Recent research indicates that regional clusters enable companies to reach higher levels of productivity and be more innovative. A report mapping and analysing the regional clusters of the EU-10 states that "the lack of regional specialisation might be an important factor explaining the European competitiveness gap with leading global peers".
The report, authored by Europe INNOVA, first recommends enhancing geographical specialisation and efficient allocation of economic activity accross the EU. With this regard, the authors suggest that the EU could help, for example, by removing barriers to trade, investment and labour mobility.
Secondly, it calls the EU to provide 'process' support for regional cluster development intitiatives, such as for the strengthening of linkages between companies, regional government agencies and research and educational institutions.
Thirdly, referring to the complexity of the innovation process involving many actors, the authors call for improved effectiveness of EU competitiveness policies such as regional, science and innovation, competition, enterprise and SME and sectoral policies.
In striving towards the Lisbon goals of competitiveness, some EU member states have launched different national initiatives to raise their and different regions' research profile. In July 2005, the French government, for example, announced the creation of some 60 regional poles of competitiveness and six industrial clusters (see EurActiv 13 July 2005).
