Legislative Observatory
European Parliament
Please fill in this field to find a procedure

European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT): strategic innovation agenda 2014-2020

2011/0387(COD)

The European Parliament adopted by 523 votes to 16 with 58 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Strategic Innovation Agenda of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT): the contribution of the EIT to a more innovative Europe.

Parliament adopted its position in first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure. The amendments adopted in plenary were the result of a compromise between Parliament and Council. They amend the Commission proposal as follows:

Objectives of the Strategic Innovation Agenda (SIA): in accordance with Parliament’s wishes, the SIA set out the EIT’s priorities for the period 2014-2020, as well as its operating procedures.

The main Key Actions were as follows:

Consolidating and fostering growth and impact of the existing KICs: the EIT should encourage the KICs to develop a greater variety of and provide advice on educational and training activities and to raise awareness of the existence of these activities. There would be a system of peer evaluations for EIT labelled qualifications.

Creating new KICs: the EIT would launch calls for five new KICs as follows:

  • a call for two new KICs in 2014 in the themes of Healthy Living and Active Ageing and Raw Materials;
  • a call for two new KICs in 2016 in the themes of Food4Future and Added-value manufacturing and a call for one new KIC in 2018 in the theme of Urban Mobility.

The other actions set out would aim to:

  • enhance EIT's impact;
  • create new delivery mechanisms and results-oriented monitoring;
  • streamline and clarify EIT decision-making;
  • invest in KICs
  • engage with stakeholders within a forum which would meet regularly.

EIT budget needs: the EIT's budget needs in the period 2014-2020 are EUR 2711,4 million and are based on three main components: the necessary expenditure for consolidation of the existing three KICs, gradual development towards new KICs in 2014, 2016 and 2018 respectively, and dissemination and outreach activities and administrative expenditure.

Around EUR 1695 million (62.5 % of the total EIT budget) was envisaged to fund the KICs designated in 2009 and already operating at the cruising speed; EUR 542 million (20 %) was envisaged for the second wave of KICs, EUR 249 million (9.2 %) for the third wave and EUR 35 million (1.3 %) for the final wave.

Therefore, the projected EIT budget for the KICs in the period 2014-2020 equalled EUR 2.5 billion (93 % of the EIT total budget for the period 2014/2020). Through the EIT's strong leverage effect, the KICs were expected to mobilise a further EUR 7.5 billion of other public and private sources.

The EIT will also engage in a number of dissemination and outreach activities, including providing support for structured mobility within the regional innovation strategies (RIS), which will significantly enhance the impact of its operations across Europe.

Around EUR 125 million (4.6 %) of the EIT budget is needed to implement these activities.