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KEPA hosted the first National Stakeholder Group Meeting in Greece, which took place in EFEPAE’s Headquarters, Athens on the 11^th of May. KEPA’s officers held a presentation, getting participants to better understand organisation’s interest and activities. Afterwards, participants were introduced to the goals and activities of the project, focusing on the Action Plan to be delivered in the end of the 1^st Phase of the project’s implementation. 

Where can EU countries turn when they want advice on improving their national research and innovation system? The Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility (PSF) would be a good starting  point - it provides tailored-made policy recommendations both to EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon 2020.

Today's package of measures will make it easier for people and companies to manage their paperwork online in their home country or when working, living or doing business in another EU country. It will help ensure that commonly agreed EU rules are respected.

Thousands of EU projects across the EU will open their doors to citizens, who can also take part in several contests. Visit an aquaculture research centre in Ílhavo, Portugal, a language school equipped with the latest IT equipment in Split, Croatia, or take a guided tour in Vienna to spot and visit EU-funded projects in the city.

BEDA European Design Forum: What is the future of design support across Europe? 8 June, Vilnius. BEDA is the authority for design in Europe. Once a year, we bring those that operate in and around the design industry together to focus on a big issue. In 2017, this one-day forum asks the question: What is the future of design support across Europe?

The conference, titled "Social Innovation – Research and Policy of the Future: towards a comprehensive innovation policy" on 24th and 25th October in Brussels, is going to be one of the key events on social innovation in the year 2017. It is planned to explore the future of social innovation research and policy by bringing together leading social innovators, academics and politicians to discuss:

The Council of the European Union has adopted today its conclusions on making cohesion policy more effective, relevant and visible to the citizens. The ministers pointed out that cohesion policy is an essential policy of the EU, important now and in the future as a stable and predictable investment and cooperation framework to reduce the disparities between levels of development of Europe's regions.

The report 'Getting Skills Right - Financial Incentives for Education and Training systems' was published yesterday by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The report has been financed under the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI).

This conference aims to raise awareness among decision makers and the procurement community about the benefits of strategic procurement, with an emphasis on sustainability, social responsibility and innovation. It will feature speakers recognised for their expertise and leadership in the field. 

In a report published today on EU regions which are lagging behind in terms of growth or wealth, the Commission identifies clear paths to support regional growth strategies, with the help of EU funds. The report assesses what supports or hinders the competitiveness of these regions and why they have not yet reached the expected levels of growth and income for the EU.

One of the key elements of the Cohesion Policy reform for 2014-20 was the introduction of preconditions for Member States to receive money from the European Structural and Investment Funds. A first assessment published today shows that this additional step has a high value, and that the preconditions proved to be a powerful incentive for Member States and regions to carry out reforms which would have otherwise been delayed or not necessarily implemented.