Conclusions on Smart Cities and Communities - European Innovation Partnership - Main contents

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

Conclusions on Smart Cities and Communities -European Innovation Partnership

3233rd VIRONMT Council meeting

Brussels, 21 March 2013

The Council adopted the following conclusions: "THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, HAVING REGARD TO:

The Commission Communication "Europe 2020 Flagship Initiative Innovation Union"¹ where the concept of European Innovation Partnerships and a list of potential areas (including 'smart cities') were presented;

The detailed proposals by the Commission for European Partnerships in the areas of Active, Healthy Aging (pilot), raw materials, water and sustainable agriculture;

The European Council Conclusions of 4 February 2011 stating that "The Council will take the necessary political decisions on future Innovation Partnerships before they are launched."

WHEREAS:

The 'Smart Cities and Communities -European Innovation Partnership' proposes a comprehensive and integrative approach to connect policies and resources at EU, national, regional and local levels to speed up wide-scale deployment of smart cities solutions to address the major societal challenges around the Union's 20/20/20 energy and climate targets. It is the 5^th and latest proposal for an Innovation Partnership from the European Commission and, ideally, its implementation phase would start early 2014.

Innovation Partnerships cannot take decisions in areas for which the EU and/or Member States are competent. They will not themselves receive financial contributions, nor will they manage funds. Instead, they provide a platform for and by the stakeholders for the definition and monitoring of actions, as well as stakeholder commitments, towards Union's 20/20/20 energy and climate targets. Therefore, support by Member States for the Smart Cities and Communities European Innovation Partnership will be essential to define its priority areas and to deliver its effective implementation;

• 1. 

  WELCOMES the Commission's Communication entitled "Smart Cities and Communities -European Innovation Partnership";

• 2. 

  SUPPORTS the Commission's intention to launch the Smart Cities EIP in the first half of 2013 by establishing a governance structure consisting of a High Level Group and a Stakeholder Platform and defining a Strategic Implementation Plan, and RECALLS in this context the common principles regarding the governance of EIPs, in particular transparency and participation of Member States as well as avoiding duplication, as set out in the Council conclusions on European Innovation Partnerships and on Innovation Union for Europe adopted by the Competitiveness Council on 30-31 May 2012⁴ and on 25-26 November 2010⁵

• 3. 

  INVITES the Commission to report to the Council by the end of 2013 on progress achieved in the Smart Cities EIP, in particular with regard to the Strategic Implementation Plan.."

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