Council conclusions on “Cross fertilization between Europe 2020 flagship initiatives Digital Agenda for Europe and Innovation Union” agreed by ministers at the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council, underlined the key role played by flagship initiatives “Digital Agenda for Europe” and “Innovation Union” as integrated strategies crucial to support the transition of the EU economy towards an energy and resource efficient and competitive knowledge economy ensuring a high level of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and jobs.

In the Conclusions on "Cross fertilization between 2020 flagship initiatives Digital Agenda for Europe and Innovation Union", the Council also underlines that an integrated European innovation strategy needs the setting up of a fully functioning digital Single Market to the benefit of European businesses, in particular SMEs and innovative start-ups, and European consumers. For that purpose, it will be required to take decisive actions, both immediate and over the medium to longer-term, by the EU and Member States.

Stimulating innovation in ICT to meet pressing challenges such as fast and ultra-fast internet supply, coverage and use, online trust and security, and turning growing internet usages into value creation for EU companies is an important need to support the challenges faced by Europe 2020 Strategy.

Following these objectives, the Council has encouraged the Commission to take action in some areas such as to develop a proposal with a view to launching a pilot European Innovation Partnership on active and healthy ageing, and to assess the concept, specially based on a mapping exercise of activities and stakeholders in this area, focusing on the ICT sector, and evaluating the pilot in due course.

Re-use of Public Sector Information, an opportunity for competitiveness

Increasing the availability of public sector information for re-use both by individuals and businesses as well as seeking collaboration with third parties on the development of e-services to foster innovation and the development of the knowledge-based economy is an important challenge EU administrations have to take.

In this field, the Council has invited the Commission to propose by 2012 a revision of the Re-use of Public Sector Information (PSI) Directive taking into account the results of the public consultation on PSI and, making, where appropriate, public sector data easily available as a resource for innovation.

Boosting innovation through pre-commercial procurement

Council has also underlined the need for EU economy to make a more strategic use of pre-commercial procurements and public procurements of  innovative digital products and services at all levels to improve the efficiency and quality of public e-services and to create new markets across Europe. The Council has invited the Commission to leverage more private investment in ICTs through the strategic use of pre-commercial procurement and, where appropriate, effective industry-driven research partnerships, by using structural funds for research and innovation, where appropriate, and by maintaining the foreseen yearly increase of the ICT R&D budget for the duration of Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and without prejudice to the future financial framework

Public administrations must regard innovation as an integral part of their way of working and will have to analyse how the use of ICT can improve the provision of e-services and public sector business processes reducing administrative burden. These are indeed some of the conclusions set out in the “Malmö Ministerial Declaration on e-Government” of 18 November 2009.