On 27th October 2015, under the current Chairmanship of the Basque Country, the Brussels-based representatives met at the Emilia-Romagna EU office to discuss the progress of the Vanguard Initiative as a whole as well as the updates of its 5 pilots: Advanced Manufacturing/Energy (led by Scotland and the Basque Country); Bio-economy (led by Randstad region and Lombardy); 3D-Printing (led by South Netherlands, Flanders and Norte); Nano-technology (led by Skåne and Tampere region); and Efficient and sustainable manufacturing (led by Catalonia and Lombardy).

The Vanguard Initiative is highlighted as an important driver for interregional co-investment in European value chains in an article in the latest edition of Panorama Magazine. The article, entitled “Transforming Regional Economies through Smart Specialisation”, provides a substantial case study of the Vanguard Initiative to demonstrate the opportunities related to interregional implementation of smart specialisation strategies.

On 19th February the Asturias Regional Government organized an awareness-raising meeting in Oviedo, the Capital City of the Region. The event was led by the Regional Minister of Presidency, Mr. Guillermo Martínez and the Director General for Industry, Mr Luis Ángel Colunga and addressed to public and private entities of Asturias.

Saxon State Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Transport Martin Dulig officially signed the Milan Declaration at the event ´Advancing Europe´s Industry – The Role of the Key Enabling Technology Advanced Manufacturing´ in Saxony's Liaison Office Brussels on February 24th. Mr. Esa Halme, Region Mayor of Tampere Region (Finland) and currently chair of the Vanguard Initiative officially represented the Vanguard Initiative. 90 participants attended the event and signing of the declaration.