher scheme in real life environment Evaluation report with recommendations Financial support for SMEs for their international activities (funded by regional sources) Strengthen interregional collaboration between regional authorities Expected Impact Increased international collaboration between industries, SMEs via voucher scheme How will the implementation of this action be monitored The province of Zuid-Holland will monitor the financial and project progress of phase 2 the realisation of the Regional Action Plan and will report accordingly. 3.4 Action 3 Increased interregional collaboration Action 3 will mainly focus on further development of international relations with other regional authorities accelerating and increasing international collaboration. Moreover this action will ensure fostering cooperation with other relevant partner regions. This will amongst others be realised via meetings and conferences in order to continue exchanging knowledge, best practices, experiences and dissemination of results and will strengthen our international network of involved regional authorities. Moreover we will align with other European projects (Smart Pilots, Inno Infra Share, etc.) to exchange and disseminate results Participation at European meetings and conferences We will continue to exchange meet partners from other regions in the second phase of our project Project and financial management This activity will include all management activities necessary to ensure progress and realise project objectives within timeframe and budget. More in particular it will include monitoring of progress, both on activities and financially and drafting progress reports Players involved

8 8 S34 Growth partners and other regional authorities Province of Zuid-Holland Economic department Province of Zuid-Holland, European & International department Managing Authority ERDF Kansen voor West (West-Netherlands) Innovation Quarter, Timeframe Start date: 1 April 2018 End date: 1 March Total costs (see 3.6) Funding sources (see 3.7) Programme Management and implementation (see 3.5) Expected impact and results of the policy improvement Results Heatmap) of European key players based on their patents and their involvement in European projects Alignment with other European projects Memorandum of Understanding with other European Regional Authorities to stimulate international collaboration Exchange of knowledge and experience via partner meetings Increased awareness on European collaboration Increased organisational and professional development with focus on internationalisation Expected Impact Increased and improved alignment between international strategy, policy, instruments and Operational Programmes based on scientific tools How will the implementation of this action be monitored The province of Zuid-Holland will monitor the financial and project progress of phase 2 the realisation of the Regional Action Plan and will report accordingly.

9 3.5 Timeframe Activities Timeframe Action 1 Elaboration and exploration Mapping / benchmark on cross-border instruments Q SWOT analysis / Elaboration of an Interregional voucher Q2 & scheme Explore interregional dimension in current policy instruments Q2 & ERDF/RIS EU collaboration heatmap Q2 & Explore participation in international programmes Q2 & Action 2 Development, test and evaluation Development of an interregional voucher scheme. Q3 & Testing of an interregional voucher scheme pilot Q1 Q Evaluation meeting and report Q Action 3 Increasing Interregional collaboration Participation during European meetings and conferences Q Q abroad Project and financial management Q Q Programme Management and implementation The implementation of the RAP Zuid-Holland needs to be supported by a governing body consisting of a Program Management and a Steering Committee / Supervisory Board. Representatives of relevant stakeholders, such as the province of Zuid-Holland, Innovation Quarter, knowledge institutes, field labs and companies should become members of this governing body. 9