K use, Mi ko
A icle — Published Ve sion
In e -o ganisa ional Sus ainabili y Coope a ion Among
Eu opean Regions and he Role o Sma Specialisa ion
Jou nal o he Knowledge Economy
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
Sp inge Na u e
Sugges ed Ci a ion: K use, Mi ko (2024) : In e -o ganisa ional Sus ainabili y Coope a ion Among
Eu opean Regions and he Role o Sma Specialisa ion, Jou nal o he Knowledge Economy, ISSN
1868-7873, Sp inge US, New Yo k, NY, Vol. 15, Iss. 4, pp. 16735-16779,
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Jou nal o he Knowledge Economy (2024) 15:16735–16779
h ps://doi.o g/10.1007/s13132-024-01760-z
1 3
In e ‑o ganisa ional Sus ainabili y Coope a ion Among
Eu opean Regions and heRole o Sma Specialisa ion
Mi koK use1
Recei ed: 5 June 2022 / Accep ed: 11 Janua y 2024 / Published online: 5 Feb ua y 2024
© The Au ho (s) 2024
Abs ac
Inno a ion ep esen s one o he mos c ucial le e s o egional p ospe i y and
sec o al enewal. Addi ionally, i is applied o add ess challenges such as a sus ain-
able ansi ion and he ba le agains clima e change. Since inno a ion is he esul
o coope a ion be ween di e en ac o s wi h di e en backg ounds, he opic is
inc easingly s udied om a sys emic pe spec i e. He e, no only in e nal coope a-
ion bu also c oss-bo de connec ions be ween egions become impo an . While
sma specialisa ion, a Eu opean policy o inno a ion and cohesion, highligh s he
ole o in e egional coope a ion, p ac ical mani es a ions and esea ch on his aspec
ha e emained limi ed so a . This a icle add esses his gap by discussing he el-
e ance o in e egional coope a ion o knowledge c ea ion and p esen s empi ical
e idence on coope a ion be ween o ganisa ions in di e en Eu opean egions in he
ield o en i onmen al sus ainabili y. The unde lying da ase was cons uc ed om
Ho izon 2020 (H2020) esea ch p ojec s wi h No he n Ge many as an exempla y
se o egions chosen as he co e o a social ne wo k analysis (SNA). The indings
e eal ha in ol emen in in e egional p ojec s is concen a ed pa icula ly in u ban
egions and co ela es wi h GDP and popula ion densi y. On he o he hand, also
o ganisa ions in egions wi h di e en s uc u al cha ac e is ics a e in ol ed in in e -
egional coope a ion, and H2020 managed o in oduce new coope a ion pa e ns.
Finally, he empi ical da a do no adequa ely ma ch he egional sma specialisa ion
s a egies (S3) which aises ques ions on upda ing sma specialisa ion as a policy.
Keywo ds Sma specialisa ion· Inno a ion policy· Eu ope· In e egional
coope a ion· Ho izon 2020· Social ne wo k analysis
JEL Codes R11· O30· O19· Q55
* Mi ko K use
k use_mi [email protected]
1 Facul y o Business S udies andEconomics, Uni e si y o B emen, B emen, Ge many
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Jou nal o he Knowledge Economy (2024) 15:16735–16779
1 3
In oduc ion
The economy in ma ke -based socie ies is subjec o cons an s uc u al change.
He e, inno a ion and knowledge c ea ion a e key ac o s o companies, sec o s,
egions, and coun ies o success ully adap o echnological change (Landabaso,
1997). This ecogni ion is e en mo e ue nowadays conside ing he mul i ude
o se e e e en s calling o adap a ions o p oduc ion p ocesses, consump ion
pa e ns, alue chains, o egula o y amewo ks. Among hese e en s a e he
COVID-19 pandemic, geopoli ical ensions, he eme gence o dis up i e ech-
nologies, o he inc easing u gency o a sus ainable ansi ion o he economy in
acco dance wi h plane a y bounda ies (Gong e al., 2022). Success ully managing
said ansi ion will equi e exploi ing inno a i e capaci y a all le els o de elop
new solu ions and c ea e new echnological pa hways. Inno a ion he e unc ions
as an ins umen o ackle g and challenges including, bu no exclusi ely, he sus-
ainable ansi ion o he economy (Fage be g & Hu schen ei e , 2019; Losacke
e al., 2021). The eby, he dis ibu ion o inno a i e ac i i y in space is no an-
domly dis ibu ed bu ends o be spa ially concen a ed. As a consequence, he
geog aphy o inno a ion ecei es inc easing a en ion (Coenen & Mo gan, 2020).
In Eu ope, he Eu opean Commission has in oduced he Eu opean G een Deal,
a package o ambi ious a ge s, speci ic policies, incen i es, and di ec i es, o
achie e se e al objec i es: o e come he pandemic- ela ed ecession and inc ease
esilience agains u he c ises, as well as he ba le agains clima e change and
he aspi a ion o become clima e neu al (Eu opean Commission, 2021). The cen-
al le e s o add ess hese objec i es a e esea ch and de elopmen (R&D) and
inno a ion. Acco dingly, he concep o sma specialisa ion, one o he key s a -
egies o Eu opean inno a ion policy, comes in o he spo ligh again (Do ano a
e al., 2012; Eu opean Commission, 2020a). This app oach was inspi ed by heo-
ies o egional inno a ion sys ems and he exploi a ion o place-based po en ial
and has seen a ema kable ca ee in he las decade ollowing i s implemen a ion
(Do ano a e al., 2012; Van den Heiligenbe g e al., 2017; Gius olisi e al., 2022).
The concep has p o oked academic c i icism p ima ily because i s o igins a e
bo h poli ical and heo e ical, c ea ing a ce ain le el o uzziness. As he concep
now is inc easingly discussed again in he con ex o he G een Deal and he sus-
ainable ansi ion o Eu opean egions, se e al ques ions mus be answe ed, and
sho comings a e o be add essed. One o he mos se e e sho comings o sma
specialisa ion so a is i s ou wa d-o ien a ion, meaning he ele ance o ex e -
nal coope a ion and knowledge lows be ween egions. While he posi i e e ec s
o knowledge ans e and mu ual lea ning ha e been demons a ed empi ically
and sma specialisa ion concep ually s i es o acili a e in e egional coope a-
ion (e.g. Guas ella & Van Oo , 2015; Mi ze & S o ebeck, 2018; Balland e al.,
2019), p ac ical implemen a ion and empi ical analyses ha e emained limi ed.
The eby, deepening in e egional coope a ion is also c ucial o he poli ical
goal o a g adual Eu opean in eg a ion and migh become e en mo e impo an as
he cu en phase o globalisa ion appea s o come o an end and in e nal coope a-
ion inc eases in impo ance (B odzicki, 2017; Gong e al., 2022). The agmen ed
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Jou nal o he Knowledge Economy (2024) 15:16735–16779
na u e o he Eu opean esea ch sys em has been iden i ied as a majo weakness
p e en ing Eu ope om exploi ing i s ull po en ial and ca ching up wi h mo e
uni ied compe i o s such as he Uni ed S a es (Eu opean Commission, 2017). To
exploi he ull po en ial o Eu opean coope a ion, which is also equi ed o suc-
cess ully add ess he g and challenge o clima e change, exis ing policies such as
sma specialisa ion will ha e o change as well. The pape a hand aims o con-
ibu e o his discussion by p o iding empi ical e idence on in e egional coope -
a ion in Eu ope in he ield o en i onmen al sus ainabili y. The eby, a no el da a-
se o quan i y coope a ion is cons uc ed analysing coope a i e pa e ns be ween
o ganisa ions in di e en Eu opean NUTS2 egions. As egions a e no ac o s in a
na owe sense, o ganisa ions wi hin hese egions a e used as a p oxy. While he
majo i y o p e ious s udies in his pa icula ield ely on quali a i e s udies (e.g.
