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The Innovation Policy of the European Union

From Government to Governance

Susana Borrás

Adopting a strong interdisciplinary approach, the author skilfully examines the politics and economics of the new innovation policy of the EU, addressing such diverse topics as research and knowledge production, the changing regime of intellectual property rights, building the information society, standard setting, risk assessment and the social sustainability of innovation. The conclusions pose many theoretical questions which will require further research, most notably the extent to which EU innovation policy underpins a European system of innovation.


29 Jul 2003



Chapter 7: Conclusion






(14 total)

Collection: Social And Political Science 2010 and before


CHARACTERIZING THE GOVERNANCE OF THE INNOVATION POLICY AT EU LEVEL The astonishingly rapid succession of initiatives and public actions in the innovation arena, and the widening of the policy agenda, reveal important novelties in the way innovation policy is being governed at EU level. It is not easy to put order into this panoply of social, economic and political dynamics that shape the governance structures. Nevertheless, it is important that we can see the wood for the trees and gain an overview of these dynamics. Taking Table 7.1 as a starting point, we can reach some conclusions about the governance patterns emerging at each of these dimensions; namely, Europeanization, international/global level, the redefinition of public-private realms and the question of disparities and diversity in the EU. As we saw in the corresponding chapters, each of these areas has a sort of ‘internal logic’ within which political action and initiatives are articulated. At the same time, however, they form a single collective dimension as they are essential building blocks of the new innovation policy approach. This follows the understanding that innovation is much more than the linear result of RTD efforts, but encompasses a large number of other issues that define the specific regulatory, social, financial and political context where innovations take place. Hence, despite the specific developments of these different areas, some common features can be identified indicating how the general context of the EU has been evolving in the last couple of decades. Europeanization In all of these areas,...






