Support to creativity and innovation: The Enterprise Europe Network Eurocapitales Brussels 19 September 2009 J-F AGUINAGA Head of Unit European Commission DG Enterprise and Industry Business cooperation and Support network

The policy framework SME Policy Competition policy Internal Market Trade policy Regional policy Social Policy Environmental Policy Fiscal policy Consumer & health protection policies R&D Education Policy

The Small Business Act for Europe (SBA) June 2008  3 main objectives: entrepreneurship, Think Small First, promote SME growth  10 policy principles + concrete measures, incl. 5 legislative acts Dec 2008: SBA Action Plan with 3 priority areas:  access to finance;  reducing administrative burden;  access to markets.

The Enterprise Europe Network Lisbon agenda Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP)  Started: January 2008, until 2014  4 DGs involved: ENTR, TREN, INFSO, ENV  Main activities: Financial instruments (EUR 1 bn) Enterprise Europe Network (EUR 0.4 bn)

Today’s environment R-D-A = entrepreneurship & innovation  Business life cycle accelerates…  …Technology life cycle accelerates Oversupply of and global pressure on products & services The customer is : Less loyal Better informed Fragmentation in the service supply to SMEs, « me-too » syndrome, in a disorganised market… …& credit crunch crisis

What for an SME? Staying indifferent to the market is not an option Doing nothing = death !

Options for growth

3150+ experts3150+ experts local organisations 2323 mio SMEs 2727 EU-member states Croatia, FYROM, Turkey EEA: Norway, Iceland USA, Russia, China, South Korea, Switzerland etc. A unique network in 44 countries

3 types of service A. Information, feedback, business cooperation and internationalisation services (47% of the budget) C. Services encouraging the participation of SMES in FP7 (6% of the budget) B. Innovation, technology and knowledge transfer services (47% of the budget)

Key services at a glance “No wrong door” Access to information on Community legislation and EU funding opportunities, support for participation in these programmes Feedback from SMEs on existing or forthcoming legislations Expansion to new markets, finding cooperation partners, better exploiting the opportunities of the internal market and beyond Technology and knowledge transfer, partnership building Innovation services and stimulation for innovation

Setting the scene targets

One year after launch… Visibility The Network is very visible online:  more than 32 million results from Google in September 2009  14 million in June  5 million in October 2008  2 million in March 2008 Brand recognition

Strategic priorities 2009 Keep marketing the Network (EU institutions and SMEs) Networking but also…. ….. net-weaving (building trust, not just using common tools) Network governance Involvement of Host Organisations Internationalisation

Success story Dressed for success with the Enterprise Europe Network  Leo Pieter has a sports equipment business in Ostrava  Project: importing thermal sportswear  Eva Bergerova at Ostrava’s Regional Chamber of Commerce Moravia – Silesia (KHK MSK) for help  The profile inserted into the cooperation database.  An Italian provider of thermal underwear was found

Success story Sniffing out partners for chemical sensor firm  Owlstone UK developed a chemical detection system  Dr Billy Boyle looking for a partner for new markets.  Enterprise Europe Network at Business Link in Cambridge: technology profile in Network's newsletters  IEE, one of Europe's leading suppliers of sensor solutions into the global automotive market.  First stage of the partnership: purchase by IEE of test quantities of Owlstone's sensors.

Info & Contacts Enterprise Europe Network Your Europe Business SME Portal SBA