Fellnho e , 2017), u he empi ical ools such as social ne wo k analyses and s a-
is ical me hods a e applied o p o ide a ho ough o e iew and allow o deepe
insigh s. To do so, he emaining o his pape is s uc u ed as ollows: he “Sma
Specialisa ion, Sus ainabili y, and In e egionali y” sec ion in oduces he policy
o sma specialisa ion in he con ex o Eu opean inno a ion policy in gene al
and discusses i s ecen ele ance in he con ex o sus ainabili y. In he ollowing,
in e egional coope a ion and i s embeddedness in inno a ion sys em s udies a e
ou lined and discussed wi h ega d o sma specialisa ion. A e wa ds, he “In e -
egional Scien i ic Collabo a ion in Eu ope” sec ion p esen s he da a and me hods
used o he analysis be o e he indings a e p esen ed. The pape closes wi h a
concluding ou look in he “Conclusion” sec ion.
Sma Specialisa ion, Sus ainabili y, andIn e egionali y
The Idea o Sma Specialisa ion
Sma specialisa ion ep esen s one o he cen al s a egies o Eu opean inno a ion
and cohesion policy. The heo e ic ounda ion o he concep is o be ound in li -
e a u e on egional inno a ion sys ems (RIS). This app oach emphasises he c u-
cial ole o he egional le el and geog aphical p oximi y be ween egional inno a-
ion ac o s o he gene a ion o new knowledge and inno a ion (T ippl, 2008). The
RIS concep was de eloped in he 1990s and builds upon he ounda ions o p e-
ceding heo ies such as na ional inno a ion sys ems (NIS), ansi ion s udies, inno-
a i e milieu, o indus ial dis ic s (McCann & O ega-A gilés, 2015; Töd ling &
T ippl, 2018; Rakas & Hain, 2019). The eby, he a ionale o sma specialisa ion
as a policy goes back o he iden i ica ion o , one he one hand, a mani es ing p o-
duc i i y gap be ween Eu ope and o he economic a eas such as he USA, and, on
he o he hand, in e nal de elopmen gaps wi hin Eu ope, pa icula ly in he p ocess
o he Eas e n enla gemen (Janik e al., 2020). A he same ime, i was discussed
how o inc ease he e iciency o Eu opean cohesion and inno a ion policies as i
showed ha p e ious a emp s had esul ed in agmen a ion and ine icien o e -
laps (La osse e al., 2020; McCann & Soe e, 2020). P e iously, egional unding
was in es ed hinly ac oss se e al sec o s wi hou esul ing in signi ican impac on
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Jou nal o he Knowledge Economy (2024) 15:16735–16779
1 3
inno a ion capabili y and s uc u al enewal as a esul (Gianelle, Ky iakou e al.,
2020). Sma specialisa ion came in o play as he esul o me ging he wo s eams
o discussion on in e egional inequali y and upda ing Eu opean cohesion policy
(Fo ay e al., 2011; K use, 2023).
Con en -wise, he pi o al idea o sma specialisa ion is place-based, meaning
ha he idea o a “one-size- i s-all” solu ion in e ms o inno a ion policy is ejec ed.
Ins ead, i is a gued ha each egion needed o ind i s own niche and de elop i s
own s a egy o inno a ion ins ead o ying o emula e expe iences om appa en ly
success ul egions (Gianelle, Ky iakou e al., 2020). As egions a e unique in hei
economic and social s uc u e, a success ul s a egy o one egion migh be a
dead-end o o he s (Di Ca aldo e al., 2020). The eby, sma specialisa ion should
mo i a e egions o p io i ise and ocus hei esou ces on hose inno a i e sec o s
which hey a e specialised in, and which o e he highes p obabili y o pe o ming
well in he u u e (Rusu, 2013; Fo ay, 2014; Mo a e al., 2019). By doing so,
compa a i e ad an ages a e o be buil and po en ial agglome a ion bene i s can
be ealised (Gianelle, Ky iakou e al., 2020). The eby, he choice o p io i ies
should ecognise he s uc u al enewal o exis ing specialisa ions by ocusing on
complemen ing indus ial and echnological ac i i ies (Fo ay e al.; 2009; Vezzani
e al., 2017; Balland e al., 2019). The selec ion o said in es men p io i ies should
no come om op-down planning bu eme ge om a p ocess o en ep eneu ial
disco e y, meaning he explo a i e in ol emen o egional expe s om di e en
backg ounds (Fo ay, 2013; Fo ay & Goenaga, 2013; McCann & Soe e, 2020).
A e i s es ablishmen , sma specialisa ion wi nessed a ema kable ca ee in
Eu opean policy, being p omo ed as a undamen al pilla o cohesion policy in 2014
and as an ex an e condi ionali y o e i o ies o be eligible o Eu opean unding
(Eu opean Union, 2013; Janik e al., 2020; Di Ca aldo e al., 2020). By now, mos
egions in Eu ope ha e applied he sma specialisa ion concep by de eloping indi-
idual sma specialisa ion s a egies (S3), and he a ie y and quan i y o esea ch
ha e inc eased ema kably (McCann & Soe e, 2020). Howe e , ecen s udies imply
ha sma specialisa ion is only pa ially implemen ed in egions and pe sis ence
emains o change es ablished p ocesses on a egional le el (e.g. Gianelle, Guzzo
e al., 2020; La osse e al., 2020; D’Adda e al., 2021). Mo eo e , he as success
s o y o sma specialisa ion made he concep an example o “policy unning ahead
o heo y” (Fo ay e al., 2011: 1), and se e al sho comings ha e been ou lined in
ecen yea s. One aspec o c i icism e e s o he e m “specialisa ion” which o en
leads o he misunde s anding o in e p e ing sma specialisa ion as a mode n kind
o Po e -inspi ed clus e policy, whe eby he concep aims owa ds di e si ied spe-
cialisa ion (Asheim e al., 2016). Fu he c i icism e ol es a ound he ques ions
which egions do bene i . When sma specialisa ion was es ablished, i was p o-
mo ed as a measu e o suppo less-de eloped egions while i la e became clea
ha hose egions bene i o a smalle deg ee as hey lack he ins i u ional capaci y
o implemen he concep and conduc he p ocess. Ne e heless, he basic idea o
sma specialisa ion is widely ecei ed o be posi i e, unde lining he place-sensi i e
app oach, he ocus on knowledge and inno a ion, and he in ol emen o egional
ac o s in en ep eneu ial disco e y (Hassink & Gong, 2019; Fo ay, 2019).
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Jou nal o he Knowledge Economy (2024) 15:16735–16779
Sma Specialisa ion andEn i onmen al Sus ainabili y
The pa ial implemen a ion in p ac ice and ongoing cla i ica ions in heo y unde line
ha sma specialisa ion is a om being a comple ed concep . As he p og amming
pe iod 2014–2020 ecen ly e mina ed, he discussion on how o upda e cohesion
policy and sma specialisa ion o 2021–2027 has been ex ensi e and emains
ongoing. I is ag eed ha he upda e p ocess should in ol e a c i ical e alua ion o
he pas as well as a discussion which a ge s o add ess wi h sma specialisa ion
(Tu s e al., 2020a). In his ega d, he p ima y ask o sma specialisa ion has been
o suppo inno a ion in egions helping hem o shape s uc u al change (Gianelle,
Ky iakou e al., 2020). Recen ly, he discussion accele a ed again o apply egional
inno a ion s a egies in o de o os e g een g ow h and suppo ce ain challenges
such as enewable ene gy o eco-inno a ion (Fo ay e al., 2012; Espa za-Masana,
2021). While suppo in his challenge is equi ed in e e y egion, pa icula ly
less-de eloped egions which ha e been su e ing om egional decline and a e
equen ly specialised in non-g een echnologies ha a e likely o su e om
s uc u al change, migh bene i (Pî u e al., 2019; P o enzano e al., 2020).
The idea o deploy inno a ion policy o add ess ce ain a ge s is no new bu
aligns wi h ea lie s a egies such as Eu ope 2020 which called o no only g ow h
in i sel bu sma , inclusi e, and sus ainable g ow h (McCann & Soe e, 2020). This
aspi a ion has ecen ly been aken up by he idea o mission-o ien ed inno a ion
policy as a new pa adigm ha ega ds inno a ion as an ins umen o add ess la ge
socie al missions. As p e ious missions ha e ocused on opics such as de ence,
one o he mos ecen and p essing challenges o be add essed is clima e change
(Mazzuca o, 2018a; Mazzuca o e al., 2019). In his con ex , i is discussed whe he
sma specialisa ion migh play a ole o he implemen a ion o he Eu opean G een
Deal by in eg a ing he a ge s o he Sus ainable De elopmen Goals (SDGs) and
s uc u al enewal in egional inno a ion s a egies (Mon eso & Qua a o, 2018;
Gi o d & McKel ey, 2019; La osse e al., 2020; Nakiceno ic e al., 2021). The
discussion goes so a as conside ing enaming sma specialisa ion s a egies (S3)
in o sma specialisa ion s a egies o sus ainabili y (S4). This need o ein e p e a-
ion, edesign, and ein eg a ion o sma specialisa ion is also o icially ecognised
by he Eu opean Commission (McCann & Soe e, 2020; Nakiceno ic e al., 2021).
