Imprensa First European Innovation Area Forum kicks-off in Brussels with the special presence of the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola

The first European Innovation Area Summit – Impact Innovations for a Sustainable Future, which precedes the much-anticipated publication of the Commission Innovation Communication, kicks-off this Monday in Brussels, with the special presence of the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. The event is organized by the Knowledge for Innovation Network (K4I) with the patronage of the European Parliament.

“This event comes at a very important time, on the verge of a communication by the European Commission that, we hope, will finally bring us confirmation of the creation of a European Innovation Area (EIA)”, says Portuguese MEP Maria da Graça Carvalho, chair of the K4I Forum, who will be responsible for opening the event.

“The EIA is something that the Knowledge for Innovation Forum has been fighting for since its creation, in 2009”, she adds. “Last year, we launched the EIA Manifesto, strongly supported by all the key stakeholders, where we have outlined 8 key focus areas, which we consider essential to achieve Europe’s ambition to become a global innovation leader”.

It is worth mentioning that the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, will deliver the keynote speech of the European Innovation Area Summit, this Wednesday, the 29th of June, at 13.00 CET, and there are great expectations about what she may anticipate about the upcoming Commission’s Innovation Communication.

The K4I network is an independent, non-profit platform for debate on the future of innovation in Europe, comprising active and retired politicians, academics, researchers, European innovative enterprises, start-ups, and investors.