Innovation Union

The EU's Innovation Union strategy sets out a strategic approach to innovation – seeking to boost research and innovation performance in Europe by getting promising ideas and discoveries from the drawing table to the market faster.

The European Commission is proposing measures that will benefit consumers and businesses by placing innovation at the heart of our society and our economy. New "innovation partnerships" will generate breakthroughs in areas such as climate change, energy efficiency and healthy living.

The Innovation Union is one of the flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 growth strategy.

Timeline

2008	National governments, meeting in the European Council, call for a European plan for innovation (point 18)

2009	The Commission proposes short-term actions in response to the economic crisis and assesses achievements under the Broad Based Innovation Strategy. It also reviews: the Lead Market Initiative innovation in services innovation in financing for small businesses the effectiveness of innovation-support measures .

2009	The public consultation on Community innovation policy is held. It is a follow-up to: Communication 2009/442 on innovation policy in a changing world consultations on support for innovation and design as a tool for innovation.

	DG Enterprise and Industry organises a roundtable discussion on future European innovation policy with high level experts.

	The Business Panel on future innovation policy is established by the Commission's DG Enterprise to provide input on policy priorities. Its Innovation Unlimited blog serves as an informal forum for debating innovation policy (last post Feb. 2011).

2010	Communication 2010/546 on the Innovation Union [203 KB] is adopted on 6 October.