Al hough sus ainabili y and sma specialisa ion ha e al eady been in e wined o e
ime, he idea o including addi ional dimensions a he han s eng hening he co e
idea i s has also p o oked c i icism (Benne , 2020; K use, 2023).
Howe e , esea ch on how sma specialisa ion could con ibu e o sus ainable
de elopmen a egional le el is s ill limi ed bu inc eases g adually. A he same
ime, he a en ion owa ds en i onmen al inno a ion and sus ainabili y is also g ow-
ing in ela ed ields such as egional s udies and economic geog aphy (e.g. T u e &
Coenen, 2011; Ma ka d e al., 2012; Gibbs & O’Neill, 2017; Mon eso & Qua a o,
2018; Losacke e al., 2021). In he con ex o sma specialisa ion and sus ainabil-
i y, exis ing esea ch has been ocusing on he oppo uni ies o egional inno a ion
o e ed by ci cula economy app oaches (H is ozo & Chobano , 2020), enewable
ene gy (S een e al., 2018), o s uc u al change in old indus ial a eas (P ause e al.,
2019) wi h ce ain egions as examples (Polido e al., 2019).
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Jou nal o he Knowledge Economy (2024) 15:16735–16779
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In e egional Coope a ion inEu ope
In e egional collabo a ion concep s a e based on he ecogni ion o a c ucial ole
o egions o inno a ion. This assump ion is backed by economic geog aphy and
ex ensi e esea ch analysing he concen a ion o economic ac i i y in ime and
space (Aud e sch & Feldman, 2004; Guas elle & an Oo , 2015; Hidalgo e al.,
2018). Acco dingly, egions exhibi a c i ical mass o economic ac o s in e ac ing
in a egional inno a ion sys em allowing o a ee low o knowledge and he eme -
gence o inno a ion. Since spillo e s do no easily a el ac oss space, spa ial con-
cen a ion o inno a i e ac i i y is he esul . This e ec is likely o be sel -en o cing
ep esen ed in he ac ha mos o he g ow h in Eu ope in he las decade has been
concen a ed in ci ies (Asheim e al., 2018; McCann & Soe e, 2020; Pinhei o e al.,
2022). The e o e, egions a e also discussed as ideal s a ing poin s in he con ex o
sus ainable ansi ion (Po s, 2010; Mon eso & Qua a o, 2018).
Howe e , egions do no ac in isola ion, and posi i e e ec s do no only a ise om
in a- egional coope a ion bu also om in e - egional coope a ion wi h o he egions.
Such ex e nal coope a ion con ibu es o inno a i eness, pa icula ly in less-de eloped
egions, shapes egional de elopmen and di e si ica ion, allows o he exploi a ion o
syne gies, and p e en s egional lock-in e ec s h ough he p omo ion o di e si ica ion
(e.g. Bennewo h e al., 2014; De Noni e al., 2017; San oalha, 2018; Mikhaylo e al.,
2018; Schulz, 2019). Pa icula ly in a globalised lea ning economy, he ex e nal aspec
o coope a ion should he e o e no be le ou o conside a ion. This is e en mo e ue
as he ecen aming o inno a ion policy wi h a s onge ocus on ans o ma i e
change also highligh s he ele ance o in e egional coope a ion (McCann & O ega-
A gilés, 2016; Scho & S einmuelle , 2018; Gius olisi e al., 2022). G and challenges,
such as a sus ainable economic ansi ion, equi e di e en pe spec i es and di e se
knowledge o be add essed and lay beyond he scope o indi idual egions o e en
coun ies (A olico & Sco za, 2016; an den Heiligenbe g e al., 2017; Angelis, 2021).
Empi ically, i is sugges ed ha knowledge spillo e s depend on dis ance and di e en
kinds o p oximi y—among o he s geog aphical, ela ional, unc ional, ins i u ional,
cogni i e, social, o echnological p oximi y—be ween egions (Lundquis & T ippl,
2009; Boschma & F enken, 2010; Basile e al., 2012).
Acco dingly, inno a ion sys ems, ocusing on he ole o in e ac ion be ween di -
e en ac o s, s e ch ac oss bo de s. Concep s o global inno a ion sys ems (GIS),
na ional inno a ion sys ems (NIS), o echnological inno a ion sys ems (TIS) ha e
adop ed a c oss-bo de app oach om ea ly on (Ca lsson, 2006; Shapi o e al., 2010;
Binz & T u e , 2017). Fo ins ance, Chesnais (1992) demons a ed how he ope a-
ions o mul ina ional en e p ises in luence he s uc u e o NIS. Regional inno a-
ion sys ems (RIS) ha e o a long ime been analysed in isola ion a he han in
coope a i e c oss-bo de se ings (Gosens e al., 2014; Li e al., 2022). S epwise,
he app oach has been b oadened leading o he es ablishmen o he concep o
c oss-bo de egional inno a ion sys ems (CBRIS). Concep ually, CBRIS inco -
po a e in o ma ional exchange and knowledge di usion ac oss bo de s and can be
unde s ood as he mos ad anced o m o in eg a ion be ween egions owa ds an
in eg a ed inno a ion space (Lundquis & T ippl, 2009, 2011; Asheim e al., 2011;
Pie obelli & Rabello i, 2011; Ko honen e al., 2021). In e egional coope a ion
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Jou nal o he Knowledge Economy (2024) 15:16735–16779
ac oss bo de s can also ela e o a wo ldwide le el, associa ed wi h o eign di ec
in es men (FDI), o global alue chain (GVC) concep s (Aud e sch & Feldman,
2004; Asheim & He s ad, 2005; Boschma, 2021). Howe e , c oss-bo de coope a-
ion is a mo e common opic in he li e a u e, e e ing o he high le el o p oximi y
be ween neighbou ing egions (Lepik & K igul, 2014; Sco , 2015).
In Eu ope, esea ch on c oss-bo de coope a ion is long es ablished as i can be
unde s ood as an aspec o Eu opean in eg a ion (De Sousa, 2012; Del Bianco & Ande y,
2015). The p ocess o ansna ional and in e egional coope a ion in Eu ope inc eased in
he nine een h cen u y and ook o a e Wo ld Wa 2 esul ing om a poli ical will
o in eg a ion (Van de Vleu en & Kaijse , 2005; Sco , 2015). This unde s anding
was acili a ed by ag eemen s such as he Maas ich T ea y and ins i u ionalised
in c oss-bo de coope a ion ag eemen s, o he es ablishmen o “eu o egions” and
“mac o egions” as es beds o p ac ical ans egional and ansna ional coope a ion
(Lina & Bed ule-G igo u a, 2009; Hudec & U banciko a, 2010; S udzieniecki, 2016;
No e ini e al., 2020). Mo eo e , an addi ional incen i e o E coope a ion ac oss
egions is he p ospec o ully exploi he po en ial o he Eu opean in e nal ma ke
by o e coming i s agmen a ion. The es ablishmen o a Eu opean esea ch a ea
wi h coo dina ed and in eg a ed in e egional esea ch ac i i ies has been p omo ed
as a ision in his ega d (F enken e al., 2007; Eu opean Commission, 2020b;
Rakhma ullin e al., 2020). In e egional p ojec s such as INTERREG o HORIZON
ep esen an ins i u ionalisa ion o his aspi a ion (Cassi e al., 2008; Ma in-Uceda &
Vicen e Ru í, 2021; Eu opean Commission, 2022). Also, Eu opean ins umen s such
as sma specialisa ion canno be sepa a ed om he idea o in e egional coope a ion.
Howe e , since sma specialisa ion has eme ged om RIS s udies, he limi a ions
desc ibed abo e apply equally and he almos exclusi e ocus o sma specialisa ion
on endogenous knowledge lows is among he mos common c i icisms men ioned in
academic esea ch and policy documen s (Tu s e al., 2020b; Wool o d e al., 2021).
