PROsumer.NET Innovation Policy Workshop, 28. Feb. 2012, Brussels
Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 2:52PM 
PROsumer.NET, a networking project supporting the European Consumer Goods Research Initiative, organises a workshop to discuss key innovation policy issues which impact transfer of new knowledge and novel technologies into industrial innovation in the European design-based consumer goods sectors.
Major innovation concepts such as open and user-driven innovation, eco-innovation, mass customisation, cross-sectoral and design-based innovation can offer great potential to transform consumer goods industries and markets in Europe and worldwide and can give companies - large and small - new avenues for significant profitable growth. Innovation-related policies and programmes in areas such as environmental protection & sustainability, skills & education, access to finance, regional clustering and internationalisation as well as general business and industrial policies can act as a driver and facilitator but also as a barrier and disabler of industrial innovation.
As part of its Europe 2020 Strategy, especially the Policy Flagships “Innovation Union” & “A new industrial policy for the globalisation era”, the European Union wants to drive and facilitate innovation to create jobs, promote sustainability, skills and societal integrity in Europe. Similar policy objectives are also pursued at national and regional level all across Europe.
The PROsumer.NET project consortium invites EU, national and regional policy makers to discuss with industry innovators and leading academics how current policies and programmes impact consumer goods innovation in Europe and how they can be made more relevant and more supportive in the future.
The meeting will take place in Brussels, jointly organised and hosted by the Forest-based Technology Platform (FTP) and EURATEX, the European Apparel and Textile Industry Confederation. The workshop is on invitation only, but if you are interested to participate please go to project contact and send a message to the PROsumer.NET coordinator.