SP(2011)1475/2

Results of vote in Parliament

Following a debate which took place in plenary on 10 November 2010, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on European Innovation Partnerships within the Innovation Union flagship initiative.

The text adopted in plenary was tabled as a joint resolution by the EPP, S&D, ALDE, Greens/EFA, ECR, GUE/NGL and the EFD groups.

The European Innovation Partnerships represent an innovative concept aiming to create synergies between existing and, where necessary, new European and Member State initiatives in the field of innovation and maximise and accelerate the delivery of results and benefits to society.

Active and healthy ageing : the resolution welcomes the first proposed topic for European Innovation Partnership, on active and healthy ageing and the suggested approach by the Commission to first run a pilot project testing the most suitable format for these partnerships before launching any further ones. This pilot project should include social innovation which leads to a better quality of life, prevents disease, improves social networks within public sectors and among social partners, and promotes the introduction of new technologies supporting the quality of life.

Delineation of responsibilities : the success of this novel concept lies in having a clear-cut scope and delineation of responsibilities among the various partners involved, precise timelines for the realisation of individual projects, measureable and feasible targets oriented to the market as closely as possible, with simplified administrative procedures relating to implementation and optimum dissemination and access to research findings. Members, in this sense, further stress the central role of the Commission in providing the right operational framework and guidance for the separate projects under the hat of a single partnership.

Governance : the Commission is called upon, when setting up the governance framework for these partnerships, to make an inventory of existing European and national structures and to assess how to effectively incorporate them into the partnerships without unnecessarily creating new ones and to ensure adequate participation by smaller innovative companies, universities and research institutions.

Financing partnerships : Members urge the Commission to ensure the appropriate and efficient financing of the partnerships, by effectively pooling the resources of the European Union, Member States, regions and other public and private players, while respecting clear criteria and the principles of transparency, openness and equal opportunities with regard to their allocation.

Proposed partnerships : Members consider that the following partnerships would benefit most immediately from the created value-added and that the overarching principle of these partnerships should be resource intelligence, thus promoting resource efficiency and at the same time efficient production throughout the supply chain, as well as smart consumption:

smart cities – with a focus on improving energy, transport and infrastructure efficiency and management, as well as providing the basis for rapid progress towards the EU's energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate objectives at local level, and raw materials – security of supply of raw materials, including sustainable extraction and processing, recycling and substituting, while possible issues of land use planning require intensive study.

Lastly, the Commission is called upon to:

duly inform Parliament of the progress and results of this pilot project and to clearly outline the Parliament's involvement in determining the strategic orientation of future Partnerships, in line with the urgency of major societal challenges; reassess the roadmap of actions of the Partnerships biannually; report amendments to the roadmap of actions accordingly.

T7-0398/2010

B7-0560/2010

B7-0602/2010

O-0158/2010

A motion for a resolution winding up this debate was due to be put to the vote on 11 November 2010.

Debate in Parliament