Un il now, he majo i y o sma specialisa ion s a egies (S3) do no include o
acili a e in e egional coope a ion despi e an “ou wa d-looking” o ien a ion being
named as a cons i u ing elemen o he app oach om he e y beginning (Fo ay
e al., 2012). This aspi ed ou wa d o ien a ion was backed by he ac ha s uc u al
change and egional inno a i eness bo h bene i om coope a ion, ex e nal connec -
edness, and knowledge exchange wi h egions acing simila challenges. Mo eo e ,
he esou ces and knowledge ha a egion needs o i s de elopmen migh no be
a ailable a home bu ou side he egion. Di e en egional cha ac e is ics he e o e
allow o di e en pe spec i es and solu ions, as sma specialisa ion highligh s wi h
i s ocus on inding he niche and egional compe i i e ad an age o u u e speciali-
sa ion (McCann e al., 2015; Ma iussen e al., 2019; Fo ay, 2018). Also, he cohe-
sion aspec o sma specialisa ion is add essed by ex a- egional collabo a ion since
pa icula ly less-de eloped and echnologically lagging egions o en lack he in e -
nal capabili ies and ne wo ks ha hey equi e o a ca ch-up p ocess (Radose ic &
Ciampi S anco a, 2015; Ba zo o e al., 2019; Ghinoi e al., 2020). The same holds
o he ocus on g and challenges such as clima e change which equi e he coope a-
ion o di e en egions. In his ega d, Cas ellani e al. (2022) ound indica ions o a
posi i e in luence o di e en o ms o FDI on egional specialisa ion in g een ech-
nologies, indica ing a posi i e in luence o coope a ion o a g een ansi ion. Mos
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likely, an exclusi e ocus on Eu opean egions migh no su ice, bu an imp o ed
Eu opean esea ch coope a ion appea s o be a necessa y ounda ion o a success-
ul implemen a ion o he G een Deal a ge s (Wool o d e al., 2021; Tu s e al.,
2020a). Ins ead, also coope a ion wi h non-EU egions conside ing ce ain chal-
lenges migh come in o play (Uya a e al., 2014).
Howe e , no only implemen a ion bu also esea ch on in e egional coop-
e a ion and sma specialisa ion has emained limi ed so a (Radose ic & Ciampi
S anco a, 2015; Balland & Boschma, 2021; Weiden eld e al., 2021). Apa om
policy pape s and quali a i e s udies, o ins ance, by Mulle e al. (2017), au ho s
like Gianelle e al. (2014), Gi ejko e al. (2019), and K use and Wedemeie (2021)
p esen me hodologies o iden i y common p io i ies be ween egions as a oun-
da ion o common sma specialisa ion s a egies (S3). Howe e , hese pape s do
no empi ically es he e iciency o coope a ion and con ine o o e ing a heo-
e ical oolki o policymake s o assess he po en ial o coope a ion wi h o he
egions. O he , mo e quali a i ely o ien ed, pape s p esen ed by Sö ik e al. (2016)
o Muelle -Using e al. (2020) place an emphasis on he ac o s ha mo i a e o
p e en egions om coope a ion. As a esul o hese sho comings, ansna ional
collabo a ion and s eng hening he ou wa d o ien a ion o sma specialisa ion a e
among he demands when i comes o upda ing cohesion policy and sma speciali-
sa ion (Espa za-Masana, 2021; Wool o d e al., 2021). This also includes s eng h-
ening he al eady-exis ing in e egional pa ne ship pla o ms on sma specialisa-
ion and SDGs which he Eu opean Commission has been wo king on since 2015
and p e ious app oaches o in e egional collabo a ion such as he Vangua d Ini ia-
i e (Rakhma ullin e al., 2020; Sma Specialisa ion Pla o m, 2022a). Mo eo e ,
he In e egional Inno a ion In es men (I3) ins umen ep esen s an addi ional
Eu opean a emp o p omo e in e egional in es men pa icula ly in a eas ele an
o ans o ma ion. The u u e in e connec ion wi h sma specialisa ion and o he
ins umen s, howe e , is s ill unde de elopmen (Tu s e al., 2020b).
In e egional Scien i ic Collabo a ion inEu ope
Ma e ials andMe hods
The mos common app oach in academic esea ch o quan i y and map in e egional
knowledge lows is he applica ion o pa en s a is ics and co-pa en ing analyses
in ol ing di e en egions. Wi h a ocus on Eu ope, G eunz (2005), Sebes yén
and Va ga (2013), Guas ella and Van Oo (2015), Mon eso and Qua a o (2018),
San oalha (2018), Ba zo o e al. (2019), Balland and Boschma (2021), and Li e al.
(2022) apply pa en -based analyses. Mo eo e , on P o and B enne (2011) deploy
his app oach o Ge man egions, and Yang e al. (2019) and Dosso and Lebe
(2020) do he same o co-pa en ing on a wo ldwide le el. Co-pa en ing da a a e
also used in China, e.g. by Ye and Xu (2021), o cons uc in e -ci y coope a ion
ne wo ks, by Cao e al. (2021) o map he echnological ield o ene gy sa ing, o by
Sun and Cao (2015). Howe e , i has ex ensi ely been discussed in he li e a u e ha
pa en da a come wi h se e al limi a ions. One o he mos s iking ones is ha no
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p ojec s ( o he il e c i e ia, see Annex 4. The lis o egions is accessible in
Annex 3). O 371 NUTS2 egions, 232 did lis a scien i ic specialisa ion in sus-
ainabili y, while 139 did no . Rega ding he in ol emen in in e egional p ojec s,
he analysed NUTS2 egions on a e age we e in ol ed in 101 p ojec s. O he 100
egions ha sco ed abo e a e age in in e egional coope a ion p ojec s on en i on-
men al sus ainabili y, 23 did no lis sus ainabili y as a scien i ic ocus. On he o he
hand, se en o he 55 egions no in ol ed in any p ojec lis ed en i onmen al sus-
ainabili y as a scien i ic p io i y in hei S3. Assuming ha sma specialisa ion (1)
aims o p omo e economic specialisa ions such as en i onmen al sus ainabili y and
(2) aims o p omo e in e egional coope a ion, i seems ema kable ha he lis s o
egions in ol ed in in e egional sus ainabili y p ojec s and egions ha ha e ixed
ou wa d-o ien a ion and sus ainabili y in hei S3 a e no cong uen .
Rega ding he cons uc ed ne wo k o No he n Ge man NUTS2 egions, he
social ne wo k is shown in Fig.3. Those egions ha No he n Ge many equen ly
coope a es wi h a e shown in he middle o he ne wo k wi h colou ed edges as an
addi ional weigh indica ing he in ensi y o coope a ion. The NUTS codes e eal
ha coope a ion in in e egional p ojec s on en i onmen al sus ainabili y ocuses
p ima ily on o he egions in Ge many as well as Aus ia, Belgium, Denma k, Fin-
land, F ance, I aly, he Ne he lands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Swi ze land, and he
UK. I appea s o be o no coincidence ha , apa om Luxembu g, all neighbou ing
coun ies o Ge many a e among he mos impo an coope a ion pa ne s. The ull
coope a ion ne wo k is p o ided in Annex 5. An addi ional pe spec i e is p o ided
in Fig.4 which illus a es he in ensi y o coope a ion be ween No he n Ge many
Fig. 3 Weigh ed ne wo k o No he n Ge man Regions in H2020Sus ainabili y p ojec s, 2022. Sou ce:
CORDIS (2022)
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and Eu opean egions. He e, i is e ealed ha neighbou ing egions end o coope -
a e wi h No he n Ge man egions. This suppo s he assump ion o (geog aphical
and cul u al) p oximi y as a acili a ing ac o o coope a ion. Howe e , geog aphi-
cal p oximi y is no a limi ing ac o o coope a ion, as s ong coope a i e ies a e
obse able wi h egions in all pa s o Eu ope including non-EU coun ies such
as Tu key o he UK. This pic u e can pa ly be explained by he na u e o ecei e
unding. Ne e heless, Fig.4 allows o s a e ha en i onmen al coope a ion is no
geog aphically limi ed in Eu ope and he Ho izon unding scheme appea s o ha e
succeeded in connec ing esea che s om egions which would no ha e coope a ed
assuming he adi ional p oximi y hypo hesis.
