European Clusters and Regions for Eco-Innovation Network Plus
In 2006, 6 European regions (Rhone-Alpes, Andalusia, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Ile de France, Lombardy, and Malopolska) decided to work together to propose innovative financial instruments to support eco-innovation and SMEs at the regional level. The ECREIN network (European Clusters and Regions for Eco-investments Network) was created with the support of the DG ENV G3 Unit within the European Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP).

At the end of this project (December 2007) the 6 regions decided to continue to develop their activities, aware that regional policies and actions must be efficient to implement the new, green, low carbon economy that Europe and the Earth need.

Indeed, the first ECREIN project clearly exposed the lack of knowledge, adapted tools and coordination between public and private sectors, and as a consequence, the difficulty for financiers to invest in this specific sector.

On the basis of a Charter, a work programme and a dissemination plan, the six partners wished to expand their network with new regions from other European countries. Their objective: develop tools and actions to implement innovative regional policies supporting eco-innovation and eco-businesses, easily adaptable to every European region.

The ECREIN+ project submitted to INTERREG IVC as a regional initiative project will associate 6 new regions coming from 5 new countries: Romania, Bulgaria, Sweden, United Kingdom, and Belgium. For a larger dissemination, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) will be an active partner and responsible for the communication Component of the project.

The project will be divided into 3 components: the management component lead by Rhone-Alpes, the communication component lead by AER and the exchange of experience component lead by Andalusia with 3 work groups related to the main issues of a regional eco-innovation policy (the market, governance and tools, and efficiency).
The 12 regions and the AER will participate in the kick-off meeting (in Sweden), the steering committees, the 3 conferences (in UK, Poland and France) and in several workshops. The ECREIN website (and other communication events coordinated by AER) will allow for broad dissemination of the project's actions and results (methodological kit, guides of best practices, policy recommendations and databases).
The very innovative results expected of ECREIN+ will be specific tools, concepts and approaches allowing European regions to develop high-level, efficient and adapted policies to support eco-innovation and eco-businesses.

The economic and environmental crisis requires innovation for genuine, sustainable development. The regional level is very well suited for effective action in this field because of the proximity to stakeholders and the ability of Regions to develop flexible, innovative and adapted policies. Thus the ECREIN+ project will be a good example of the implementation of the Lisbon and Gothenburg strategies.