Saving industrial innovation in Europe

Four years ago, the presidency of the Council of the European Union initiated an independent and tripartite group of experts to work on innovation policy management. Stefan Schepers, who manages this group, analyses the impact of dysfunctions of European governance on innovation policies. He believes that a solution may be found by setting up a core group aimed at restoring a ‘team spirit’, built on trust and co-operation, which existed when the European Community was first created. He also suggests the need for better management of the complexity of European policies and the ability to relate them more closely to socio-economic issues. Industrialists have a role to play in this reform by contributing to a shared vision in order to serve European interests. EU projects regarding energy, the digital sector or even the circular economy might then be powerful means for innovation.