Regions and Innovation: Collaborating Across Borders

16-17 September 2013 OECD Conference Centre, CC13, 2 rue Andre-Pascal, 75016 Paris

The purpose of this workshop is to discuss how cross-border regions can best promote joint action to support innovation-driven growth. To maximise participant engagement, each session will involve a panel interviewed by a moderator, allowing time for questions and discussion. A background report, based on six in-depth case studies as well as other examples, will be sent to participants in advance. The workshop and its background materials will lead to a policy-oriented OECD report. If you are interested in participating, please contact Giulia.AjmoneMarsan@oecd.org (+33.1.45.24.89.98) or Karen.Maguire@oecd.org (+33.1.45.24.87.56). The workshop is free of cost, but participation is limited to 100 and all participants must be registered in advance for access to the OECD Conference Centre. The workshop will be conducted in English. Information for speakers. The conference interventions will take place in English. Speakers are not requested to prepare presentations. During each session, the Chair will launch the discussion with questions to speakers on the key themes of the corresponding session. Participants will in turn have the opportunity to make remarks or ask questions. Logistical information. Information on how to reach the OECD Conference Centre may be found at http://www.oecd.org/site/conferencecentre/gettingtotheoecd.htm. On arrival, you must register with a photo ID at the Reception desk to obtain a visitor’s badge http://www.oecd.org/site/conferencecentre/badges.htm. A list of hotels located near to the OECD headquarters can be found at: http://www.oecd.org/site/conferencecentre/hotelsclosetooecd.htm.

The OECD thanks the European Commission (Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy),

Nordregio and the participating case study regions* for their support of this project. *In-depth case studies are for the following cross-border areas: Ireland-Northern Ireland (UK); Oresund (Denmark-Sweden); Top Technology-ELAt Region (Netherlands-Belgium-Germany); the Bothnian Arc (Sweden-Finland); Hedmark-Dalarna (Sweden-Norway); and Helsinki-Tallinn (Finland-Estonia).

Regions and Innovation: Collaborating Across Borders 16-17 September 2013

Day One: Monday 16 September 2013, CC13 13:30- 14:00 Registration and Welcome

14:00-15:00 OPENING SESSION: WHY INNOVATION MATTERS FOR CROSS-BORDER REGIONS AND VICE VERSA

Chair Speakers

Mr. Joaquim Oliveira Martins, Head of Division, Regional Development Policy, OECD Ms. Claire Nauwelaers, STI Policy Expert Ms. Karen Maguire, Counsellor/Advisor, Regional Development and Innovation, OECD Mr. Pontus Lindberg, Deputy Governor, Region Skåne, Sweden

This opening session will provide an overview of the rationales and drivers for pursuing cross-border innovation strategies and instruments. Across the OECD, regional development policies increasingly focus on innovation-driven growth. While innovation activities are global, evidence shows that international borders remain a high barrier to innovation collaboration and knowledge spillovers, even for neighbouring regions across the border. Policies need to adjust to innovation trends, favouring rather than hindering relevant cross-border efforts. Moreover, tailoring innovation strategies to cross-border functional regions, defined according to innovation and knowledge flows rather than administrative borders, could have several benefits. Such benefits may include greater efficiency in public spending for innovation, reaching critical size for certain innovation-related infrastructure and services, better mobilisation of the cross-border labour force, new discoveries and innovations contributing to firm competitiveness, or innovations in cross-border public services.

15:00-16:15 SESSION I: BEYOND BORDERS: HOW TO MEASURE AND DEFINE THE CROSS-BORDER AREA FOR INNOVATION SUPPORT

Chair Speakers

Ms. Monica Brezzi, Head of Unit, Territorial Analysis and Statistics, OECD Mr. Martin Eichler, Chief Economist, BAK Basel, Switzerland Ms. Bernadette McGahon, STI Manager, InterTradeIreland, Ireland/UK Ms. Michaela Trippl, Associate Professor, Lund University, Sweden Mr. Finn Lauritzen, Managing Director, Oresund Committee, Denmark/Sweden

Session I will explore the existing methodologies and indicators used to measure and define functional cross-border areas for innovation activities. Cross-border innovation strategies should target “functional” areas for innovation; however in most regions relevant data to make this assessment is unavailable. The definition of a functional cross-border area depends on the relevant function. Indicators measuring innovation-related flows of people, goods, services, capital and knowledge, in addition to those that measure integration more generally, help to assess the relevant geographic scale of the cross-border area so as to better fit policy to place. Such measures may capture the different “proximities” that provide more favourable conditions for collaboration, including with respect to institutional and socio-cultural factors. Definitions of a cross-border functional area also need to recognise variable geometry so as to avoid the creation of rigid new borders. Functional areas can change over time, or simply vary according to different sectors of specialisation within which innovation interactions take place.

Regions and Innovation: Collaborating Across Borders 16-17 September 2013

16:15-16:45 Coffee Break

16:45-18:00 SESSION II: GOVERNING CROSS-BORDER AREAS: WHEN AND HOW TO BUILD LONG-TERM COLLABORATION

Chair Speakers

Ms. Karen Maguire, Counsellor/Advisor, Regional Development and Innovation, OECD Mr. Kjell Vaagen, Head of the Secretariat for Hedmark-Dalarna Border Committee,

Sweden/Norway Mr. Aidan Gough, Strategy and Policy Director, InterTradeIreland, Ireland/UK Mr. Finn Lauritzen, Managing Director, Oresund Committee, Denmark/Sweden Mr. Rolando Pablos, CEO, the Borderplex Binational Economic Alliance, US/Mexico

Session II will discuss cross-border governance mechanisms for innovation, including examples of successful governance arrangements as well as related barriers and strategies to overcome them. Most cross-regional partnerships are governed by associations and committees established under voluntary agreements, with formal institutions being the exception. However, some form of secretariat is necessary to make the governance of cross-border areas work effectively. Despite the need to garner greater national policy support, national policy makers are rarely invited to participate in formal governance arrangements. Wider stakeholder involvement is also necessary for sustainability. Often private organisations are the first to see the potential for cross-border collaborations, driven by market opportunities that do not stop at administrative boundaries, but are not represented in the governance bodies of cross-border areas. The involvement of the private sector, higher education institutions and in some cases citizens may take place through other forms of consultation or working groups. Special capacities of public authorities are also needed for cross-border regional innovation efforts.

18:00-19:00

Cocktail

Regions and Innovation: Collaborating Across Borders 16-17 September 2013

Day Two: Tuesday, 17 September 2013, CC13 8:30-9:00 Day 2 Arrival and Welcome

9:00-10:15 SESSION III: HOW TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE CROSS-BORDER

INNOVATION INSTRUMENTS

Chair Speakers

Ms. Giulia Ajmone Marsan, Economist, Regional Development Policy Division, OECD Ms. Merle Krigul, Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio Mr. Heikki Aalto, CEO, The Bothnian Arc, Finland/Sweden Ms. Laura Comelli, Managing Authority, Cross-border cooperation Italy-Slovenia Mr. Jonathan Loeffler, Managing Director, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum, Karlsruhe, Upper Rhine Area, France/Germany/Switzerland Speaker from TTR-ELAt, Germany/Belgium/The Netherlands

Session III will address innovation policy instruments targeting cross-border innovation systems, including the more favourable conditions for their implementation. Successful cross-border instruments are more likely to be effective if they contribute to a broader cross-border innovation strategy or action plan, rather than as isolated interventions. The level of success of a particular instrument may also vary according to several characteristics, related to the type of actors targeted (universities, firms, SMEs, etc.), regulations, or simply the lack of relevant partners on the other side of the border. Sometimes success with one cross-border policy instrument can be used to test and prove the relevance of a more strategic approach to the cross-border area.

10:15-10:45 Coffee Break

10:45-12:00 SESSION IV: NATIONAL AND SUPRANATIONAL POLICIES: HELPING OR HINDERING REGIONAL CROSS-BORDER EFFORTS

Chair Speakers

Ms. Claire Nauwelaers, STI Policy Expert Ms. Carla Boonstra, Counsellor, Permanent Delegation of the Netherlands to the OECD Mr. Philippe Monfort, European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy Ms. Maria Lindqvist, Senior Research Fellow, Nordregio Mr. Jean Peyrony, Director General, Mission Opérationnelle Transfrontaliére, France Mr. Markku Markkula, EU Committee of the Regions

Session IV will discuss the role and the effectiveness of national and supranational policies in promoting cross-border cooperation for innovation policy. Depending on the degree of devolved responsibilities in a country, regional authorities may not have the mandate or toolkit to target innovation measures to the wider cross-border area. With rare exceptions, national funds stop at national borders. Therefore, some policy instruments can be made more flexible to facilitate alignment of respective funding sources on both sides of the border or, if mainstreamed, simply allow full participation of cross-border actors. In other cases, national rules and regulations beyond innovation policy instruments may be the obstacle to greater cross-border collaboration. Supranational authorities also have a role to play in designing policies and programme rules that can facilitate cross-border policy efforts. National and supranational entities face the challenge of finding the right balance between top-

Regions and Innovation: Collaborating Across Borders 16-17 September 2013

down and bottom-up initiatives for regional cross-border areas, as well as effective multi-level governance arrangements to support this alignment.

12:00-13:00 CONLUDING SESSION: THE WAY FORWARD The concluding session will summarise the main outcomes and lessons that have emerged during the workshop.

13:00 END OF WORKSHOP

14:00-18:00 CLOSED WORKING SESSION FOR PARTICIPANT CASE STUDY REGIONS (by invitation only)

Regions and Innovation: Collaborating Across Borders 16-17 September 2013

About the OECD

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is a unique forum where the governments of 34 market democracies work together to address the economic, social and governance challenges of globalisation as well as to exploit its opportunities. The Organisation provides a setting where governments can compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practice and co-ordinate domestic and international policies.

Regional Development and Innovation

The OECD’s Regional Development Policy Division provides data and policy recommendations in several areas, such as regional innovation, urban development, rural development, and multi-level governance. At the request of governments, the OECD conducts reviews of innovation and growth challenges and opportunities in particular regions or cities. For more information, see http://www.oecd.org/gov/regional-policy/.

Selected Publications

For Further Information

Karen Maguire, Policy Advisor (regional development and innovation) Regional Development Policy Division, OECD

karen.maguire@oecd.org. +33 (01) 45.24.87.56 www.oecd.org/gov/regional/innovation

Thematic Publications on Regions and Innovation

Regions and Innovation: Collaborating Across Borders (forthcoming)

Regions and Innovation Policy (2011)

Globalisation and Regional Economies: Can OECD Regions Compete in Global Industries? (2007)

Competitive Regional Clusters: National Policy Approaches (2007)

Building Competitive Regions (2005)

OECD Reviews of Regional Innovation

Central and Southern Denmark (2012)

Wallonia (Belgium, 2012)

Basque Country (Spain, 2011)

Catalonia (Spain, 2010)

15 Mexican States (2009)

Piedmont (Italy, 2009)

North of England (UK, 2008)

Regional Development

Regional Outlook (2012)

Promoting Growth in All Regions (2012)

Redefining “Urban”: A New Way to Measure Metropolitan Areas (2012)

Regions at a Glance (2011)

Regional Development Policies in OECD Countries (2010)