Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the European year of creativity and innovation (2009)
Date: 2008-06-19
Institutions: Committee on Regional Development, European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU action, EU programme, European cultural event, education policy, innovation, public awareness campaign, vocational training

C 257/46

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

9.10.2008

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘European year of creativity and innovation
(2009)’

(2008/C 257/09)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

— welcomes the European Commission's initiative to designate 2009 as the European Year of Creativity
and Innovation. Europe's creative potential is the key to meeting the Lisbon objectives and thus to
becoming the world's most innovative, knowledge-based economy;

— notes that, in the European cities and regions and at local level, culture, creativity and innovation are

the key sources of growth, investment and new jobs;

— highlights the particular importance of early, pre-school learning and primary education for the devel-
opment of basic competences, i.e. the knowledge, skills and attitudes that equip people to live and
work in modern European society, and to acquire additional knowledge;

— stresses that the initiative makes an ideal follow-on to the Year of Intercultural Dialogue. Linking up
the themes of a number of different European ‘years’ helps ensure that the activities do have an
impact in the medium and long term;

— notes the absence of any specific funding for the Year of Creativity and Innovation. If creativity is seen
as a vital ingredient of European social development, it should not be restricted to the fields of educa-
tion and culture alone. Interdisciplinary thought engenders new and creative solutions.

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Rapporteur: Gerd HARMS (DE/PES), Plenipotentiary of the Land of Brandenburg for federal and Euro-

pean affairs and state secretary in the Brandenburg state chancellery

Reference document

Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the European Year of
Creativity and Innovation (2009)

COM(2008) 159 final — 2008/0064 (COD)

I. POLITICAL RECOMMENDATIONS

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

1.
welcomes the European Commission's initiative to desig-
nate 2009 as the European Year of Creativity and Innovation.
Taken in a very broad sense, as the Commission rightly does in
its proposal, creativity is the ability to find new solutions in the
most varied fields of human activity and is the sine qua non of
technical, cultural and social innovation. Europe's creative poten-
is the key to meeting the Lisbon objectives and thus to
tial
innovative, knowledge-based
becoming
economy;

the world's most

endorses the Commission's analysis of the fundamental
2.
conditions needed for the development of creativity and innova-
tion. It would thereby highlight the particular importance of
early, pre-school learning and primary education for the devel-
opment of basic competences, i.e. the knowledge, skills and atti-
tudes that equip people to live and work in modern European
society, and to acquire additional knowledge;

backs the Commission's view as to the importance of
3.
education in encouraging creativity, and considers that creativity
should not be restricted only to pre-school
learning and a
child's early years at school. Artistic subjects should remain
important throughout the school career. Nor must creativity be
restricted to so-called ‘creative subjects’. Creative problem-
solving abilities and innovative thinking must be an integral
part of all formal education processes. In this connection, the
CoR would draw particular attention to the importance of
multilingualism;

4.
stresses the need to ensure not only the promotion of
excellence and high achievement, but also proper education and
training for the people in every region as the foundation for
individual and collective prosperity and for the ability of regions
to innovate;

5.
notes that, in the European cities and regions and at local
level, culture, creativity and innovation are the key sources of
growth, investment and new jobs. To succeed in European and
global competition, regions must develop their creative potential
and capacity for innovation. Regional and local authorities are
generally responsible for facilitating lifelong learning, pursuing
an active labour market policy, developing regional innovation

strategies and fostering innovative and creative economic
sectors;

emphasises again the major importance of local authori-
6.
ties and regions in developing innovative environments. Rele-
vant here are local innovation policies, technology centres, busi-
ness incubators, science parks and venture capital;

7. makes clear that
this applies not only to the creative
sector and knowledge-based modern industries. On the contrary,
creative solutions are needed to the social, environmental and
economic challenges facing modern societies at all levels;

8.
welcomes in particular the explicit recognition of the role
of regional and local authorities in the Commission legislative
proposal, which notes that

— the challenges of the European Year of Creativity and Inno-
vation can only be met by a combination of measures at
European, national, regional andlocal level;

— by being involved in the European Year of Creativity and
Innovation,
local and regional authorities will be able to
organise their activities more effectively and more efficiently;
and

— such involvement helps

foster

implementation of

the

planned measures at European and national level;

