Cohesion policy for place-based transformative innovation : lessons of Denmark, Finland and Andalusia (Spain)

This policy brief presents one such initiative: a Peer2Peer study visit by the Andalusian delegation to their counterparts in Finland and Denmark. Facilitated by the Joint Research Centre and supported by the TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer instrument in collaboration with DG REGIO, the visit aimed to draw lessons from leading practices in the management of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), and the Just Transition Fund (JTF), with a view to strengthening innovation ecosystems and advancing sustainable regional competitiveness. This visit was initiated through a collaboration between the Regional Ministry of Economy, Treasury and European Funds of the Andalusian Government (Spain) and the Joint Research Centre in Seville. Its primary objective was to identify successful innovation policies in European countries or regions, specifically those supported by European Cohesion Funds. DG REGIO played a highly significant role in identifying the host institutions for the visit and actively supported its implementation through the TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer instrument. The insights gained will provide a valuable reference for Andalusia and other regions as they design their future programmes, especially those focused on business innovation. An equally important objective was to identify effective practices for simplifying programme management and designing more business-friendly initiatives. In this context, it was found that the simplification options were applied in all their forms by the three administrations in a very similar manner.