What is the EIC Forum?
The EIC Forum has been established under Pillar III of Horizon Europe to promote ‘coordination and dialogue on the development of the Union's innovation ecosystem’.
The EIC Forum was launched on 23 November 2021. It brings together high-level designated representatives of national ministries and authorities in charge of innovation. The EIC Board and the EIT Board are also associated. The goal of the Forum is to improve coordination between national and regional innovation programmes and innovation activities under Horizon Europe.
The EIC Forum will:
- discuss the development of innovation-friendly regulation
- promote the alignment of research and innovation agendas at the national and European level
- enhance coordination between national and regional innovation programmes and innovation activities under Horizon Europe, including notably the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
- establish a joint communication strategy on innovation in the EU
The EIC Forum has adopted Policy Orientations for the Development of the Union’s Innovation Ecosystem.
The EIC Forum is composed of the EIC Forum Plenary and different Working Groups, supported by the EIC Community Platform.
The EIC Forum Plenary identifies EIC Forum priorities, agrees on conclusions and recommendations of the Working Groups and steers the activities for the coming year.
Next steps
The EIC Forum, as a place to share experience and collect, discuss and test new ideas and proposals from Member States, Associated Countries and stakeholders and their possible uptake and scaling up at European level, is an important platform to discuss and coordinate innovation policy and support the programming of Horizon Europe.
The EIC Forum focuses first on a number of priority areas that are discussed in five Working Groups:
- EIC Forum Working Group on Innovation Policy
- EIC Forum Working Group on Innovation Procurement
- EIC Forum Working Group on Data
- EIC Forum Working Group on Plug-in scheme to the EIC accelerator
- EIC Forum Working Group on EIC Prizes Alumni network
The Forum is a place where innovators and policymakers work together on improving Europe‘s innovation ecosystem, while helping each other to replicate success stories.
More Information
Should you have any further question about the EIC Forum or EIC Forum Working Groups, contact EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUM@ec.europa.eu.