COMMISSION OPINION on the independent expert evaluation on the EIT
Date: 2011-11-30
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU office or agency, EU research policy, administration of the Institutions, administrative check, research body, self-employed person

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 30.11.2011 
COM(2011) 816 final 

COMMISSION OPINION 

of 30.11.2011 

on the independent expert evaluation on the EIT 

 
 
  
 
COMMISSION OPINION 

of 30.11.2011 

on the independent expert evaluation on the EIT 

Background 

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On  11th  March  2008,  by  virtue  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  294/2008  of  the  European 
Parliament and of the Council1(hereinafter "the Regulation"), the European Institute of 
Innovation and Technology (hereinafter "EIT") was established. 

In accordance with Article 16(2) of the EIT Regulation, the Commission shall provide 
for an evaluation of the EIT. This shall be based on an independent external evaluation 
of the EIT and shall examine how the EIT fulfils its mission. 

The external evaluation of the EIT was completed on May, 31st 2011 by ECORYS.  

In accordance with Article 16(3) of the EIT Regulation, the Commission shall forward 
the results of the evaluation, together with its own opinion and, where appropriate, any 
proposals  to  amend  this  Regulation,  to  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council,  the 
European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions. 

Comments 

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The  Commission  acknowledges  the  results  of  the  independent  external  evaluation  of 
the EIT.  

The  Commission  endorses  the  following  recommendations  from  the  independent 
external evaluation and shall ask the EIT to implement them:  

The  EIT  should  continue  in  its  current  format  for  the  next  multiannual  financial 
framework. Its approach has demonstrated strong potential. The EIT should expand 
on  an  incremental  basis  and  continue  to  focus  on  strengthening  existing  centres  of 
excellence.  

In view of the selection and designation of future KICs, the EIT should provide clear 
and  consistent  guidance  on  its  expectations  as  well  as  on  the  obligations  and 
responsibilities of future KICs.. . Prior to the publication of the call for the selection 
and  designation  of  new  KICs,  the  EIT  should  provide  public  notice  of  the  broad 
themes of interest to allow consortia to  develop their plans and ensure an adequate 
period to prepare their proposals.  

The  focus  of  the  EIT  for  the  period  2011-2014  should  be  on  consolidation  and 
delivery.  It  should  put  in  place  robust  procedures  developed  through  a  mutual 
learning  process  with  the  existing  KICs.  The  EIT  should  continue  to  develop,  in 
collaboration  with  the  European  Commission  and  the  current  KICs,  further 

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OJ L 97, 9.4.2008, p1 

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simplified  procedures  for  the  operation  of  the  EIT  under  Horizon  2020  -the 
Framework Programme for Research and Innovation-. 

The EIT should establish robust monitoring procedures in association with the KICs 
and  in  co-operation  with  the  European  Commission.  This  should  include  the 
measurement  of  the  performance  of  the  EIT  against  its  own  objectives.  The  focus 
should be on establishing a results-based approach. An immediate priority is to use 
the results of such a monitoring procedure to assess the performance of the individual 
KICs and of the EIT overall.  

The  EIT  should  embrace  a  culture  of  openness  and  external  engagement  through 
which  it  can  develop  and  share  lessons  of  practice.  It  should  seek  to  engage  with 
external  expertise  in  developing  new  models  of  entrepreneurialism,  innovation  and 
education, actively work with other initiatives with similar aims and consider how its 
activities can assist in building capacity across the EU. 

The  EIT  should  be  distinctive  but  should  seek  to  promote  synergies  with  other 
European Union initiatives and programmes in the fields of education, research and 
innovation.  The  inclusion  of  the  EIT  under  Horizon  2020  -the  Framework 
Programme  for  Research  and  Innovation-  will  help  to  build  closer  ties  to  other  EU 
research and innovation initiatives seeking to promote common agendas. 

The EIT should publish the lessons it has learnt in the application of the derogations 
available in its financial rules and regulations governing its operations. This should 
be based upon the lessons learnt from the development of the first KICs and should 
seek  to  balance  a  desire  for  flexibility  and  a  simplified  approach  with  the  need  for 
responsibility for public monies. This should contribute to the future development of 
the Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.  

The EIT should review its communications strategy and the development of the EIT 
brand.  The  EIT  should  take  a  more  pro-active  approach  to  brand  development  and 
identify clearly the values that it is seeking to promote.  

The  EIT  should  review  its  staffing  levels,  resource  plan  and  internal  management 
procedures  in  the  light  of  the  chosen  strategic  model  for  the  institution.  Staffing 
increases should be gradual, tied to any increase in the functions of the EIT. 

The EIT should further develop its strategic role. It should focus on how the lessons 
learnt from the operation of the KICs can be used to build the capacity for innovation 
in  Member  States  throughout  the  EU.  This  is  not  a  resource  intensive  activity  but 
should complement the work undertaken by the KICs.  

Done at Brussels, 30.11.2011 

For the Commission 
Androulla Vassiliou  
Member of the Commission 

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