What We Do
Policy Influencing
Thanks to its place-based approach, the Vanguard Initiative has a wide national, EU, and international outreach. Through the activities of its pilots, the Vanguard Initiative has proven to be a successful network, leading by example in interregional collaboration based on smart specialisation. For almost 10 years, Vanguard regions have been committed to supporting innovation and technology uptake at the EU level, and they are constantly reflecting on how to fund such activities as well as how to join forces to support their roll-out. This is closely connected to the work of the European Commission’s Thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms (S3P). The Vanguard Initiative is, in this perspective, advocating for stronger commitment to enable effective synergies between EU funding tools and instruments, with regional and national funding.
Vanguard Initiative Annual Political Meeting: Regional Ministers and Representatives shape the Network’s Future Strategic
On 21st November 2019 in Brussels, the Vanguard Initiative’s Annual Political Meeting (APM) took place, with Regional Ministers and senior representatives from Vanguard Initiative’s 36 Member Regio
Joint Vanguard-EARTO contribution to EC consultation on GBER combining funding
Contribution to the public consultation on targeted review of the GBER
European networks and S3 partnerships come together to support Interregional Innovation Investments for European value chains
European Regions, Interregional Smart Specialisation partnerships and other innovation stakeholders jointly call upon the European Parliament and the Council of the EU to preserve the proposed ‘Int
Component 5 discussion at Swedish permanent representation attracts great level of interest
On 16 January 2019, the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU and the Vanguard Initiative organised an informal information and discussion session about the topic How to stimulate interregio
Supporting interregional S3 cooperation along industrial value chains
On the 6th of November, the Vanguard Initiative organised, jointly with the European Parliament SME Intergroup a breakfast session dedicated to the new Interreg Component 5 ‘Interregional Innovatio
EARTO and the Vanguard Initiative publish a common statement “ Supporting Key EC Proposals for New Instruments Offering Real
On 29 May 2018, the European Commission has published draft regulations for the 2021-2027 Cohesion Policy programming period.
Vanguard note on financial instruments
Note on the market failures for large scale piloting activities and possible solutions as identified by the Vanguard Initiative
COMPCRO meeting - VI input
Follow-up of the COMPCRO meeting of 18 September 2017 – Vanguard Initiative input
Position paper: Regions and future EU policies for Growth and Investment
The 30 Regions of the Vanguard Initiative are committed to leading by example in delivering growth and jobs through industry-led interregional cooperation, co-creation, and co-investment, on the ba
WIRE 2016 Conference - Summary VI session
From 8 to 10 June the Week of Innovative Regions took place in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Vanguard Initiative policy experts Cluster Workshop - Final statement
Policy Experts from the Vanguard Initiative (VI) regions held a workshop before the European Cluster Conference 2014, on the 20th October, to discuss these issues and the role that clustering polic