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‘Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the DNA of the European economy. They are the basis of our future growth and prosperity. Why? Because, in Europe, that growth and prosperity must be based on knowledge and it is SMEs that are most capable of turning knowledge into growth, of turning bright ideas into commercial success, of turning research into rewards. That is why they are the essential catalyst in what we call the Lisbon agenda.’

 

The European single market has opened up new markets for all firms, which means that competition is becoming increasingly stiff. In a globalising world, innovation has become the fastest way to conquer new markets, and to maintain existing ones. As a result, SMEs increasingly need to acquire new knowledge, to innovate and to internationalise their network of business partners.

Yet in today’s world, these activities are becoming increasingly specialised and costly.

That is why the European Union is encouraging SMEs to participate in its Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (RTD), which is an excellent instrument to realise all these objectives at the same time.

The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) provides financial support for transnational research for and by SMEs wishing to innovate and improve their competitiveness, by enhancing their investment in research activities to acquire new knowledge for growth in Europe’s knowledge-based economy.

To encourage more SMEs to take part in the EU’s RTD Programmes, special instruments have been developed for SMEs.

For a practical guide see the SME Techweb (http://ec.europa.eu/research/ sme-techweb) which will take you through the possibilities step by step. Under the current FP7 (2007-2013) there are two dedicated initiatives to strengthen the innovation capacities of SMEs by providing the support they need to outsource research which is critical to their core business:

□ Research for SMEs (formally Co-operative research)
□ Research for SME Associations (formally Collective research).

 

Research for SMEs supports small groups of innovative SMEs in solving technological problems and acquiring technological know-how. Projects must fit into the overall business and innovation needs of the SMEs, which are given the opportunity to subcontract research to RTD performers in order to acquire the necessary technological knowledge. Projects must render clear exploitation potential and economic benefits for the SMEs involved.

This publication presents the achievements of 20 Co-operative research (now Research for SMEs) projects completed under the Sixth Framework Programme (2002-2006). In total, these projects involve more than 200 SMEs. They illustrate the richness and diversity of the results that SMEs can obtain from EU research projects and show how SMEs with little or no research capacity can benefit from the Research for SMEs scheme.

Besides the SME specific instruments, research-performing SMEs with their own research capacity can benefit from support in three major ways:

□ Cooperation Programme
□ People Programme - Marie Curie Industry Academia Partnerships and Pathways (IAPP)
□ Eurostars.

Further information on FP7 can be found on the following dedicated sites:

□ SME Techweb (http://ec.europa.eu/research/sme-techweb)
□ www.ec.europa.eu/research/fp7
□ www.cordis.europa.eu/fp7.

 

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