Foundations have developed a wealth of expertise in the areas of creativity and innovation. “Fostering Creativity” was also the focus of the 2008 EFC Annual General Assembly (AGA) and Conference held in Istanbul. Several workshops addressed foundations’ contribution to creativity and innovation and their role in specific areas covered by the 2009 European Year, read conference highlights and session reports 

If you are already undertaking or planning to carry out activities in the areas of creativity and innovation and/or in relation to the European Year, please let us know. Send detals of your work to EFC Secretariat c/o EU affairs:

• by email to eu@efc.be
• by post to the European Foundation Centre (EFC), 51 rue de la Concorde, B-1050 Brussels
• by fax: +32 2 512 3265

Under the slogan “Imagine. Create. Innovate”, the Year aims to promote creative and innovative approaches in different sectors of human activity and help equip the EU for the challenges ahead in a globalised world. The main objectives are as follows:

• To raise awareness of the importance of creativity and innovation for personal, social and economic development;
• To disseminate good practices;
• To stimulate education and research; and
• To promote policy debate on on how to increase EU's creative and innovative potential.

The Year is a horizontal, cross-cutting exercise involving many areas. While education and culture will be at the centre, it feeds into other policy areas including social and employment policies, environment, energy, information society, and regional and research policies.

There is no specific budget line for this European Year. Events in the Member States will be funded by relevant public authorities solely, or in partnership with publicly funded organisations, market companies or civic organisations. EU support for associated activities is provided mainly in the field of lifelong learning and culture. Activities funded in the enterprise, SME, regional and social cohesion, research and information society fields are also being supported using existing funds. Several possibilities exist under the 7th Framework programme: FP7 Cooperation (policy relevant research), FP7 Ideas (frontier research), FP7 People (mobility of researchers), FP7 Capacities (research infrastructures, science in society, etc.), Social sciences and humanities.  

As for previous European Years, measures include promotion campaigns, events and initiatives at European, national, regional and local levels. No additional budget line has been provided as the aim is to use existing resources from existing funding programmes such as the Lifelong Learning and the Youth in Action.

A large-scale conference on the contribution of the EU's funding programmes to creativity and innovation, 2-3 March, Brussels (Belgium) Read more 

Six public debates:
The European Commission is also involved in a number of actions on a European scale

Each Member State has appointed a national coordinator responsible for the country’s activities related to the Year. The Commission will coordinate the activities at the European level. This will enable national activities to be tailored to the needs and circumstances of each Member State while ensuring a maximum impact and coordination at EU level. Further information on the national activities is available at: http://create2009.europa.eu/index_en/national_activities.html.

The European Year provides an excellent opportunity for foundations to advance creativity and innovation by providing a platform for promotion, networking, knowledge-sharing and partnerships both with public and private stakeholders. There are many opportunities to get involved in the Year at European and national level:

• Becoming a partner of the Year. Partners are supporting the campaign via their own initiatives on a pan-European as well as on a national level in their country or by broadcasting messages across the media. If you are interested in becoming a partner, please write to create2009@ec.europa.eu.
• Taking part in the events that will be organised at European and national level 
• Getting involved in the initiatives at national level. Read more on the activities planned or contact the national coordinator in your country 
• Organising your own events and use the Year as a “hook” to advance the priorities on your agenda. It is possible to use the name and logo of the European Year for events, projects and activities taking place between December 1st 2008 and December 31st 2009, which contribute to achieving one or more of the objectives of the Year

> Read the decision of the European Year and other official documents
> Go to the official website of the European Year