SMEs in the 5th FWP: Joint FEICRO-EACRO position paper
The following is a summary of a position paper on "SMEs in the 5th Framework Programme" prepared by the Federation of European Industrial Cooperative Research Organizations (FEICRO), in cooperation with the European Association of Contract Research Organizations (EACRO). The full text version is available here in English only.
The paper makes a number of suggestions for further improvement to CRAFT-type schemes in the 5th Framework Programme, with the aim of increasing SME access to European RTD activities.
FEICRO and EACRO feel that the 5th Framework Programme should build on the positive experiences of the current framework programme. They point out, however, that several SME-specific problems still need to be addressed. In particular, the majority of SMEs do not have the management capacity to deal with the procedures required of them to manage European RTD consortia. In addition, the innovation criterion requiring that RTD results lead beyond the current technological state of the art does not correspond to the real needs of most SMEs. There is also the problem of the long application and project lead times which are at odds with SMEs' needs to accelerate and improve their competitiveness.
FEICRO and EACRO would, therefore, welcome a dual approach incorporating both the current approach of breakthrough innovation as well as SME-driven, step-by-step RTD, focusing on the adaptation of state-of-the-art technology to the specific needs of SMEs.
In particular, FEICRO and EACRO would like to see the following core measures implemented:
- Better coordination among the individual EU RTD programmes to improve SMEs' understanding of and access to those programmes which best serve their needs
- Strengthen the decentralization of step-one application and evaluation procedures in order to reduce lead times
- Permit intermediaries with a proven industrial background, such as industrial research and technology organizations (IRTOs), to identify and formulate SME-specific research needs on behalf of their clients
- Allow IRTOs and other SME-driven research organizations to propose and manage SME-specific RTD projects
- Introduce a "collective research" scheme enabling SME-driven research organizations to conduct joint cross-national research focusing on common SME-specific RTD needs
- Ensure adequate financial resources for SME-specific programmes and projects, taking into account the limited resources available to most SMEs
The position paper has now been circulated for discussion and comment among the members of the two associations.
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