An Addi ional empi ical analysis o he ne wo k has been conduc ed by measu ing
di e en kinds o cen ali y, namely, closeness, be weenness, deg ee, and eigen ec-
o cen ali y. These measu es gi e an indica ion on he o e all posi ion o a node
and he heo e ical ime i would ake o each o he nodes (closeness cen ali y), he
ex en a which a node lies be ween o he nodes in he ne wo k and he pe cen age o
sho es pa hs passing h ough he node (be weenness cen ali y), he numbe o links
inciden upon a node (deg ee cen ali y), and he ela i e sco e o each node meas-
u ing how well a well-connec ed node is connec ed o o he well-connec ed nodes
(Tabassum e al., 2018). Table2 lis s he op-20 egions o each measu e o cen al-
i y and he espec i e alue. No su p isingly, he No he n Ge man egions sco e he
highes which is due o he design o he ne wo k pu ing said egions in he cen e
Fig. 4 In e egional coope a ion o No he n Ge many in H2020 Sus ainabili y P ojec s, NUTS2 le el,
2022. Sou ce: CORDIS (2022), own depic ion
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o i . Howe e , he egions beyond No he n Ge many, which play an impo an ole
wi hin he coope a ion ne wo k, a e simila o hose in he cen e o Fig.3.
Discussion andLimi a ions
The desc ip i e indings show di e en ia ed geog aphical pa e ns when i comes o
he in ol emen o Eu opean egions in in e egional esea ch p ojec s dealing wi h
en i onmen al sus ainabili y. A NUTS2 le el, a ligh dis inc ion be ween Wes e n
and Eas e n Eu ope becomes isible (see Fig.1). The eby, Eas e n Eu opean NUTS2
egions in hei majo i y a e in ac in ol ed in in e egional p ojec s a he han
being no in ol ed a all, bu o a conside ably smalle deg ee han o he egions.
The pic u e becomes clea e when looking a he NUTS3 egions (see Fig.2). He e,
i can be seen ha in e egional ac i i y is highly concen a ed in pa icula egions
which a e also o be ound in Eas e n o Sou he n Eu ope which o en a e ega ded
as less-de eloped a eas in egional s udies. Hoekman e al. (2008) desc ibe hese
pa e ns as “eli e s uc u es”. These egions wi h pa icula ly s ong in e egionali y
Table 2 Cen ali y measu es o he ne wo k o No he n Ge man egions in H2020Sus ainabili y p ojec s,
2022
Sou ce: own calcula ions
Rank Closeness cen ali y Be weenness cen ali y Deg ee cen ali y Eigen ec o
cen ali y
1 DE60 0.002283 DE60 16985.7835 DE60 1982 DE60 1.0000
2 DE50 0.002262 DE50 15367.3087 DE50 1927 DE50 0.9490
3 DE91 0.002183 DEF0 9211.3129 DEF0 1320 DEF0 0.6742
4 DEF0 0.002141 DE91 9000.5362 DE91 1206 FR10 0.5932
5 DE94 0.002066 DE94 6180.0952 DE94 1018 DE91 0.5809
6 DE92 0.002024 DE92 4329.4028 DE92 869 DE94 0.5076
7 DE80 0.001942 DE80 3311.3653 DE80 574 BE10 0.4247
8 DE93 0.001842 DE93 1646.5477 DE93 425 DE92 0.4124
9 CH02 0.001420 FR10 1.5533 FR10 306 ES30 0.3990
10 CH04 0.001420 ES51 1.0067 BE10 222 NL33 0.3864
11 DE21 0.001420 NL33 0.9708 ES30 209 ITI4 0.3433
12 DEA2 0.001420 BE10 0.9097 NL33 206 DE21 0.3340
13 ES51 0.001420 DK01 0.8054 ITI4 176 ES51 0.3246
14 FR10 0.001420 ES30 0.7047 ES51 174 DK01 0.2982
15 NO08 0.001420 ITI4 0.5825 DE21 171 DE80 0.2750
16 UKJ1 0.001420 EL30 0.3955 DK01 153 EL30 0.2596
17 EL30 0.001420 FI1B 0.3883 EL30 137 FI1B 0.2497
18 ITI4 0.001420 UKI3 0.3416 FI1B 132 DEA2 0.2461
19 NL31 0.001420 DE21 0.3236 DEA2 129 UKI3 0.2294
20 PT17 0.001420 NO08 0.2876 UKI3 115 NO08 0.2208
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sco es a e pa icula ly u ban, and mos NUTS3 concen a ion pa e ns e e o capi-
al o majo ci y agglome a ions. The conduc ed co ela ion analysis con i ms ha a
connec ion be ween egional ac o s such as GDP o economic s uc u e and in e -
egional o ien a ion can be assumed (see Table1). Mo e u al a eas, o ins ance,
in Eas e n Eu ope bu also in la ge pa s o Ge many, a e no ac i e in in e egional
coope a ion. This inding pa ly con adic s San oalha (2018) iden i ying egions in
Benelux, Ge many, and Cen al and Eas e n Eu ope o be ela i ely s ong in in e -
egional collabo a ion. Howe e , his con adic ion migh be due o he ocus o he
pa icula da ase in his pape on en i onmen al sus ainabili y as Ho izon p ojec s
a e esea ch-o ien ed and high- ech esea ch ends o be spa ially concen a ed o a
high deg ee. Mo eo e , he da ase canno p o ide an answe o he ques ion whe he
ce ain g oups o egions do no deal wi h en i onmen al sus ainabili y a all o
whe he hey simply do no engage in high-le el esea ch and in e egional collabo-
a ion. This is u he ampli ied by he ac ha o ganisa ions a he han egions
hemsel es we e analysed. As sus ainabili y is ha dly measu able using indi idual
indica o s, he indings need o be complemen ed by addi ional esea ch applying
di e en da ase s o pain a mo e comple e pic u e.
The eby, he obse ed concen a ion pa e ns align wi h ela ed li e a u e on
egional inno a ion. Spa ial clus e s o knowledge-in ensi e egions a e egula ly
iden i ied and a ibu ed o u ban ad an ages, densi y, and clus e s o inno a ion
ac o s om he iple helix (Van den Heiligenbe g e al., 2017). Pa icula ly com-
plex economic ac i i ies and scien i ic esea ch end o concen a e in la ge ci -
ies and me opoli an a eas (Acos a e al., 2011; Balland e al., 2018; Töd ling &
T ippl, 2005). F om a cohesion pe spec i e, hese indings a e ala ming: sma spe-
cialisa ion and inno a ion policy in Eu ope ocus on b idging exis ing egional dis-
pa i ies by empowe ing less de eloped egions. The e idence ha pa icula ly hose
egions ha would bene i mos om in e egional knowledge exchange a e he leas
in ol ed was expec able bu is no desi able om a policy pe spec i e (Camagni
& Capello, 2013; McCann & O ega-A gilés, 2015; Co adini, 2019). Mo eo e ,
he u u e opic o a sus ainable ansi ion, which is also pa icula ly ele an o
less-de eloped egions as hey end o be mo e ulne able due o an old-indus ial
economic s uc u e and ewe g een specialisa ions, again e eals s uc u es o he
disad an age o less-de eloped egions. Exis ing policy ins umen s appa en ly ha e
no managed o o e come he pe sis en dicho omy which is likely o ep oduce
since esea ch gene ally also ansla es in o economic ha d ac s in he long un.
Howe e , he pic u e migh become mo e di e en ia ed when o he , less compe i-
i e, collabo a i e p og ammes such as In e eg, as opposed o Ho izon 2020 da a in
his pape , a e conside ed, as sugges ed by Wool o d e al. (2021).
