‘Significant changes’ needed in EU innovation principle

Official report points to unclear legal basis for ‘always think about innovation’ rule

The European Commission has been warned that significant improvements are needed to the EU’s innovation principle, which stipulates that innovation should be considered in any future policy.

In an official report prepared for the commission, Andrea Renda and Felice Simonelli say there are “evident areas for improvement” around the principle, including a “lack of a clear legal basis, the lack of a widely acknowledged definition, the lack of awareness among EU officials and stakeholders, and the lack of adequate skills [for implementation]” of it.