Declaration of intent strengthens transregional cooperation between research centres
The Flemish organisation VITO, the Dutch organisation TNO, Germany’s Fraunhofer UMSICHT and Luxembourg’s LIST have signed a declaration of intent in which the four research and technology organisations, or RTOs, commit to working much more closely together on industrial innovation. This cooperation is intended to accelerate innovation and strengthen Europe’s industrial competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy.
The MoU was signed during the festive celebration of VITO’s 35th anniversary, in the presence of Minister President Matthias Diependaele. During the speeches by both the Minister President and Inge Neven, CEO of VITO, the urgency of closer cooperation was highlighted. In recent years, the growing emphasis on what is known as “the Fifth Freedom” has only increased. Alongside the free movement of goods, people, services and capital, the fifth freedom, the free movement of knowledge, research, scientists and technology, is essential to safeguarding Europe’s competitiveness. Europe must be able to function as an interconnected innovation ecosystem, rather than as a collection of fragmented regional players.
In her speech, CEO Inge Neven made the case for establishing a Transregional Resource Resilience Alliance, a cross border partnership designed to make Europe more resilient in terms of energy, raw materials and technology. “Europe is facing structural challenges such as dependence on energy and critical raw materials, increasing water scarcity and declining industrial investment,” she said. “This pressure is not caused by climate ambitions, but by a lack of autonomy and competitiveness. That is why we are developing a cross border, integrated approach to energy, water, circular materials, critical raw materials and data exchange.”
“Innovation is the cornerstone of strategic autonomy,” said Flemish Minister President Diependaele, “but only if it delivers results. Innovation is only valuable if it can be translated into economic and societal impact. VITO, which once began as a regional initiative to anchor scientific expertise in Flanders, has grown into an internationally recognised research organisation that connects science, business, industry, entrepreneurship and policy. That is no coincidence. It is the result of long term policy. Because of its size, Flanders will never be the biggest or the strongest. We will be the best in specific domains.”
The state of the art Earth laboratory building was also officially inaugurated on the occasion of this event.
