The European Commission launches a public consultation to design a 'strategic innovation agenda' of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) fwhich the Commission is due to propose by the end of this year. The agenda will outline the Institute's main priorities until 2020, focusing on the Institute's mission and objectives, funding and future themes. It will be presented by the end of the year by the Commission.

The EIT has an administrative headquarters in Budapest, but operates from 16 sites throughout Europe through cross-border public-private partnerships known as 'knowledge and innovation communities', or KICs. The KICs bring together excellent higher education institutions, research centres and businesses. Three KICs have been created to date, focusing on sustainable energy (InnoEnergy KIC), climate change (Climate KIC) and information and communication society (EIT ICTLabs).

The consultation complements a broad debate on the future of EU research and innovation funding with Commission Green Paper "From Challenges to Opportunities: Towards a Common Strategic Framework for EU Research and Innovation funding".

The contributions can be done until 30 June. Based on the results of this process, as well as an independent evaluation and also a proposal from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) itself, the Commission will present the strategic innovation agenda by December 2011.