1. The point of view of the Central European Cluster represented by FFDI
Workshop 2, SMEs-NET Project (Contract N° FOOD-CT )
Miroslav Koberna, FFDI Czech Republic
Brussels, April 2006

2. SPES NET Cluster participants: Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria
FFDI as a cluster leader has invited in terms of regional cluster preparation Hungarian and Austrian Food Federations to participate in. The main reason was close regional relations resulted from historical and trade relations, which were very similar except of period of socialism, but with different national heritage.

3. SPES NET Cluster targets:
- to realize activities aimed at definition of the research and development priorities on national level;
- to find existing obstacles acting as bottleneck for results implementation in praxis and their using in innovative process on the SMEs level;
- to compare SMEs and research institutions views on particular priorities, beeing defined in the ETP framework.

4. Cluster methodology
Starting point for next advance and priorities formulation was research made in group of SMEs and many discussions hold during national meetings.
      
Analysis and findings have been projected into national evaluation reports and discussed on basis of working groups. Result illustrates definition of national priorities: how to focus research and development activities in accordance with ETP priorities.
Cluster result is a common priority in the WP5 framework, adopted by all cluster participants and based on SMEs common regional interests.

5. Cluster activities Questionnaires and survey
National discussion and meetings
National priorities determination
Common priority draft
Regional seminar realization
Common priority validation

6. National Activity – Hungary
Convocation of stakeholders from SMEs, large companies, research institutes, universities, branch associations, state administration and food industry suppliers, followed by setup of Hungarian Technology Platform.
All involved participants focused on 3 round-table´s questions:
current innovation activity in Hungarian food industry;
sources & obstructions in innovation of Hungarian food industry;
suggestions, subject matter improvement.

7. National Activity – Hungaria
Feature activity within project covers establishment of Hungarian National Food Technology Platform „FOOD for LIFE“ where within the scope shall be most of planned activities enacted in up-coming future.

8. National Priority - Hungary
Principal priorities:
food quality and processing in particular aspect towards products contributive to health nutrition and added value to products, based on innovative approach, inclusive of conventional produce;
sustainable food production;

9. National Priority - Hungary
Key technology priorities:
Food and Consumers;
Food Safety;
Food and Health;
Food Chain Management;
Communication, Training & Technology transfer added by cluster setup and cross-subject network.

10. National Activity – Czech Republic
Arrangement of 4 meetings:
First - addressed to science and research stakeholders;
Second - stipulated to SMEs;
Third - intended for branch associations & large companies;
Fourth - determined to science & research representatives.

11. National Priority – Czech Republic
Priorities:
Food Safety – process control system leading to minimisation of contaminants, rising from heat products processing;
Health Nutrition – products development positively affecting consumer´s health, in particular by its dietetic attribute (colon cancer);
Food Quality – development and production of conventional products, better correspondent to modern health nutrition requirements in view of obesity and related disease.

12. National Activity - Austria
Facing subsequent involvement into project, Austria stimulated usage of experiences selected from similar survey carried out until quite recently, where activity as SMEs needs assessment and ways how to support and implement those needs were constructed from.

13. National Priority - Austria
Austria – priorities:
Quality products increase in case of processing based on regional and traditional products.

14. Common priority
Quality products increase in case of processing based on regional and traditional products.

15. Regional Seminar, Prague
Regional seminar titled „SMEs options during implementation of science and research outputs and their significance in profit of competitiveness increase in food industry“ came off on December 7th, 2006 in Prague. Under auspices of Minister of Agriculture CR, Mr. Jan Mládek, eventually 86 participants participated in representation:
Manufacturing concern 32
State administration 4
Science and research 14
Others 23
From abroad 13

16. Conclusions
Range of complaints and obstructions resulted in limited SMEs participation on science and research programmes that in consequences contribute to lower innovation activities followed up getting behind food producers of SMEs in international competition.
Most of SMEs prove right definition of expectations from innovation processes, with regards to creation of market positions or market requirements fulfilment. They are aware of importance putting stress on activity increase in this area.
Considered as one of limited factor there´s a lack of information and insufficient communication among research and production sphere & individual links of food chain in return.

17. Conclusions
To find better models of cross connection in research and entrepreneurial sphere, that on condition easier accessability and higher openess to small producers, shall facilitate to stronger motivation of SMEs towards projects involvement.
Difficulty appears to be poor cross connection of subventional programmes related to science and research with programmes for results implementation in practice, sort of investment support.
Creation of undesirable line between programmes on science and research and programmes on business development - despite of existence of so called programmes for investment support that are directed unduly „industrially“ and don´t take into account food production specifics.

18. Setup of Czech Technology Platform, Prague - March 20th, 2006
Conclusions
Considered as significant project output, there´s creation of functional multilateral relationship both on National and European level in terms of created technology platforms.
Setup of Czech Technology Platform, Prague - March 20th, 2006