The innovation policy of the European Union. From government to governance

Abstract:
It should be expected that any book that has innovation in its title should have some originality in its content. This book meets that expectation. It seeks to understand the major change and driving forces of EU innovation policy over recent years and to identify the challenges that policy makers need to address to ensure a positive climate for innovation in the EU. The book explores the move from a science and technology policy towards an innovation policy at EU level and presents detailed studies of the most recent developments of EU innovation policy.

The work is organised over seven chapters and the first of these provides the analytical framework for the study of the EU's innovation policy. Chapter two concentrates on the EU's policy and actions in research and knowledge and the approach governments have taken towards research and technological development. The regulatory framework for intellectual property rights is the focus of chapter three. There has been a rapid development of information and communications technologies in recent years giving rise to a wide range of regulatory activity in the EU and this is explored in chapter four. The issue addressed in chapter five is standardisation, which is seen by many as having a key role in the innovation process. Science is always pushing at new frontiers of knowledge which is accompanied by risk - some of which creates social mistrust which can at times be a useful brake on socially unacceptable risk - and this and other issues surrounding risk and governance are examined in chapter six. The final chapter concludes with commentary on the governance patterns of the EU in the past decade and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

The work will interest scholars, students and researchers engaged in the economics of innovation, EU political economy, science, technology and politics.

Contents:
1. Analysing the Innovation Policy of the European Union
2. Research and Knowledge Production
3. The Changing Regime of Intellectual Property Rights
4. Building the Information Society
5. The World of Standards
6. Risk and the Social Sustainability of Innovation
7. Conclusion