26 May 2015: The European Commission launched a new ‘Smart Specialisation Platform on Energy’ (S3P-ENERGY) at a high-level conference in Brussels, Belgium, on 26 May 2015, designed to help European regions and EU member States to make full use of EU funds earmarked for sustainable energy under the EU’s Cohesion Policy.

Established jointly by the Directorates-General for Regional and Urban Policy, and Energy, and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), the Platform aims to contribute to the European Energy Union strategy by supporting the optimal use of Cohesion Policy funds for sustainable energy projects. It also aims to better align innovation activities in the field of energy at national, regional and local levels with a view to setting up a joint strategic agenda on energy priorities, and to contribute to boosting economic growth in the regions by ensuring sustainable, competitive and secure energy supply.

Smart specialization is an innovative approach developed by the European Commission to foster economic growth and prosperity at regional level by encouraging efficient and targeted use of public investment in research and innovation. It is also a precondition for benefiting from European Structural and Investment Funds. The Platform will provide information, knowledge and expertise on investing in energy projects, in line with the needs of policymakers, authorities and stakeholders in charge of energy and research. It will also develop ways of matching EU member States and regions with similar interests and planned investments in energy innovation.

The Platform’s ultimate objective is to contribute to the shift towards a low-carbon economy by 2050 and to respond to some of the societal challenges identified in the EU 2020 Strategy, relying on the clear link between innovation and the EU’s energy and climate targets. [Smart Specialisation Platform] [European Commission Press Release] [European Commission Extended Press Release] [European Commission Newsflash]