9.
endorses this assessment and advocates the broad involve-
ment of local and regional authorities in the European Year of
Creativity and Innovation;

Detailed assessment of the initiative

10.
backs the objectives of the European Year of Creativity
and Innovation (Article 2). The comprehensive approach under-
pinning these objectives makes it possible to go beyond art and
artistic aspects alone and take a broad view of how Europe's
creative potential is developed and harnessed. During the Euro-
pean Year of Creativity and Innovation, the CoR feels that steps
must be taken above all to promote and draw attention to inter-
disciplinary
facilities,
cultural bodies and players, business, science and civil society. It
is also necessary to promote creative learning based on the
search for and development of knowledge, as opposed to imita-
tion and memory-based learning;

involving lifelong learning

activities

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stresses that the initiative makes an ideal follow-on to the
11.
Year of
Intercultural Dialogue. Linking up the themes of a
number of different European ‘years’ helps ensure that the activ-
ities do have an impact in the medium and long term. Activities
undertaken as part of
Intercultural
Dialogue are designed to promote a more open, tolerant and
flexible European society and tie in closely with creativity and
innovation. Coming into contact and engaging with other
cultural expressions and trends can act as a fillip to creativity
and open up new pathways to resolving homegrown issues;

the European Year of

12.
notes that the Commission proposal makes specific refer-
ence to the key lifelong learning competences called for by Euro-
pean Parliament and the Council. The CoR would refer to its
opinion on this recommendation (1), in which it highlighted the
special significance of mathematical and scientific competences.
In that opinion, the CoR also underscored the importance of
encouraging women to take up these disciplines through the
tools of lifelong learning. In future, European societies will have
to do even more to encourage young people, and young women
in particular, to train in scientific and technological disciplines
and to study engineering and take up work in that sector;

13.
notes that interplay between working life, society and
higher education is an important prerequisite for innovation
and growth at local and regional level. An inclusive, non-discri-
minatory infrastructure is needed to encourage active citizenship
and joint responsibility for social cohesion and sustainable
development;

14.
advocates better education and training, in order to opti-
mise the value of Europe's greatest resources — its young
people. This education should focus particularly on studying
technology, so as to boost European research, development and
innovation, but care should also be taken to provide sufficient
training in humanities and values; it is important to give the
teaching of European history and culture the attention it
deserves within the education system;

has repeatedly stressed the particular

15.
importance of
promoting research, training young scientists, supporting scien-
tists' mobility and backing European-level scientific cooperation.
The development of a research-friendly climate and the promo-
tion of patents — together with the effective protection they
provide — encourage innovative processes in both society and
economy;

16.
emphasises the need to create standards and protection
rights for intellectual property and the development of a Euro-
pean charter for the handling of intellectual property;

Development Fund,
scientific findings in innovative products and processes;

in supporting the practical application of

18.
deplores the tardy publication of the initiative. Such a
short run-up period risks compromising the venture's success. It
is thus particularly important that the Commission should now
make every effort to involve as many partners in the process as
possible;

19.
highlights the specific role played by the audiovisual
media in developing creative environments. In many European
successful economic clusters are being established
regions,
talent promotion, outstanding
thanks to a combination of
education and training centres and the media sector. Such devel-
opments should be given special recognition during the Euro-
pean Year of Creativity and Innovation;

20.
bemoans the Commission's failure to mention the wide
range of possibilities available under the European mobility
programmes. Mobility during education and training — interre-
gional exchanges across Europe — can be particularly helpful in
unleashing young people's potential for creativity and innova-
tion;

21.
also criticises the absence of any provision for moni-
toring the success of the initiative and the failure to lay down
the basic parameters under which the objectives are to be met;

22.
feels that the European Year of Creativity and Innovation
can only succeed if the Commission as a whole takes up the
challenge involved and if the opportunities are fully exploited in
all the directorates-general. Strong support is also needed from
the Member States and from towns, regions and local authori-
ties. The CoR therefore calls for the inclusion not only of educa-
tion policy but of other policy areas as well in actively helping
shape the European Year of Creativity and Innovation;

