C 152/54
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
6.4.2022
3.11.
The European Commission’s ecosystem approach does not cover all relevant levels and aspects.
It clearly emphasises the importance of also viewing transition developments from a regional perspective, and of ensuring that companies — including those from the social economy — serve as the foundation for the whole political operation.
It is important to show how this relates to value chains and how the various components of individual ecosystems correspond to those of different ecosystems.
4.
Options for transition pathways following a holistic approach for socioeconomic industrial development 4.1.
While innovation is widely associated with new technologies or breakthroughs in scientific research, opportunities also exist to use existing competences as a basis for better or new products and services.
New technologies are interwoven with existing traditional technologies.
There are further clear examples for this interlinkage between well-established traditional ways of manufacturing and incremental innovation and modernisation of industries: the use of new and lighter material from aircraft in vehicles, the use of lighter automotive materials, and the application of biotechnology in the design of new medical instruments or services. 4.2.
Advanced ICT infrastructures act as drivers for introducing new opportunities and helping to create innovative and sustainable solutions that tie in with regionally existing peculiarities.
For instance, the use of 3D printers provides opportunities to develop and design a product in one location and make it physically available where it is required at a number of different locations.
This helps to reduce transportation-related environmental impacts. 4.3.
Social economy concepts can play an important role in socioeconomic change by creating new learning, living and employment opportunities, as well as alternative service and support infrastructures in local communities, especially for disadvantaged groups and persons at risk.
In conjunction with services of general public interest, these concepts have considerable potential to competently and effectively prepare societal and economic actors for the requirements and consequences of innovation and change, particularly at a regional level. 4.4.
Public structures have great responsibility in creating the enabling conditions for change and development by providing services of general interest that are accessible to all economic actors. 4.5.
This is also part of the progress required with services of public interest, such as organising continuous further training agencies for the necessary upskilling of the workforce, aiming to improve workers’ competences, and helping companies to cope with innovation and change.
Consequently, skilled workers will also become more rooted in the region and will contribute to shaping the ongoing — and green — structural change. 4.6.
For energy-intensive industries, there are many shared solutions for decarbonisation and thus the possibility of shared investments (e.g. clean hydrogen, reuse of carbon capture and storage).
Increased circularity and industrial symbiosis are also important aspects in decarbonising industry and in preparing for a future with efficient companies with strong productivity.
5.
The importance of regional labour markets providing for decent work in sustainable manufacturing and service companies 5.1.
There is a need to understand and use a granular analysis of regions, companies and their economic performance with regard to their fundamental competences in industries and in terms of workforce.
This also includes infrastructure, location, resource endowment, entrepreneurial spirit and institutional setup.
This is important for enabling a highly qualified workforce and for anticipating future skill demands to avoid skills deficits (e.g. engineers). 5.2.
Collaborations with universities, including those specialising in applied science, and research institutions may be instrumental in creating new industrial opportunities that can result in new workplaces in established businesses, multinational companies, SMEs and start-ups. 5.3.
At human level, regions that easily welcome and integrate new arrivals into well-functioning socioeconomic structures are in an advantageous position. 5.4.
Regions where a skilled workforce is deeply rooted in the socioeconomic structures and feels at home can also become the home of high value-added and dynamic industries and companies based on effective formal and informal competence networks.
Consequently, labour constitutively contributes to defining the innovative industrial competences of a region and fundamentally helps to support modernisation and transformation processes.