Report of the 12th Meeting of the Subgroup on Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (SoIKE)
- Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI
- Networking
- Research & Innovation
- Fostering Knowledge & Innovation
The twelfth meeting of the Subgroup on Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (SoIKE) was held in Brussels on 4 June 2026.
The report describes the different sessions of the eleventh meeting of the Subgroup on Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (SoIKE). This includes a Welcome and introduction, with presentations from Hugo Almeida, Acting Head of Unit D1 ‘Rural areas and networks’, DG AGRI, and Orsolya Frizon Somogyi, Deputy Head of Unit F.2, Research and Innovation European Commission, DG AGRI.
During Session I: EU CAP Network networking activities on innovation & knowledge exchange | EIP-AGRI for the draft annual work programme 2026-2027, Pacôme Elouna Eyenga, Team leader of the EIP-AGRI Support Facility, presented the draft Annual Work Programme 2026-2027.
In Session II: News from SoIKE members, SoIKE members shared recent updates related to EIP-AGRI and AKIS implementation.
In Session III: AKIS and EIP-AGRI implementation: looking towards the future, Gonzague Leroux, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, France, presented the results of a study analysing the innovation processes of OGs in France during the last programming period. Markus Hartmann, Innovation office of the Chamber of Agriculture in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, presented the results of a study carried out under ATTRACTISS, a Horizon Europe project that supports Innovation Support Services (ISS) in the implementation of OGs in Germany. Bogdan Alecu, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Romania, presented the outcomes of the AKIS and Innovation Cluster kick-off meeting held online on 22 April 2026.
During, Session IV: Turning ECA recommendations into operational actions: national and regional perspectives, following a speed dating moment between participants, Joanna Kiszko, Unit D.1 ‘Rural areas and networks’, DG AGRI, European Commission, introduced the session presenting the European Commission’s action plan to address the recommendations of the European Court of Auditors’ report on EIP-AGRI OGs. Participants then divided in smaller groups to discuss what actions could be taken at EU- and Member State-level to address the three ECA recommendations.
To conclude the meeting, Magdalena Mach, Unit D.1 ‘Rural areas and networks’, DG AGRI, European Commission, thanked participants for their active engagement and valuable contributions, and announced that the next SoIKE meetings, the first one will take place online on 15 October 2026.
