Slowly taking shape

Two years after European Innovation Partnerships were proposed by the European Commission, the first ones are starting to operate. Catie Lichten reports.

“Removing the barriers to innovation” and “addressing major societal challenges” while improving economic competitiveness and creating jobs—European Innovation Partnerships have formidable goals to work towards. What’s more, EIPs aim to achieve their goals without having any direct decision-making power or any core funding of their own.

The pilot partnership, active and healthy ageing, got underway in late 2011 while four additional partnerships on water, agriculture, raw materials and smart cities are now in development. Among these, the Water Innovation Partnership is furthest along. It has appointed a task force that began to spell out the partnership’s priorities and plans during its first meeting on 25 September.