Authors: Arnold Verbeek, Ruslan Lukach, Pierre padilla
Publication date: July 2012

R&D support is in most EU-regions connected to specific pratical & local requirements. Funding agencies are confronted with a number of dilemma’s and crucial choices for the future.

The Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT) is the main agency for administering and delivering industrial R&D and innovation support in Flanders. IWT provides funding, advice and access to a network of potential partners (R&D and innovation support) in Flanders and abroad. In particular, IWT supports R&D and innovation through the following main activities:

• Funding: financing innovative projects of companies, research centres, collective research initiatives, organisations and individuals;
• Advice and services: support to all Flemish companies and research centres by helping these during their applications, or providing technological advice during their innovative projects;
• Co-ordination and networking: stimulating co-operation by bringing innovative companies and research centres in contact with Flemish intermediate organisations that stimulate innovation;
• Policy development: supporting the Flemish Government in its innovation policy.
   

This study makes an inventory of the objectives & modalities of direct RTDI support measures in a number of EU regions and identifies trends and issues related to funding modalities.
R&D support in Member States faces quite a number of ‘pressures’ related to increasing internationalisation and the importance of R&D cooperation (for example in the context of the EU 2020 and the European Research Area, and Flagship Initiative “Innovation Union”) and economic return as a result of stand-alone policy developments, and perhaps also the effects of the recent economic fluctuation and decline. The latter is expected to lead to a further prioritisation in favour of national and regional advantage. These pressures, confront IWT and other funding agen¬cies with a number of dilemma’s and crucial future choices.