FP7 to increase the innovative potential of SMEs, say Commission officials

Brussels, 08 Jun 2005

With an increased budget, simplified procedures and a broader approach, the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) is intended to increase the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU research programmes and help make them more innovative, say Commission officials.

At a roundtable 'boost your business with innovation', hosted by CORDIS during the European research and innovation conference in Paris, Yves Maisonny from the Commission's Directorate General for Research and Kurt König from the Office of Publications agreed that it is often difficult for SMEs to get access to the framework programmes, but that the new approach proposed under FP7 offers more flexibility and takes into account the potential and needs of SMEs.

As Mr Maisonny explained, the current policy under FP6, which is only one side of European policy relating to SMEs, is to distribute over two million euro to SMEs in order to achieve the most beneficial participation possible and boost partnerships between big companies and SMEs for a fair distribution of research results.

With the FP7 proposal, said Mr Maisonny, the Commission has opted for a wide approach, embracing the structural funds and introducing the Competitiveness and Innovation framework Programme (CIP). The proposal, with its increased flexibility in the choice of instruments, its bigger budget and its SME-specific activities is better adapted to the needs of SMEs than previous framework programmes, he believes.

'Furthermore,' said Mr Maisonny, 'the Commission provides support for the development of common programmes targeting SMEs and their coordination between Member States. The Commission also supports transnational cooperation between regional clusters,' he added.

Until now, research had been difficult to sell to the European market, believes Mr Maisonny,. It either stopped in its tracks or was developed outside Europe. The CIP mechanism, however, will support capital risk and innovation in general.

'There are many entities out there that have been established with the support of the Commission in order to raise the participation of SMEs in framework programmes, such as the Euro Info centres [EIC], the BIC [Business Innovation Centres] networks, the IRCs [Innovation Relay Centres] and the National Contact Points [NCPs]' continued Mr König. 'Access to community research is feasible, even if the procedures are often complicated.'

According to the participants, an SME has a greater chance of success if it anticipates the projects without waiting for them to be published by DG Research. Another factor influencing success is if core partners get together and start working on the project concept well before the proposal submission. Finally, it is often the case that SMEs that have already taken part in a framework programme have more chances of success because they tend to come back with different approaches.

Although there is no miracle solution, concluded the participants, getting SMEs to participate in framework programmes is not the obstacle course some say it is, and the process should become even easier with FP7.

CORDIS RTD-NEWS / © European Communities
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