55.

consequently recommends: — reform of the current regulatory framework, before the end of the 2014-2020 period, giving new impetus both to synergies between the European Structural and Investment Funds and programmes and to interregional cooperation. This reform must require simplification and greater flexibility in the management of the European Structural and Investment Funds, by applying simplified justification methods based for example on achievement of objectives, use of unit costs and other measures better suited to the efficient application of funds to smart specialisation; — strengthening the S3 objectives on inclusive and sustainable growth and job creation; — an indicative, flexible common framework in the form of a recommendation, on the RIS3, filling the current gap and the lack of coordination in the design, drafting, implementation, monitoring and follow-up of RIS3. Based on the principle of subsidiarity, the document must be flexible, living and open-ended, leaving room for the arrival of new specialisation niches that did not previously exist; — making urgent provision for appropriate ad hoc financing instruments to foster interregional cooperation. These instruments may take the form of combinations of financing (including blends of grants and loans, and public and private funding at different levels) with the innovative use of funds to support pilot pilots for interregional cooperation networks forging direct contact with industry and having a market impact; — in the future, Horizon 2020 should propose a territorial approach linking European research and innovation policy to RIS3, although it is also worth noting that Horizon 2020 should continue to be guided by the principle of excellence; — this territorial approach must take account of the difficulties facing some regions, such as the outermost regions, in acting as project partners due to their distance from economic and technological centres; — learning lessons from the pilot projects carried out by DG Regio with lagging regions, in order to effectively support these regions in reducing the innovation gap in the EU; — carrying out a thorough ex-ante territorial impact assessment on the integration of the smart specialisation strategy into a range of EU policies, such as research (FP9), industrial policy and future cohesion policy; — urgent allocation of resources to Interreg Europe, with which the regions are already familiar, will for the coming years be the best-suited tool for supporting RIS3-related networking; — implementation of the Juncker plan should facilitate the introduction of regional platforms to support project design and financing so that the EFSIs can provide practical assistance to the RIS3. In order to ensure responsible project selection, the stakeholders involved in project assessment must receive comprehensive information about the necessary support for, and the concerns of, local and regional authorities. Stepping up regional-level technical assistance under EFSI is an absolute priority; — the participation of the European Committee of the Regions in the work of the high level group on maximizing the impact of EU research and innovation programmes;