Knowledge Exchange Platform (KEP)
The platform is a key forum for dialogue with European regions and cities on research and innovation, looking at how European policies can boost local R&I ecosystems and how local authorities can help shape and implement European initiatives.
It was set up in 2015 as a cooperation between the European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission Directorate-General for Research and Innovation.
The platform was relaunched as KEP 2.0 in November 2020, following the Commission's plan for a new European Research Area to include strategic and coordinated support to regions and cities.
KEP 2.0 continues supporting the EU's policy ambition of creating dialogue and synergies between Horizon Europe and other funds, while providing a Europe-wide forum for informing regions and cities of the new European Research Area and R&I policy priorities.
Events that help achieve KEP objectives:
- thematic seminars in Brussels bringing together European and local experts, stakeholders and policy makers, such as members of the European Committee of the Regions. Usually, two thematic seminars are held per year.
- peer-to-peer events organised locally by a member of the European Committee of the Regions to exchange views with other members, research and innovation experts, EU-funded project owners and local stakeholders.
- showcasing events organised by third parties and contributing to the KEP annual Action Plan through participation of members of the European Committee of the Regions and the showcasing of EU-funded research and innovation projects.
The main objective of the Knowledge Exchange Platform is to present new research and innovation policy solutions and best practices in response to the many challenges local and regional authorities in Europe face.
Over a period of more than 10 years since the first KEP, more than 30 local and European events were organised and hundreds of regional decision makers, academic experts and stakeholders participated.
How to get involved
Joint action plan
The European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions signed on 24 April 2026 a renewed Joint Action Plan for enhanced cooperation in research and innovation. The plan establishes a structured framework for enhanced cooperation between the DG Research & Innovation of the European Commission, the Joint Research Centre, and the European Committee of the Regions, particularly its Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC), for the 2026-2029 period.
The Joint Action Plan (JAP) covers four key priority areas, with the aim to reinforce the regional dimension of EU R&I policy, support the delivery of the Commission’s key initiatives, strengthen multi-level governance, and promote the mutual exchange of expertise, data and evidence:
- Building strong local and regional innovation ecosystems: implementing the European Research Area and supporting knowledge transfer and valorisation from concept research into innovation output, ensuring attraction and retention of talent.
- Facilitating the green and digital transition, supporting place-based innovation for sustainable and inclusive territorial transformation.
- Raising awareness and dissemination of funding opportunities and the results of framework programmes for R&I, creating synergies among funds and exchanging best practices (including simplification) in the fields of research and innovation.
- Supporting evidence-based policymaking in the regions, including territorial foresight and resilience.
As a start, 11 actions – including the long-standing KEP collaboration - are proposed, that can be flexibly modified according to arising priorities and needs.
Research and innovation (R&I) are central drivers of the European Union’s competitiveness, sustainability and strategic autonomy. Delivering on the Union’s priorities – including the green and digital transitions, economic resilience and social cohesion – requires strong coordination across all levels of governance, and the effective mobilisation of regional and local innovation ecosystems.
The new plan builds on the achievements of the previous joint action plan covering research and innovation, which ran between 2020 and 2025 and set the key collaborative actions between 3 Directorates-General of the European Commission (Directorate General for Research and Innovation, Directorate General for Education and Culture and the Joint Research Centre) and the European Committee of the Regions.
Monitoring reports on the implementation of the previous joint action plan have been prepared yearly:
Annual monitoring report of the Joint Action Plan - 2024
Annual monitoring report of the Joint Action Plan – 2023
Contact
For more information please contact RTD-KEP
ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (RTD-KEP[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
Latest
The Knowledge Exchange Platform seminar has explored how a European strategy can boost local infrastructures for research and innovation.
The European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions signed a new Joint Action Plan to enhance the role of cities and regions in research and innovation (R&I).
