An orientation paper on linking innovation and research The European Union’s Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR) is mandated by the Council to play a major role in the coordination of agricultural research efforts across the European Research Area (currently composed of 37 countries). This includes questions of advisory services, education, training and innovation. SCAR set up a Strategic Working Group (SWG) of civil servants from the European Commission and the EU Member States to reflect on Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS). Innovation is an important challenge for European agriculture. This report gathers experiences from different countries and regions. The report especially reflects on how innovation could be organised in the European research and innovation policy, using the framework of the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability, and how this could be connected to agricultural policy and t he Horizon 2020 research framework programme. Special attention is paid to the role of ICT, that could support social innovation processes and to incentives for research to collaborate in innovation processes