“Horizon Europe” Sets the Path for Europe’s Research and Innovation

Innovation is one of the most important driving forces for European economic growth, and ultimately for securing long-term prosperity. The European Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation (R&I) have played a crucial part in this development. In summer 2018, the European Commission put forward the proposal for the next Framework Programme “Horizon Europe”, setting very ambitious goals for the European research agenda. Against this background, the impact of R&I in Europe will be the focus of the next ZEW Lunch Debate, “Beyond Horizon 2020: Translating Public Research into Innovation”, organised by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Mannheim, and set to take place at the Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg to the European Union in Brussels on 17 October 2018.

“Horizon Europe” is ambitious in its aims. It is expected to maximize innovation potential across the EU, not only by enhancing competitiveness, but also by focusing on societal challenges that affect our daily lives. The R&I Framework Programme presents Europe with new challenges: How can we reduce the divide between European regions? What factors encourage the spread of innovations? And how can we bridge the gap between academia and industry? These are just some of the questions that will be addressed at the Lunch Debate. The empirical basis for the Lunch Debate will be the opening lecture by Dr. Georg Licht, head of the ZEW Research Department “Economics of Innovation and Industrial Dynamics”, who will present initial findings from the H2020 project “FRAME”. “FRAME” aims to develop a toolkit to better assess the economic impact of R&I in Europe.

Alongside Dr. Georg Licht, the following scientists, innovation experts and members of the EU Commission will participate in the subsequent discussion:

• Prof. Diego Comin, PhD, professor at Dartmouth College and research fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)
• Prof. Marja Makarow, PhD, director of Biocenter Finland, Helsinki
• Prof. Dr. Luc Soete, chairman of the ESIR Group
• Kurt Vandenberghe, Director for Policy Development and Coordination at the European Commission’s DG Research and Innovation

Since its launch in 2014, the ZEW Lunch Debate series has provided a lunchtime platform for experts to discuss current economic challenges facing Europe. Events within this series, which take place in Brussels on a regular basis, provide an opportunity for thought-provoking, open and spirited debate.