The development of Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) has put considerable pressure on EU regions and member states, which have had to reflect on their governance of innovation policy.  On the one hand S3 governance requires embedding participatory elements to the policy process, on the other, as S3 is framed against broader socio economic objectives; it demands coordination across government departments and policy actors that were previously peripheral to innovation policy.

Supporting good S3 governance has thus always been a concern of the Targeted Support activities.

Activities have covered issues such as:

• Coordination between national and regional level;  
• Coordination between different policy areas;
• Integration of stakeholders’ input in the governance process;
• Communication with the EC level;
• Support to S3, through political cycles;
• Synergies between Cohesion funds and other EC, national and regional funds.

In particular, a Governance Working Group has been organised examining the issues above through role-playing methodologies. Furthermore, the working group has engaged in an exercise to support the development of an improved governance system. The working group has brought together representatives of national, regional and EC institutions.