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European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)
  • News article
  • 28 January 2025
  • European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency
  • 4 min read

Call for Expression of Interest for participation in the I3 Support Facility Discussion Groups

The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), in collaboration with the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO), has officially launched the I3 Support Facility (I3SF) and its discussion groups.

A key component of the I3 Support Facility is the Policy Lab, which includes the I3 Discussion Groups (I3DGs). 

Objective

These groups cover issues concerning insights from EU regions participating or willing to participate in I3 projects. They will provide a platform for exchange between policy makers in the field of innovation policy and interregional collaboration.  

​The groups aim to address policy makers interest in the refinement of their innovation policies and testing new policy approaches. 

The ultimate goal of the I3DGs is serve as a practical a useful tool for beneficiaries, including policy makers, business and business organisations and research institutions.  

This Expression of Interest aims to select participants for three I3DGs running in 2025.

​Overview of I3 Discussion Groups (I3DGs)

The I3 discussion groups (I3DGs) will convene over three years (2025–2027) to address critical topics in inter-regional collaboration. 

In 2025, three groups will be established to focus on specific themes organized into three blocks:

  1. Ecosystem
    • Engaging managing authorities in inter-regional collaboration
    • Developing regional and global value chains, especially in less developed areas
    • Managing innovation ecosystems (e.g., entrepreneurial discovery, cluster policies, open innovation platforms)
  2. Investments
    • Supporting SMEs in identification of inter-regional investment and scaling up ideas 
    • Enhancing investment readiness and capacity for building business and investment plans
  3. Framework conditions and regulatory framework
    • Improving innovation policies and regulatory frameworks in less developed regions (regulatory framework, promotion of experimentation and pilot cases, public procurement of innovation to create a demand for innovation) 
    • Facilitating cross-border collaboration, infrastructure access,  staff exchange, and training and skills development and developing standards and regulations through sandboxes
    • Exploring regulatory sandboxes, test beds, and State aid rules

Why participate?

The Discussion Groups will address nine critical themes over three years (2025–2027), such as interregional collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and funding instruments. Each year, three groups will be convened, providing a platform for experts to: 

  • Share insights and best practices on interregional innovation 
  • Contribute to policy development and strategic planning 
  • Build networks across European regions

Target audience 

The I3 Discussion Groups aim to foster dialogue among policy makers, businesses, and researchers engaged in interregional innovation. 

A strong focus is placed on engaging experts from less-developed and underrepresented regions, ensuring inclusivity and diverse perspectives.

Expected responsibilities

  • Engaging in three annual meetings
    • a kick-off meeting (online in March)
    • one half-day online meeting (June)
    • and one half- day on-site meeting (September, during the I3 Forum in Brussels)
  • Share their experience best practices and case studies with I3 Instrument projects
  • Contribute to policy discussions and actionable recommendations
  • Present insights and lessons learned during group activities
  • Discuss new emerging issues for the future of inter-regional collaboration

Participants´ roles

  • Member:  Each group, set up for one year, will consist of 10 to 15 policy makers, blending less experienced participants with experts with established experience in managing S3, ESIF, and ERDF programs. To foster smoother collaboration, the members  are defined as follow: 
    • Chair: The Chair will facilitate the group meetings and support the coordinator of the Discussion Group
    •  Rapporteur: The Rapporteur will support the Chair by steering the discussions´meetings and will draft and summarize the key takeaways.
  • Advisor: An Advisor, typically a member of Strand 2b projects, will act as a mentor to the group. They will help fill knowledge gaps, and providing guidance on achieving the group's defined goals.

Eligibility criteria

  1. Relevant experience in managing ESIF/ERDF or experience in designing and implementing Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) within the region.
  2. A mandate for inter-regional collaboration aligned with S3 enabling condition “Good governance of national or regional smart specialisation strategy,” and/or participation in I3 Strand 2b projects, Interreg projects, Smart Specialisation Thematic Platforms (TSSPs), and associated partnerships. 
  3. Commitment to active participation, including articulating motivations to joining  and expected contributions , and the anticipated benefits they expect to derive for their organization and region. 
  4. Balanced representation in terms of geography, expertise, and gender, with a focus on less developed regions.

 

​Selection procedure

​The I3DGs members will be pre-selected among those registered via the EU Survey, considering the topic of each I3DG (i.e. innovation diffusion, industrial transition, interregional collaboration) and will be proposed to the EISMEA who will make the final selection.  

​The experts will be contacted after the final selection (February 2025) to confirm their availability and interest in taking part of the I3DGs with a specific role (i.e. chair, rapporteur, I3DG member, I3DG advisor).  

​Whilst maintaining the principle of choosing the most qualified experts for the specific WG, we will assure a balanced composition of members as stated in the eligibility criteria  (4).

​​Conditions of engagement 

​The I3DG members will participate in the discussion groups on a pro bono basis, travel and accommodation expenditures will be reimbursed.

Apply

To join the I3 Discussion Groups, register via the EU Survey by 16 February 2025 (23:59 CET)

Additional engagement opportunities

In addition to the discussion groups, the I3 Support Facility will host a range of activities to foster engagement and collaboration, including webinars, workshops, and the flagship Annual I3 Forum

These events will provide further opportunities for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and strengthen inter-regional cooperation.

 

Details

Publication date
28 January 2025
Author
European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency