8th Cohesion Report's findings on regional innovation divide

On 9 February, the European Commission released the 8thCohesion Report:Cohesion in Europe towards 2050. The document assesses economic, social and territorial cohesion in the EU, showcasing both positive and negative trends in EU regions, cities and rural areas.

According to the report, while the Cohesion policy has narrowed territorial and social disparities between EU regions, theregional innovation divide in Europe has grown. While some Member States achieved important progress in catching up, many regions, including in more developed Member States, lag behind. This is due not only to a lack of investment in R&D, but also to weaknesses in regional innovation ecosystems. Better innovation diffusion at national and regional level should help less developed and transition regions to catch up.

It is argued that the role of regions in building Europe’s future should be strengthened, including by embedding innovation in all regions.Addressing weaknesses in the diffusionand adoptionof new ideasand technologiesand encouraging broad-based innovationshould ensure that all regions can reap the benefit of an increasingly knowledge-intensive economy.

DT4REGIONS project proudly contributes to efforts in addressing the regional innovation gap, harnessing digital transformation for the benefit of citizens and communities, in the awareness of the challenges of the digital age.

Find the full report and its accompanying documents here.