First results of INNOVATION call for proposals of 15 December 1995
The European Commission, DG XIII, has given early indications of the results of the 15 December 1995 call for proposals under the specific RTD programme for the dissemination and exploitation of results (INNOVATION). The call, for proposals for innovation management techniques, closed on 15 March 1996. Two types of projects were requested: - Projects to strengthen the know-how of national and regional organizations, both in the public and private sectors, promoting innovation management techniques among SMEs; - Accompanying measures fostering the transnational exchange of knowledge and methodological practice in the promotion and use of these techniques towards SMEs. A total of 107 proposals were submitted, requesting Commission funding of ECU 37.3 million, and involving 392 organizations in the European Economic Area. Of these proposals, 71 were for projects, and 36 for accompanying measures. Since the provisional allocation of funding by the Commission is only ECU 9 million, the number of projects selected is likely to be less than one third of the number of proposals submitted. A final decision on the projects to be funded will be taken by the Commission in July 1996.