Rega ding he i be ween scien i ic specialisa ion men ioned in o icial S3
and ac ual pe o mance as measu ed by in ol emen in esea ch p ojec s, bo h
sphe es do no ully ma ch. The analysis has shown ha a g oup o egions which
a e qui e ac i e in in e egional p ojec s on en i onmen al sus ainabili y do no
men ion his as a s eng h in hei S3, while, on he o he hand, some egions o i-
cially announce a specialisa ion which is no backed by s a is ical analysis. He e,
i needs o be ema ked ha o ganisa ions a ely add ess policies o s a egies
such as sma specialisa ion s i es o do. As o ganisa ions a e used as a p oxy
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o in e egional coope a ion, hey mus no necessa ily ha e an impac on sma
specialisa ion s a egies. In his con ex , a di e en me hodological app oach
was chosen by D’Adda e al. (2018) asking he same ques ion o echnological
domains in I alian egions. Also he e, he indings imply ha S3 and eal-li e pe -
o mance a e cha ac e ised by a ce ain le el o di e gence. The same inding is
men ioned by Sö ik and Kleib ink (2015) as well as Deegan e al. (2021) imply-
ing ha Eu opean sma specialisa ion and Eu opean science policy need o be
be e aligned and he p epa a ion o S3 equi es a s onge s a is ical ounda ion.
The second analy ical s ep o his pape , he cons uc ion o a coope a ion ne -
wo k o No he n Ge man egions, also con i ms p e ious s udies. I is gene ally
assumed ha knowledge spillo e s end o ocus on close egions whe eby di e en
measu es o p oximi y such as geog aphy, simila languages, cul u e, and policies
a e ele an (G eunz, 2005; Basile e al., 2012; Dosso & Lebe , 2020). Ou analysis
shows ha No he n Ge man egions coope a e wi h all pa s o Eu ope and also
se e al coun ies beyond Eu ope (see Annex 5). Al hough s ong coope a i e ies
a e obse ed wi h egions in di ec p oximi y, he Ho izon p og amme has success-
ully con ibu ed o he es ablishmen o scien i ic coope a ion wi h egions which
would o he wise no ha e coope a ed ollowing he p oximi y hypo hesis. This can
be in e p e ed as a s ep owa ds he es ablishmen o a Eu opean esea ch a ea as
HORIZON allows o b idge some o he majo obs acles, namely, ha esea ch-
e s coope a e based on geog aphical p oximi y and end o coope a e wi h simila
o ganisa ions in simila egions (F enken e al., 2007). Mo eo e , in ligh o g and
challenges, such as he igh agains clima e change, ex e nal coope a ion is s ongly
ad ised (Uya a e al., 2014). No he n Ge many ma ches his sugges ion, and he
analysis blends in wi h o he pape s assigning he egion an impo an ole o a sus-
ainable ansi ion (e.g. Hassink e al., 2021; K use & Wedemeie , 2022).
Conclusion
Inno a ion has been iden i ied as one o he key le e s o egional p ospe i y and
sec o al enewal. Acco dingly, inno a ion in Eu ope is no only discussed in e ms
o cohesion and b idging in e egional dispa i y bu also as a means o con ibu e
o a sus ainable ansi ion acili a ed by he EU G een Deal. In his con ex , coop-
e a ion and knowledge exchange ha e led o he ecogni ion ha inno a ion is o be
s udied om a ne wo k pe spec i e, ins i u ionalised in sys ema ic heo ies such as
egional inno a ion sys ems (RIS). These also o m he heo e ic ounda ion o sma
specialisa ion, he Eu opean policy app oach o suppo inno a ion and egional
posi ioning. Coope a ion, mu ual lea ning, and knowledge exchange a e he eby e i-
den ly impo an ac o s o egional economic p ospe i y, new pa h de elopmen
and di e si ica ion (Ma iussen e al., 2016). Despi e sma specialisa ion highligh -
ing he ele ance o in e egional coope a ion since he ime he concep was de el-
oped abou a decade ago, p ac ical implemen a ion and empi ical esea ch in his
ega d ha e emained limi ed. The pape a hand add esses his issue by discussing
how sma specialisa ion migh con ibu e o he g and challenge o a sus ainable
ansi ion in Eu ope and which ole in e egional coope a ion can play in his ega d.
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Mo eo e , he cu en s a e o esea ch on in e egional coope a ion in Eu ope is
p esen ed showing ha he p e ious s udies p edominan ly ely on pa en da a o
empi ical analyses. To b oaden he pic u e and o e come he limi a ions o pa -
en da a, such as a echnological and egional bias, da a on Ho izon 2020 (H2020)
esea ch p ojec s in Eu ope we e analysed and a da abase o in e egional ac i i y
ela ed o en i onmen al sus ainabili y was cons uc ed.
The indings e eal ha o ganisa ional in ol emen in in e egional Eu opean
p ojec s is highly concen a ed in u ban and capi al egions. A co ela ion analy-
sis con i ms ha egional cha ac e is ics such as GDP o popula ion densi y posi-
i ely in luence a egion’s in ol emen in in e egional esea ch p ojec s on en i on-
men al sus ainabili y. This aspec is ala ming om a policy pe spec i e as exis ing
di e gency pa e ns a e ep oduced his way ins ead o being b idged. Pa icula ly
an u ban- u al sepa a ion is likely o keep mani es ing when oday’s esea ch ans-
la es in o economic s eng h in he u u e. Mo eo e , his de elopmen con adic s
he aspi a ion o sma specialisa ion o use inno a ion policy o he achie emen o
egional con e gence. Also, i was shown ha sma specialisa ion s a egies (S3) do
no adequa ely ma ch p ac ical specialisa ions when i comes o in e egional ac i -
i y. Since o he s udies sugges he same implica ion o S3 no e lec ing economic
eali y, his aises ques ions o an upda e o sma specialisa ion which should pay
mo e a en ion o s a is ical analyses p io o he s a egy o mula ion p ocess. To
ecei e u he insigh s in o he in e nal ne wo k s uc u e o he da abase, a social
ne wo k analysis (SNA) was conduc ed, placing he No he n Ge man NUTS2
egions in he cen e. This analysis p o ed ha coope a ion appea s o be posi i ely
in luenced by geog aphical and cul u al p oximi y, bu coope a ion is also obse -
able wi h egions ha a e nei he geog aphically no cul u ally p oxima e. I can be
assumed ha he aspi a ion o Ho izon 2020, o p omo e in e egional coope a ion
and acili a e knowledge lows be ween egions, has been success ul o he poin
whe e coope a ion ne wo ks a e es ablished ha would no ha e eme ged wi hou
Eu opean esea ch unding. This is pa icula ly ele an in he ield o en i on-
men al sus ainabili y esea ch conside ing he inc easing need o adap o he UN
SDGs and o o e come p e ious limi a ions o a agmen ed Eu opean esea ch a ea
(Ka el & Mazzuca o, 2018; Mazzuca o & Penna, 2020). Gene ally, he analyses in
his pape con i m ha inno a ion coope a ion on en i onmen al sus ainabili y in
Eu ope is es ablished bu u he measu es a e equi ed o add ess ce ain sho com-
ings such as egional con e gence.
