PURPOSE : to designate 2009 as the “European Year of Creativity and Innovation”.
PROPOSED ACT : Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.
CONTEXT : this proposal deals with the designation of 2009 as the European Year of Creativity and Innovation. It points out that Europe needs to boost its capacity for creativity and innovation for both social and economic reasons. The European Council has repeatedly recognised innovation as crucial to Europe’s ability to respond effectively to the challenges and opportunities of globalisation, noting that Europe needs a strategic approach aimed at creating an innovation-friendly environment where knowledge is converted into innovative products and services. The modern economy, with its emphasis on adding value by means of better use of knowledge and rapid innovation, requires a broadening of the creative skills base involving the whole population. In particular, there is a need for skills and competences that enable people to embrace change as an opportunity and to be open to new ideas that promote innovation and active participation in a culturally diverse, knowledge-based society.
Declaring a European Year is an effective way of helping to meet challenges by raising public awareness, disseminating information about good practices, stimulating research, creativity and innovation and promoting policy debate and change. By combining action at Community, national, regional and local levels, and creating openings for participation by interested stakeholders, it can generate synergies in information and awareness-raising activities, and help to focus policy debate on a specific issue.
CONTENT : The overall objective of the European Year is to promote creativity for all as a driver for innovation and as a key factor for the development of personal, occupational, entrepreneurial and social competences through lifelong learning.
In keeping with the concept of lifelong learning endorsed by the Council Resolution on lifelong learning of 27 June 2002, the promotion of creativity and a capacity for innovation will be tailored to all stages of lifelong learning, from early learning through compulsory and post-compulsory education and training, extending through working life to the post-retirement phase. It will apply to formal, non-formal and informal learning environments.
As in other European Years, measures will include information and promotion campaigns, events and initiatives at European, national, regional and local levels to convey key messages and disseminate information about examples of good practice. The Year will be implemented using existing Community programmes, in particular the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013 and the Culture Programme 2007-2013, and other programmes and initiatives within the priorities set for each instrument for the period including 2009. Those priorities include sectorally targeted objectives such as:
- awakening and reinforcing creativity and innovation or developing innovative pedagogic approaches involving the creative arts and science in schools;
- promoting the “knowledge triangle” by establishing learning regions centred on universities as a driving force for regional development; supporting the development and transfer of innovation through vocational training;
- promoting adults’ personal fulfilment by developing their cultural awareness and capacity for creative expression and innovation via adult education; and,
- for all links in the lifelong learning chain, communication activities and events to disseminate and apply the results.
To ensure that the activities organised in the course of the Year are tailored to the needs and circumstances in each Member State and that the maximum impact is obtained from the lessons learned at European level, the Member States are invited to appoint a national coordinator responsible for organising their participation in the European Year of Creativity and Innovation where the national Lisbon Coordinator cannot usefully take over this role. A European steering group, including representatives of the national coordinators, will coordinate activities at European level.
Lastly, it should be noted that no additional funding is sought for the Year. The flexibility for setting priorities on an annual or multiannual basis in the Lifelong Learning Programme and other relevant programmes provides a sufficient financial margin to support an awareness-raising campaign on a scale similar to previous European Years.
The administrative resources necessary to implement the Year can also be found within existing administrative budgets.