Objective of the session
The session will be the occasion to reflect on the latest achievements of the VI to further develop regional innovation ecosystems in the framework of the VI Pilots. In this context, VI Ministers will debate on what should be the future priorities for the VI, considering the latest opportunities for activities to strengthen the VI regional collaboration and impact on the further development of innovation ecosystems.

Expected Outcomes
The VI recent milestones, the evolution of the VI collaboration as well as the EU context will be discussed in order to lead to a consensus what should be the upcoming priorities for the VI and the most immediate future next steps for the network to be fit for the purpose of addressing the EU twin transition to achieve by 2030. To conclude, High-level discussions will allow to take concrete
steps in line with the VI regions political commitment to collaborate based on their Smart Specialisation strategies to achieve cofunding and co-investment.

Open Policy Session Outline – VI Ministerial Roundtable

The Signature of the Cooperation Agreement between the VI and EFFRA will take place during this session; it will be followed by a discussion with Mr Peter Droell on the objectives and expected impact of the collaboration. VI Ministers will discuss further in presence of Mr Jean David Malo, the essential role of the VI interregional collaboration towards the development of innovation ecosystems.

Expected Outcomes
Following the signature of the CA with MiE, anchoring that VI regions are committed to support the industrial transformation of Europe to achieve the twin transition, the VI S3 Study results will be mentioned to illustrate the strong commitment of the VI regions to collaborate, and as a starting point to a discussion on two critical components to successfully develop European Innovation
Ecosystems – that is regional co-funding and co-financing to allow investments to support interregional projects and activities to take place, as well as synergies between (inter)regional and European funding.

Programme

09:00 – 09.30 Connectivity assurance online / Registration and welcome coffee onsite
09:30 – 10:50 1. Closed Session – Governance of the Vanguard Initiative

Moderator: Ellen Mulder, Director of International Affairs, East NL

09:30 Welcome from the VI Chair, East Netherlands
9:35 a. General Assembly Procedure Outcome VI Board, VI Chair and Treasurer 2022

• • Call for Ideas on how to use the Financial Reserve
    MiE partnership – Cooperation Agreement with EFFRA
  • Budget 2022
  • VI Annual Report 2021

9:45 b. Future VI activities (information)

• Industrial Forum
• S3 Study
• Investments Structurally Strengthening VI and Pilots – “Expert Interregional Funding”
• SME call and new Pilot call – Educell (Slovenia)

10:20 c. Debate/orientation for the Network (discussion)

10:50 -11:00 coffee break

11:00 – 12.35 2. Open Policy Session: VI Ministerial Roundtable

Moderator: Eddy Van Hijum, Regional Minister Province Overijssel, Member of the EU Committee of the Regions and Chair of the Vanguard Initiative

11:00 – 11:05 Introduction

Monika Kirbiš Rojs, State Secretary and Deputy Minister from the Slovenian Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy

11:05 – 11:50 a. Cooperation Agreement between the Vanguard Initiative and Made in Europe

• • VI Ministerial interventions – Lombardy and Basque Country
  • Željko Pazin, EFFRA Executive Director
  • Peter Droell, Director Prosperity-DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
  • VI Ministerial Contributions: Asturias, Tampere, Flanders

11:50 – 12:30 b. Achieving co-Funding and co-Investment

• VI Ministerial interventions: South NL and Norte
• Jean David Malo, Director European Innovation Council-DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
• VI Ministerial Contributions: Wales, Scotland

12:30 VI Chair final reflections and closing

List of VI Ministers intervening in the VI Ministerial Roundtable

• Eddy Van Hijum, Regional Minister Province Overijssel, Member of the EU Committee of the Regions and Chair of the Vanguard
  Initiative, East Netherlands
• Monika Kirbiš Rojs, State Secretary and Deputy Minister from the Slovenian Government Office for Development and European
  Cohesion Policy
• Fabrizio Sala, Minister for Education, University, Research, Innovation and Simplification, Lombardy Region
• María Ángeles Elorza Zubiria, Secretary General for External Action of the Basque Government
• Esa Halme, Region mayor, Council of Tampere Region
• Eva Pando, General Director of Economic Development Agency of the Principality of Asturias
• Hilde Crevits, Minister of Economy, Innovation, Work, Social Economy, Agriculture and Fishing, Flanders
• Stephan Satijn, Regional Minister for Economy and Innovation of the Province of Limburg, South Netherlands
• António M. Cunha, President of Norte Regional Coordination and Development Commission and of the Managing Authority of the
• Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020 (NORTE 2020)
• Ivan McKee MSP, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Scotland
• Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for the Economy, Welsh Government

Hybrid Event
Date: Thursday, 25 November 2021

Location:

• ONLINE – Teams
• ONSITE – Townhall Europe, Square de Meeus 5, 1050 Brussels – Valid Covid Safe Ticket compulsory
  Closed Session Outline – Governance of the Vanguard Initiative

info@s3vanguardinitiative.eu
s3vanguardinitiative.eu