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Annex 1. Ho izon 2020 Calls Rela ed oEn i onmen al Sus ainabili y
Sec ion Wo k p og amme Time Call Topic
Excellen science
Fu u e and Eme ging
Technologies 2018–2020 FET p oac i e opics in he EIC Enhanced Pilo (2019-2020)
FETPROACT-EIC-08-2020
Indus ial leade ship
Leade ship in enabling and
indus ial echnologies 2014–2020 Fac o ies o he Fu u e
FoF 3 – 2014
Ene gy-e icien Buildings
EeB 5 – 2015
EeB 6 – 2015
EeB 7 – 2015
EE 2 – 2015
Sus ainable P ocess Indus ies
SPIRE 2-2014
SPIRE 4-2014
SPIRE 6-2015
SPIRE 7-2015
LCE 2-2014/2015
LCE 3-2014/2015
EE 18-2014/2015
Was e 1-2014
Socie al challenges
Food Secu i y, Sus ainable
Ag icul u e and Fo es y,
Ma ine, Ma i ime and
Inland Wa e Resea ch
and he Bioeconomy
2014–2015 Call o Sus ainable Food Secu i y
SFS-x-20xx
Call o Blue G ow h: Unlocking he Po en ial o Seas and Oceans
BG-x-20xx
Call o an Inno a i e, Sus ainable and Inclusi e Bioeconomy
ISIB-x-20xx
2016–2017 Call Sus ainable Food Secu i y - Resilien and Resou ce-
E icien Value Chains
SFS-xx-20xx
Call Blue G ow h - Demons a ing an Ocean o Oppo uni ies
BG-xx-20xx
Call Ru al Renaissance - Fos e ing Inno a ion and Business
Oppo uni ies
RUR-07-2016
Call Bio-based Inno a ion o Sus ainable Goods and Se ices -
Suppo ing he De elopmen o a Eu opean Bioeconomy
BB-xx-20xx
2018–2020 Call Sus ainable Food Secu i y
SFS-xx-20xx
LC-SFS-19 bis 25 - 20xx
Call Blue G ow h
BG-xx-20xx
Call Food and Na u al Resou ces
FNR-xx-20xx
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Sec ion Wo k p og amme Time Call Topic
Secu e, Clean and
E icien Ene gy 2014–2015 Call Ene gy E iciency
EE x - 20xx
Call Compe i i e LOW-CARBON Ene gy
LCE - x - 20xx
Call Sma Ci ies and Communi ies
SSC - x - 20xx
Call SMEs and Fas T ack o Inno a ion o Ene gy
SIE x - 20xx
2016–2017 Ene gy E iciency Call 2016-2017
EE-xx-20xx
Call Compe i i e Low-Ca bon Ene gy
LCE - x - 20xx
Sma , G een
and In eg a ed
T anspo
2014–2015 Call Mobili y o G ow h
MG.x.x-20xx
Call G een Vehicles
GV.x.20xx
2016–2017 Call 2016-2017 Mobili y o G ow h
MG-x.x-20xx
Call 2016-2017 G een Vehicles
GV-xx-20xx
2018–2020 Call 2018-2020 Mobili y o G ow h
LC-MG-x-x-20xx
MG-BG-xx-20xx
Call Building a Low-Ca bon, Clima e Resilien Fu u e: G een
Vehicles
LC-GV-xx-20xx
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Sec ion Wo k p og amme Time Call Topic
Clima e Ac ion,
En i onmen , Resou ce
E iciency and Raw
Ma e ials
2014–2015 Call Was e: A Resou ce o Recycle, Reuse and Reco e Raw
Ma e ials
WASTE-x-20xx
Call Wa e Inno a ion: Boos ing i s alue o Eu ope
WATER-x-20xx
Call G owing a Low Ca bon, Resou ce E icien Economy wi h
a Sus ainable Supply o Raw Ma e ials
SC5-x-20xx
2016–2017 Call G eening he Economy
SC5-xx-20xx
2018–2020 Call Building a Low-Ca bon, Clima e Resilien Fu u e: Clima e
Ac ion in Suppo o he Pa is Ag eemen
LC-CLA-xx-20xx
Call G eening he Economy in Line wi h he Sus ainable
De elopmen Goals (SDGs)
CE-SC5-xx-20xx
Secu e socie ies - P o ec ing
eedom and secu i y o
Eu ope and i s ci izens
2014–2015 Call Disas e -Resilience: Sa egua ding and Secu ing Socie y,
Including Adap ing o Clima e Change
DRS-9 bis 11 - 20xx
Eu ope in a changing
wo ld
2018–2020 TRANSFORMATIONS-03-2018-2019
TRANSFORMATIONS-06-2018
Focus a eas
2018–2020 Socie al Challenge 3 Secu e, Clean and E icien Ene gy
SC3 - x - 20xx
Socie al Challenge 4 Sma , G een and In eg a ed T anspo
SC4 - x - 20xx
Socie al Challenge 2 Food Secu i y, Sus ainable Ag icul u e
and Fo es y, Ma ine, Ma i ime and Inland Wa e Resea ch
and he Bioeconomy
SC2 - x - 20xx
LEIT – NMBP
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Annex 2. Thema ic P io i ies inH2020 P ojec s onEn i onmen al
Sus ainabili y, NUTS2 Le el. Sou ce: CORDIS (2022), Own Depic ion
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NUTS2 Region In e egional
p ojec s Scien i ic
p io i ies
NUTS1 NUTS2
FRI2 Limousin 8 0 1
FRI3 Poi ou-Cha en es 34 0 1
FRJ1 Languedoc-Roussillon 75 0 1
FRJ2 Midi-Py énées 201 0 0
FRK1 Au e gne 23 0 1
FRK2 Rhône-Alpes 270 0 1
FRL0 P o ence-Alpes-Cô e d’Azu 195 0 1
FRM0 Co se 2 0 1
FRY1 Guadeloupe 4 0 1
FRY2 Ma inique 3 0 1
FRY3 Guyane 1 0 1
FRY4 La Réunion 1 0 1
FRY5 Mayo e 0 0 0
HR02 Panonska H a ska 8 0 0
HR03 Jad anska H a ska 65 1 0
HR05 G ad Zag eb 140 1 0
HR06 Sje e na H a ska 18 1 0
ITC1 Piemon e 456 0 1
ITC2 Valle d’Aos a/Vallée d’Aos e 6 0 1
ITC3 Ligu ia 233 0 1
ITC4 Lomba dia 691 0 1
ITF1 Ab uzzo 29 0 1
ITF2 Molise 3 0 0
ITF3 Campania 161 0 1
ITF4 Puglia 123 0 1
ITF5 Basilica a 14 0 1
ITF6 Calab ia 23 0 1
ITG1 Sicilia 47 0 1
ITG2 Sa degna 29 0 1
ITH1 P o incia Au onoma di Bolzano/Bozen 47 0 1
ITH2 P o incia Au onoma di T en o 76 0 1
ITH3 Vene o 232 0 1
ITH4 F iuli-Venezia Giulia 87 0 1
ITH5 Emilia-Romagna 403 0 1
ITI1 Toscana 297 0 0
ITI2 Umb ia 43 0 0
ITI3 Ma che 69 0 1
ITI4 Lazio 870 0 1
CY00 Kyp os 217 1 0
LV00 La ija 142 1 1
LT01 Sos ines egionas 70 1 0
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NUTS2 Region In e egional
p ojec s Scien i ic
p io i ies
NUTS1 NUTS2
LT02 Vidu io i aka u Lie u os egionas 49 1 0
LU00 Luxembou g 104 1 1
HU11 Budapes 216 0 0
HU12 Pes 35 0 0
HU21 Közép-Dunán úl 22 0 0
HU22 Nyuga -Dunán úl 18 0 0
HU23 Dél-Dunán úl 10 0 0
HU31 Észak-Magya o szág 14 0 0
HU32 Észak-Al öld 6 0 0
HU33 Dél-Al öld 23 0 0
MT00 Mal a 59 1 1
NL11 G oningen 102 0 1
NL12 F iesland (NL) 20 0 1
NL13 D en he 22 0 1
NL21 O e ijssel 110 0 1
NL22 Gelde land 387 0 1
NL23 Fle oland 17 0 1
NL31 U ech 247 0 1
NL32 Noo d-Holland 417 0 1
NL33 Zuid-Holland 879 0 1
NL34 Zeeland 13 0 1
NL41 Noo d-B aban 277 0 1
NL42 Limbu g (NL) 83 0 1
AT11 Bu genland (AT) 14 1 1
AT12 Niede ös e eich 110 1 1
AT13 Wien 562 1 0
AT21 Kä n en 22 1 1
AT22 S eie ma k 291 1 1
AT31 Obe ös e eich 95 1 0
AT32 Salzbu g 20 1 0
AT33 Ti ol 34 1 1
AT34 Vo a lbe g 15 1 1
PL21 Malopolskie 62 1 1
