EU Innovation Policy and Aviation

Dr Antigoni Lykotrafiti

Presentation based on paper:

“EU Innovation Policy: Lessons Learned from the

Inclusion of Aviation in the EU Emissions Trading

Scheme”, 40(4) Legal Issues of Economic

Integration, 2013, pp. 339-361.

2

Starting off course: Lessons learned

-Nascent EU Innovation policy

-EU Innovation policy as a product of synthesis

-EU Innovation policy in line with Europe 2020

Strategy: innovation as a means to an end as

opposed to a end in itself

-EU innovation policy as a sign of integration

(emergence out of the acquis communautaire)

3

Partnering in Research and Innovation in Aviation

• Air Traffic Management:

Single European Sky ATM Research programme

(SESAR)

• Aeronautics:

Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative (Clean Sky

JTI)

4

Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR)

Legal basis in primary law: Title XIX, Article 187

TFEU

“The Union may set up joint undertakings or any

other structure necessary for the efficient

execution of Union research, technological

development and demonstration programmes”.

5

Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR)

• Legal basis in secondary law:

Council Regulation (EC) No 217/2007 on the

establishment of a Joint Undertaking to develop

the new generation European air traffic

management system and amending Regulation

(EC) No 1361/2008

6

SESAR: A Three Phase Programme

• Definition phase (2005-2008):co-financed by EU

& Eurocontrol

• Development phase (2008-2013): co-financed by

EU & industry

• Deployment phase (2014-2020): originally

meant to be financed by the industry, but EU

support now authorised

7

SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU)

• SESAR JU: the first ATM PPP set up as an EU

body (Art. 187 TFEU)

• Tasked with the management of: (i) the R&D

activities, and (ii) the funds during the

development phase

8

Assessment of SESAR - What Went Wrong

• Delays in implementation of Functional Airspace

Blocks (FABs) ⇒ Need for additional EU funds

• Open Method of Coordination (bottom-up

approach) ≠ national sovereignty

9

Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative (JTI)

• Legal basis in primary law:

Title XIX, Article 187 TFEU

• Legal basis in secondary law:

Council Regulation (EC) No 71/2007 setting up the

Clean Sky Joint Undertaking

10

Clean Sky JTI – Background Information

• Sixth Framework Programme: European

Technology Platforms ➝ Strategic Research

Agendas

• Seventh Framework Programme: Joint

Technology Initiatives ➝ Implementation of

Strategic Research Agendas

• Clean Sky JTI: a spin-off from the Technology

Platform for aviation (ACARE)

11

Clean Sky Joint Undertaking (JU)

• Clean Sky JTI: a long-term PPP between the

Commission and the aeronautical industry,

implemented through a Joint Undertaking

• Clean Sky JU: tasked with the management of

the funds and the coordination of research

activities

12

Assessment of Clean Sky – A Success Story

• Positive evaluation by the industry (continuation

within Horizon 2020 Framework Programme)

• Positive Impact Assessment of Clean Sky 2 by

Expert Group established by European

Commission

• SME Participation higher than in other FP7

instruments (40% of the budget)

➝ Yet, red tape (delays in setting up the JU and

project execution)

13

Partnering in Research and Innovation -Lessons learned

• ATM: Member States’ role key in attaining

innovation results ⇒ heightened supervisory and

coordinating role by the Commission and a

subordinate role for the industry

• Aeronautics: Member States’ role in attaining

innovation results commensurate with the

industry’s

14

Suggestion

Open Method of Coordination more effective if:

• There is a top-down rough work plan,

• which is worked-out in its detail by the industry

at the stage of execution/implementation,

• whilst the Commission exercises an active

coordinating role.

➝ Interaction between top-down forces and

bottom-up forces ⇒ complementarities fostering

innovation

15