The main reference document underpinning the Partnerships for Regional Innovation - PRI Pilot Action will be the forthcoming "PRI Playbook", currently being developed by the JRC-European Commission with the support of a Scientific Committee of recognised experts. The initial edition of the PRI Playbook (forthcoming, May 2022) will showcase proven tools, inspired by leading innovation policy practice across Europe and the world. Over the course of the pilot, the tools will be further improved, adapted and tested against the realities of European regions and Member States. The PRI Playbook is aimed at inspiring all levels of government to better leverage policies for innovation, including in domains outside the traditional remit of research and innovation policy.

The JRC will support the pilot and work closely with regions and Member States to co-develop the Playbook, linking participants to appropriate in-house or external expertise, developing relevant policy intelligence, documenting and disseminating broader lessons. The Pilot will also be supported by the dedicated Scientific Committee and other relevant experts.

Activities under the Pilot Action will be tailored to the areas of most interest for each participant. They can include:

• Thematic workshops
• Exchanges of good practices
• In-depth policy reviews with the involvement of external experts
• Tailored analytical insights and support from JRC staff (e.g. resilience dashboards, complexity analysis…)

Each participating region will cover the costs associated to its participation to the PRI Pilot.

The expected duration of the Pilot Action is 1 year.

The Pilot will be designed in a way that it remains fully in line with the EU policy framework, avoiding duplication of activities and measures that already exist under Cohesion Policy, while fostering synergies with other EU policies, in particular the European Green Deal and Horizon Europe. In particular, the PRI pilot is not linked in any way and may not prejudice the European Commission's assessment of the fulfilment criteria for smart specialisation during the 2021-27 programming period.