PL22 Slaskie 51 1 1
PL41 Wielkopolskie 57 1 1
PL42 Zachodniopomo skie 20 1 1
PL43 Lubuskie 1 1 1
PL51 Dolnoslaskie 34 1 1
PL52 Opolskie 3 1 1
PL61 Kujawsko-Pomo skie 5 1 1
PL62 Wa minsko-Mazu skie 11 1 0
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NUTS2 Region In e egional
p ojec s Scien i ic
p io i ies
NUTS1 NUTS2
PL63 Pomo skie 56 1 1
PL71 Lódzkie 38 1 1
PL72 Swie ok zyskie 4 1 1
PL81 Lubelskie 20 1 1
PL82 Podka packie 4 1 1
PL84 Podlaskie 0 1 1
PL91 Wa szawski s oleczny 236 1 1
PL92 Mazowiecki egionalny 5 1 1
PT11 No e 260 1 0
PT15 Alga e 30 1 1
PT16 Cen o (PT) 129 1 1
PT17 Á ea Me opoli ana de Lisboa 472 1 1
PT18 Alen ejo 56 1 1
PT20 Região Au ónoma dos Aço es (PT) 27 1 1
PT30 Região Au ónoma da Madei a (PT) 22 1 1
RO11 No d-Ves 49 1 1
RO12 Cen u 51 1 1
RO21 No d-Es 24 1 1
RO22 Sud-Es 37 1 1
RO31 Sud - Mun enia 13 1 1
RO32 Bucu es i - Il o 254 1 0
RO41 Sud-Ves Ol enia 10 1 1
RO42 Ves 10 1 1
SI03 Vzhodna Slo enija 85 1 0
SI04 Zahodna Slo enija 330 1 0
SK01 B a isla ský k aj 84 0 0
SK02 Západné Slo ensko 28 0 0
SK03 S edné Slo ensko 22 0 0
SK04 Východné Slo ensko 12 0 0
FI19 Länsi-Suomi 103 0 1
FI1B Helsinki-Uusimaa 564 0 1
FI1C E elä-Suomi 104 0 1
FI1D Pohjois- ja I ä-Suomi 141 0 1
FI20 Åland 1 0 0
SE11 S ockholm 343 0 1
SE12 Ös a Mellans e ige 234 0 1
SE21 Småland med öa na 30 0 1
SE22 Syds e ige 128 0 1
SE23 Väs s e ige 351 0 1
SE31 No a Mellans e ige 32 0 1
SE32 Melle s a No land 16 0 1
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NUTS2 Region In e egional
p ojec s Scien i ic
p io i ies
NUTS1 NUTS2
SE33 Ö e No land 103 0 1
UKC1 Tees Valley and Du ham 23 0 0
UKC2 No humbe land and Tyne and Wea 65 0 0
UKD1 Cumb ia 19 0 0
UKD3 G ea e Manches e 92 0 1
UKD4 Lancashi e 4 0 0
UKD6 Cheshi e 28 0 0
UKD7 Me seyside 9 0 0
UKE1 Eas Yo kshi e and No he n Lincolnshi e 18 0 0
UKE2 No h Yo kshi e 34 0 0
UKE3 Sou h Yo kshi e 2 0 0
UKE4 Wes Yo kshi e 59 0 0
UKF1 De byshi e and No inghamshi e 69 0 0
UKF2 Leices e shi e, Ru land and No hamp onshi e 57 0 1
UKF3 Lincolnshi e 5 0 0
UKG1 He e o dshi e, Wo ces e shi e and Wa wickshi e 122 0 0
UKG2 Sh opshi e and S a o dshi e 22 0 0
UKG3 Wes Midlands 148 0 0
UKH1 Eas Anglia 165 0 0
UKH2 Bed o dshi e and He o dshi e 69 0 0
UKH3 Essex 65 0 0
UKI3 Inne London - Wes 421 0 0
UKI4 Inne London - Eas 127 0 0
UKI5 Ou e London - Eas and No h Eas 66 0 0
UKI6 Ou e London - Sou h 5 0 0
UKI7 Ou e London - Wes and No h Wes 67 0 0
UKJ1 Be kshi e, Buckinghamshi e and Ox o dshi e 215 0 0
UKJ2 Su ey, Eas and Wes Sussex 101 0 0
UKJ3 Hampshi e and Isle o Wigh 101 0 0
UKJ4 Ken 15 0 1
UKK1 Glouces e shi e, Wil shi e and B is ol/Ba h a ea 185 0 0
UKK2 Do se and Some se 20 0 0
UKK3 Co nwall and Isles o Scilly 8 0 1
UKK4 De on 118 0 0
UKL1 Wes Wales and The Valleys 73 0 1
UKL2 Eas Wales 44 0 1
UKM5 No h Eas e n Sco land 37 0 1
UKM6 Highlands and Islands 43 0 1
UKM7 Eas e n Sco land 167 0 1
UKM8 Wes Cen al Sco land 6 0 1
UKM9 Sou he n Sco land 4 0 1
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NUTS2 Region In e egional
p ojec s Scien i ic
p io i ies
NUTS1 NUTS2
UKN0 No he n I eland (UK) 58 0 1
IS00 Ísland 131 0 0
LI00 Liech ens ein 0 0 0
NO02 Innlande 14 0 0
NO06 T øndelag 267 0 0
NO07 No d-No ge 76 0 1
NO08 Oslo og Ake shus (s a is ical egion 2016) 356 0 1
NO09 Agde og Rogaland (s a is ical egion 2016) 66 0 1
NO0A Ves lande (s a is ical egion 2016) 222 0 1
NO0B Jan Mayen og S alba d 0 0 0
CH01 Région lémanique 218 0 0
CH02 Espace Mi elland 160 0 0
CH03 No dwes schweiz 104 0 0
CH04 Zü ich 230 0 0
CH05 Os schweiz 42 0 0
CH06 Zen alschweiz 24 0 0
CH07 Ticino 31 0 0
ME00 C na Go a 0 1 1
MK00 Se e na Makedonija 42 0 0
AL01 Ve i 0 1 0
AL02 Qende 0 1 0
AL03 Jug 0 1 0
RS11 Beog adski egion 92 1 0
RS12 Region Voj odine 49 1 0
RS21 Region Sumadije i Zapadne S bije 5 1 0
RS22 Region Juzne i Is ocne S bije 4 1 0
TR10 Is anbul 125 0 0
TR21 Teki dag, Edi ne, Ki kla eli 0 0 0
TR22 Balikesi , Çanakkale 3 0 0
TR31 Izmi 36 0 0
TR32 Aydin, Denizli, Mugla 5 0 0
TR33 Manisa, A yonka ahisa , Kü ahya, Usak 1 0 0
TR41 Bu sa, Eskisehi , Bilecik 9 0 0
TR42 Kocaeli, Saka ya, Düzce, Bolu, Yalo a 19 0 0
TR51 Anka a 103 0 0
TR52 Konya, Ka aman 3 0 1
TR61 An alya, Ispa a, Bu du 4 0 0
TR62 Adana, Me sin 4 0 0
TR63 Ha ay, Kah amanma as, Osmaniye 1 0 0
TR71 Ki ikkale, Aksa ay, Nigde, Ne sehi , Ki sehi 1 0 0
TR72 Kayse i, Si as, Yozga 4 0 0
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NUTS2 Region In e egional
p ojec s Scien i ic
p io i ies
NUTS1 NUTS2
TR81 Zonguldak, Ka abük, Ba in 0 0 0
TR82 Kas amonu, Çanki i, Sinop 1 0 0
TR83 Samsun, Toka , Ço um, Amasya 0 0 0
TR90 T abzon, O du, Gi esun, Rize, A in, Gümüshane 2 0 0
TRA1 E zu um, E zincan, Baybu 1 0 0
TRA2 Ag i, Ka s, Igdi , A dahan 0 0 0
TRB1 Mala ya, Elazig, Bingöl, Tunceli 0 0 0
TRB2 Van, Mus, Bi lis, Hakka i 1 0 0
TRC1 Gazian ep, Adiyaman, Kilis 2 0 0
TRC2 Sanliu a, Diya baki 0 0 0
TRC3 Ma din, Ba man, Si nak, Sii 0 0 0
Sou ce: CORDIS (2022); Sma Specialisa ion Pla o m (2022a, b)
Annex 4. Scien i ic S3 Domains Rela ed oEn i onmen al
Sus ainabili y
Scien i ic domain Scien i ic subdomain
01—Explo a ion and exploi a ion o he ea h 01.01—A mosphe e
01.02—Clima e and me eo ological esea ch
01.07—Sea and oceans
02—En i onmen (All subdomains)
04—T anspo , elecommunica ion, and o he
in as uc u e
04.26—P o ec ion agains ha m ul e en s in own and
coun y planning
05—Ene gy (All Subdomains)
08—Ag icul u e 08.72—Ag icul u e o es y impac on he en i onmen
Sou ce: Sma Specialisa ion Pla o m (2022a, b).
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Annex 5. Ne wo k o No he n Ge man Regions
inSus ainabili y‑ ela ed H2020 P ojec s. Sou ce: CORDIS (2022)
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Funding Open Access unding enabled and o ganized by P ojek DEAL.
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