We are pleased to let you know that EURADA, in partnership with CDTI SOST and the Friends of Smart Specialisation Workshop, is organising the event "Connecting national and regional planning to European priorities. Is Smart Specialisation still relevant in the context of the new MFF?".
Registrations are now open! Don't miss this opportunity to take part in the discussion and register your interest to attend by clicking here
The Draghi report and subsequent new thinking on how the EU needs to respond to the challenges of competitiveness, decarbonisation and security has put better coordination of European, national and regional industrial and innovation efforts at the core of the debate. This tendency is reflected in the new Multi-Annual Financial Framework, which balances national and regional plans with a central Competitiveness Fund.
While this framework offers an opportunity for place-based transformation strategies aligned with EU priorities, the role of smart specialisation strategies (S3) remains undefined, raising questions about their future within EU policy. Traditionally tied to cohesion policy, S3 has had limited influence on Europe’s broader competitiveness agenda, yet growing recognition suggests it could serve as a key instrument for place-based productivity and innovation-driven transformation.
In this context, EURADA is co-organising, in partnership with CDTI SOST and the Friends of Smart Specialisation Workshop, the event "Connecting national and regional planning to European priorities. Is Smart Specialisation still relevant in the context of the new MFF?", scheduled to take place on 13 October 2025, from 17:00 to 18:30 CEST.
Click hereto read the concept note and draft agenda for the event.
Held within the context of the European Week of Regions and Cities at the Brussels office of CDTI SOST (Rue du Trône 62, 1050, Brussels), the event will feature keynote speeches and panel discussions aiming to explore how S3 might assume a renewed role in guiding EU governance of research, innovation, and investment.
We would be delighted to have you join us for this important discussion in Brussels!
