PURPOSE: to designate 2009 as the “European Year of Creativity and Innovation”.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision No 1350/2008/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the European Year of Creativity and Innovation (2009).
CONTENT: having reached agreement with the Parliament at first reading, the Council adopted a Decision designating 2009 as the “European Year of Creativity and Innovation”.
The overall objective of the Year shall be to support the efforts of the Member States to promote creativity, through lifelong learning, as a driver for innovation and as a key factor for the development of personal, occupational, entrepreneurial and social competences and the well-being of all individuals in society.
The specific objectives of the Year shall be to highlight, inter alia, the following factors:
- providing an environment which is favourable to innovation and adaptability in a rapidly changing world; all forms of innovation, including social and entrepreneurial innovation, shall be taken into account;
- highlighting openness to cultural diversity as a means of fostering intercultural communication and promoting closer links between the arts, as well as with schools and universities;
- stimulating aesthetic sensitivity, emotional development, creative thinking and intuition in all children from the earliest stages of development, including pre-school care;
- raising awareness of the importance of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship for personal development, as well as for economic growth and employment, and fostering entrepreneurial mindsets, particularly among young people, through cooperation with the business world;
- promoting education in basic as well as advanced mathematical, scientific and technological skills conducive to technological innovation;
- fostering openness to change, creativity and problem-solving as competences conducive to innovation which are transferable to a variety of occupational and social contexts;
- broadening access to a variety of creative forms of self-expression both throughout formal education and by means of non-formal and informal youth activities;
- raising awareness among people that creativity, knowledge and flexibility are important in a time of rapid technological changes and global integration for a prosperous and fulfilling life;
- promoting design as a creative activity which significantly contributes to innovation, including basic notions of protection of intellectual property;
- developing creativity and innovative capacity in private and public organisations through training, and encouraging them to make better use of the creative capacities of both employees and clients.
In the context of existing programmes, the EU will contribute to the funding of European, national, regional or local measures which contribute to these objectives, including:
- conferences, events and initiatives to promote debate and raise awareness of the importance of creativity and a capacity for innovation;
- information and promotion campaigns to disseminate key messages;
- identification of examples of good practice and dissemination of information about promoting creativity and a capacity for innovation;
- surveys and studies on a Community or national scale.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 25/12/2008.