INNO-Nets - Better policies and instruments in support of eco-innovation

Further understanding eco -innovation dynamics and the role of public policies: eco-innovation is a new policy field, with few specific programmes developed in member States and scarce data on its importance and dynamics. While the 'eco -innovation platform' and 'eco-innovation observatory' under Europe INNOVA will seek to better understand these dynamics and analyse data sources, the INNO-Net should develop expertise on the role to be played by public policies and actors in this field, in particular innovation agencies and programmes, most efficient approaches and results to be expected.

Identifying best practices in member States and preparing the ground for their extension: the national roadmaps prepared by member States in the framework of ETAP include a number of programmes and policy instruments supporting the development of eco -innovation. The High -Level Group of experts following the implementation of ETAP identified several best practices for further analysis and exchange of experience. Based on this work and any other relevant information, the INNO -Net should further identify and analyse best policy practices, explore ways of evaluating and benchmarking their results, implement concrete exchanges of good policy practices leading to actual transfers of experience or extension of best practices.

Three policy areas look promising at this stage: Green Public Procurement, policies supporting innovative waste and recycling management, international cooperation in diffusing environmental technologies. Without excluding other fields of actions, the INNO-Net should explore these three areas in particular, analysing how public policies work in practice in these fields, existing instruments and methods, how the support provided to eco-innovation could be optimised, with a view to facilitate the cooperation between member States in the transfer of successful solutions and make recommendations to innovation actors. The support provided to SMEs by eco-innovation policies should be analysed in particular.

Raising awareness and promoting eco-innovation policies: efficient eco-innovation policies should be encouraged and promoted among eco-innovation actors, including eco-innovative businesses, in order to accelerate their development and optimise their impact on eco-innovation on the ground. By raising awareness on the issues at stake, on the role of public policies and best practices, the INNO-Net should contribute to the diffusion of information towards eco -innovation actors on the ground and to the reinforcement of the 'eco-innovation community'. Synergies with the Eco -innovation Forum implemented under ETAP will be investigated for this purpose.