23.
points out that fostering creativity and innovation is an
integral part of many regional and local development plans. In
giving practical shape to the European Year of Creativity and
Innovation, care should be taken to avoid any suggestion that
Commission initiatives are the only way to tap into these
resources. The focus, not least in the European Year of Creativity
and Innovation, should be on highlighting successful approaches
pursued in the local authorities, regions and Member States and
support should be given to disseminating examples of best prac-
tice. All Commission initiatives should comply with the subsi-
diarity principle;

in this connection, would also highlight the key impor-
17.
tance of the Structural Funds, and in particular the Regional

(1) CdR 31/2006 fin.

draws attention to the rich experience of

24.
local and
regional authorities and civil society organisations, as expressed,
for instance, in local and regional policy activities and during

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the Open Days organised by the CoR. This experience is indica-
tive of the many and varied ways of developing and supporting
the creativity and innovation that is such a mark of our Euro-
pean local authorities and regions;

25.
notes the absence of any specific funding for the Year of
Creativity and Innovation. On the question of funding the activ-
ities, the Commission proposal makes explicit reference only to
the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013 and the Culture
Programme 2007-2013, albeit the issues at stake here — crea-
tivity and innovation — go far beyond the confines of these
schemes. Other issues also need to be addressed, including, not
least, the scientific dimension, cooperation between industry
and science, European mobility, rural development and social
policy. If creativity is seen as a vital
ingredient of European
social development, it should not be restricted to the fields of

education and culture alone. Interdisciplinary thought engenders
new and creative solutions;

Point 4.4 of the Commission proposal speaks of ‘refo-
26.
cusing communication activities on the themes of the Year’, yet the
proposed measures give no further indication of how this is to
be done. The CoR makes clear that any such measures must be
coordinated between the Community, the national, the regional
levels and the local levels;

27.
supports the Commission and offers to work with it in
giving practical shape to the European Year of Creativity and
Innovation. The cities, regions and local authorities are the
natural partners for this venture and are the birthplace of many
creative solutions. The CoR expects the Commission to involve
it fully in the activities and to brief it comprehensively on all
measures at an early stage.

II. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AMENDMENTS

Amendment 1

Article 2(1)

Text proposed by the Commission

CoR amendment

The overall objective of the European Year of Creativity and
Innovation shall be to support the efforts of the Member
States to promote creativity, through lifelong learning, as a
driver for innovation and as a key factor for the develop-
ment of personal, occupational, entrepreneurial and social
in
competences and the well-being of all
society.

individuals

The overall objective of the European Year of Creativity and
Innovation shall be to support the efforts of the Member
States and the local and regional authorities to promote
creativity, through lifelong learning, as a driver for innova-
tion and as a key factor for the development of personal,
occupational, entrepreneurial and social competences and
the well-being of all individuals in society.

Reason:

The Member States may be the Commission's consultative partners, but key issues are at stake here that fall
directly within the remit of local and regional authorities.

Amendment 2

Article 3, second paragraph

Text proposed by the Commission

CoR amendment

In addition to activities co-financed by the Community in
accordance with Article 6, the Commission or the Member
States may identify other activities as contributing to objec-
tives of the Year and permit the use of the name of the
Year in promoting those activities insofar as they contribute
to achieving the objectives set out in Article 2.

In addition to activities co-financed by the Community in
accordance with Article 6, the Commission, or the Member
Statesor the local and regional authorities may identify
other activities as contributing to objectives of the Year and
permit the use of the name of the Year in promoting those
activities insofar as they contribute to achieving the objec-
tives set out in Article 2. Other, non-governmental players
should, within the framework of the declared objectives, be
encouraged to take part in the activities of the European
Year.

Reason

Use of the ‘European Year’ name must not be restricted to the Member States alone. A large number of
stakeholders must be involved in fleshing out the European Year venture.

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Amendment 3

Article 5

Text proposed by the Commission

CoR amendment

The Commission shall convene meetings of the national
coordinators in order to coordinate the implementation of
the European Year of Creativity and Innovation at European
level and to exchange information on implementation
thereof at national level.

The Commission shall convene meetings of the national
coordinators in order to coordinate the implementation of
the European Year of Creativity and Innovation at European
level and to exchange information on implementation
thereof at national level. Representatives of the Committee
of
the Regions and the European Economic and Social
Committee shall be invited to attend these meetings.

Reason

CoR and EESC involvement is the only way to ensure that the concerns and submissions of the local and
regional authorities are taken into consideration properly and systematically.

Brussels, 19 June 2008

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Luc VAN DEN BRANDE