The document discusses how EU policy has increasingly supported social innovation through initiatives like the Europe 2020 strategy and Horizon 2020 program. It defines social innovation as innovations that meet social needs in a way that creates new social relationships. The two main EU instruments that support social innovation are the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, which uses funds like the European Social Fund, and the Horizon 2020 program which provides €3.8 billion for inclusive, innovative and secure societies research.

1. Research and
Innovation
Research and
Innovation
Social Innovation in
European Policies
Dr. Werner Wobbe
DG RTD C2
2nd European Sommer School of
Innovation
4 July 2013, San Sebastian, Spain

2. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
Overview
• How EU policy has developed in view of social
innovation
• How does the European Commission understand
social innovation
• How policy is put into practice by mainly two
instruments

3. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
The narrative of social innovation in
European policies
• From social aid to social inclusion
• From social inclusion to empowering people and
driving change
• From technological innovation to social innovation
• From competitiveness to societal challenges

4. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
Understanding Social Innovation
‘innovations that are social in both
their ends and their means.
Specifically, [...] new ideas
(products, services and models) that
simultaneously meet social needs
(more effectively than alternatives)
and create new social relationships
or collaborations. They are
innovations that are not only good
for society but also boost society’s
capacity to act.’

5. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
EU Policies and Strategy
• Europe 2020 strategy
• Seven policy flagship initiatives for smart,
sustainable and inclusive growth
• Social inclusion, innovation, entrepreneurship and
knowledge-based society are core issues
• The two most relevant flagship initiatives for
social innovation
 Instrument I: "European Platform against Poverty and
Social Exclusion"
 Instrument II: "Innovation Union"

6. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
Headline Targets of Europe 2020
• 75 per cent employment rate (% of 20-64 year
population)
• 3 per cent investment in R&D (% of EU GDP); new
innovation indicator to be developed
• 20 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
(30% conditional offer); 20 per cent share of
renewables in final energy consumption; move towards
20 per cent increase in energy efficiency
• School drop-out reduction rates to less than 10 per cent;
at least 40 per cent of 30-34-year-olds to complete
tertiary education or equivalent
• Lift at least 20 million people out of the risk of poverty
and exclusion

7. The Budget: Multiannual Financial Framework
2014-2020: Commission’s proposals of 29 June 2011
1. Smart & inclusive growth (€491bn)
2. Sustainable growth, natural resources (€383bn)
3. Security and citizenship (€18.5bn)
4. Global Europe (€70bn)
5. Administration (€62.6bn)
Total:
€ 1,025bn
(€960bn
recent EU institutional agreement)
Education,
Youth, Sport
Connecting
Europe
Cohesion Competitive
Business SMEs
Horizon
2020
Key challenge: stabilise the financial and economic system
while taking measures to create economic opportunities

8. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
Flagship: Platform against Poverty
and Social Exclusion
• Delivering actions across the whole policy spectrum such as the
labour market, minimum income support, healthcare, education, housing
and access to basic banking accounts.
• Better use of EU funds to support social inclusion. The Commission
has proposed that 20% of the European Social Fund be earmarked for
fighting poverty and social exclusion.
• Promoting robust evidence of what does and does not work in social
policy innovations before implementing them more widely.
• Working in partnership with civil society to support more effectively
the implementation of social policy reforms. The participation of people
experiencing poverty is now acknowledged as a catalyst for inclusion
strategies.
• Enhanced policy coordination among EU countries has been
established through the use of the open method of coordination for social
protection and social inclusion (Social OMC) and the Social Protection
Committee in particular.

9. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
Social investment and the (Social)
Funds for social innovation
Instrument I
• European Social Fund (ESF) is European Union’s main
financial instrument for supporting the implementation of
employment and social policy reforms
• Member States will implement a Social Investment
Package (SIP)
• Support of SIP by the EU through the ESF, and
support from other European Structural and Investment
Funds
• European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the
Framework Programmes for Research and Development
European (FP RTD), Investment Bank Group (EIB) and
European Commission Initiatives (JASPERS, JEREMIE,
JESSICA, JASMINE), the European Investment Fund (EIF)
to promote social enterprise, the Competitiveness and
Innovation Programme (CIP)

10. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
What is Horizon 2020
• Instrument II
• Commission proposal for a 80 billion euro research
and innovation funding programme (2014-2020)
• A core part of Europe 2020, Innovation Union &
European Research Area:
- Responding to the economic crisis to invest in future jobs
and growth
- Addressing people’s concerns about their livelihoods, safety
and environment
- Strengthening the EU’s global position in research,
innovation and technology

11. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
Investment in R&D is part of the solution
to exit from the economic crises: The more
countries invest in R&D the better they perform

12. Research and
Innovation
Three priorities:
1. Excellent science
2. Industrial leadership
3. Societal challenges

13. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
Priority 3. Societal challenges
• Why:
• Concerns of citizens and society/EU policy
objectives (climate, environment, energy,
transport etc) cannot be achieved without
innovation
• Breakthrough solutions come from multi-
disciplinary collaborations, including social
sciences & humanities
• Promising solutions need to be tested,
demonstrated and scaled up

14. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
• Proposed funding million euro, 2014-2020
(Commission proposal)
Health, demographic change and wellbeing 8 033
Food security, sustainable agriculture, marine and
maritime research & the bioeconomy
4 152
Secure, clean and efficient energy* 5 782
Smart, green and integrated transport 6 802
Climate action, resource efficiency and raw
materials
3 160
Inclusive, innovative and secure societies 3 819

15. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
Socio-economic sciences and humanities
• Integrated approach: SSH included as an integral part of the
activities, working beyond 'silos‘ (e.g. understanding the
determinants of health and optimising the effectiveness of
healthcare systems).
• The 'Inclusive, Innovative and Secure Societies'
challenge: issues such as smart and sustainable growth, social
transformations, social innovation and creativity, the position of
Europe as a global actor as well as the social dimension of a
secure society (SSH have the tools to contribute to addressing
security challenges, enhancing the societal dimension of
security policy and research).

16. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
Next steps
Ongoing: Parliament and Council negotiations on the
basis of the Commission proposals
Ongoing: Parliament and Council negotiations on EU
budget 2014-2020 (including overall budget
for Horizon 2020)
Mid 2012: Final calls under 7th Framework Programme
for research to bridge gap towards Horizon
2020
Mid 2013: Adoption of legislative acts by Parliament
and Council on Horizon 2020
1/1/2014: Horizon 2020 starts, launch of first calls

17. PolicyResearch and
Innovation
Discussion –Reflection - Concepts
• Social Aid ><Social inclusion
• Capacity to act
• Social economy (cooperatives, associations,
'Gemeinwirtschaft', 'Daseinsvorsorge')
• Productivity movement
• New public management
• Public authority and political movements

18. Research and
Innovation
Find out more:
www.ec.europa.eu/research/horizon2020