European Networks and Services - Disseminating good practice on innovation support schemes
The European Commission, DG XIII, has announced the results of the call for proposals for projects in the field of European Networks and Services (ENS) under the INNOVATION programme, launched in September 1997 (OJ No C 280 of 16.9.1997 p. 13), and closed in December 1997. The ENS action line aims to build transnational links between national, regional and sectoral innovation support services, so as to promote the dissemination of best practices, methods, schemes, measures and programmes which have already been successfully implemented. As a result of this call, a total of 74 proposals were received, of which 17 were selected for Community support and a further three placed on a reserve list. The selected projects will involve a total of 100 partners and will receive total EU funding of ECU 5.6 million. Activities funded in the implementation phase will involve a range of appropriate communication tools such as workshops, newsletters, progress reports and the exchange and training of personnel. Examples of the selected proposals include: - The transfer of a model for cooperation between financial institutions (including NatWest, Deutsche Bank and ING Bank) and innovative sponsors, set up in the United Kingdom, to The Netherlands and Germany; - Forging closer links between the photovoltaic industry and venture capital to improve financing of innovations in this sector; - Expanding the industrial districts model developed in Northern Italy to Rhône-Alpes and Baden-Württemberg, to help SMEs from these regions face upstream and downstream re-organization in order to match the skills required for evolving markets; - Clustering of textile industry firms in Italy, UK and Austria through electronic networks, so as to promote new methods, concepts, products or services.