Report Fourth Meeting of the Subgroup on Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (SoIKE)

The report describes the different sessions of the fourth meeting of the Subgroup on Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (SoIKE). This includes a welcome and introduction with presentations from Magdalena Mach, Unit D1 ‘Rural areas and Networks’ of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI), Orsolya Frizon Somogyi, Deputy Head of Unit F2 ‘Research and Innovation’ (DG AGRI), and Pacôme Elouna Eyenga, Team Leader of the EIP-AGRI Support Facility.

In Session I on 'Guidelines for data on European Innovation Partnership (EIP) Operational Groups', Elin Johnsson, Unit D1 ‘Rural areas and Networks’ (DG AGRI), presented the 'SFC Guidelines' for data reporting on EIP-AGRI Operational Groups (OG).

In Session II on 'EU CAP Network Cross-visits – new knowledge exchange and peer-to-peer learning possibilities for Operational Groups', Aleksandra Zlateva of the EIP-AGRI Support Facility presented the first cross-visit experiences under the EU CAP Network. These cross-visits aim to enhance peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange as well as to create opportunities for potential future collaborations and partnerships between OGs. Annemiek Canjels of the Advisory Service Province Limburg, the Netherlands, presented the Dutch-German cross-visit experience.

Session III was on 'Transnational and cross-border OGs – building up from different past experiences'. Magdalena Mach, Unit D1 ‘Rural areas and Networks’ (DG AGRI), introduced the concept of transnational and cross-border OG cooperation. Anke Wehmeyer, representative of the European LEADER Association for Rural Development (ELARD) and the German LEADER Network presented the LEADER experience with transnational cooperation. Tuija Kallio, National CAP Network Finland, and Jenny Taylor, Swedish Board of Agriculture, presented the ‘Network to Innovate’ partnership between Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Latvia, and reflected on the first experiences in transnational and cross-border OGs in their countries.

In the plenary, SoIKE members discussed transnational and cross-border OG experiences in their countries. Afterwards, SoIKE members were distributed into four breakout groups to discuss challenges in setting up transnational OGs and possible solutions.

Highlights of Session IV on 'News from the Member States and AOB' are also mentioned in the report.