Paving the way for SME-friendly R+D+I programmes
The EU-funded project MaPEeR SME ('Making Progress and Economic enhancement a Reality for Small-to-Medium Enterprises') aims to acquire comprehensive insight into the design, implementation and impact of existing SME research and innovation programmes and initiatives at European Union (EU), national and regional level and convey it in the most appropriate way to SME stakeholders and policy-makers. The project will last two years and will involve 15 highly experienced organisations, covering the 27 EU members states plus Bosnia-Herzegovina, in order to ensure the full coverage of the EU programmes and stakeholders. SMEs have become increasingly important in our society as providers of employment opportunities and as key players for the well-being of local and regional communities. Hence, European SMEs represent: 99.8% of all European enterprises; 67.1% of private sector jobs and at last but not least it represents more than 80% of employment in relevant industrial sectors such as metal products manufacture, construction and furniture. Thus, SMEs must be helped to thrive and being “SME-friendly” should become mainstream policy at all levels. In this context, the European SME Experts Council is being launched, with the participation of relevant experts, stakeholders, SMEs, Associations in order to produce recommendations towards the enhancement of Research activities to be carried out by SMEs. SMEs are in the focus of the MaPEeR SME activities, and the analysis of their needs to overcome barriers for innovations activities will ensure that the recommendations issued by the European SME Experts Council will be well founded and will provide key solutions and recommendations to satisfy the European SMEs’ requirements as well as relevant opinions concerning the suitability of the currently available Research, Development and Innovation (R+D+I) programmes and initiatives for the European SMEs. If you are interested to become member of the European SME Expert Council, please, contact us. A series of national and international events will involve two main target groups, namely the SME stakeholders and also the SMEs in the activities of the project by collecting their views and needs, analysing the received information and finally giving feedback to them. The SMEs (both R+D+I orientated and non-R+D+I orientated), the EU entities, the policy makers and SME stakeholders (from Science & Technology-related Ministries, national and regional research agencies and intermediaries) are all welcomed to participate in the project activities and benefit from the results. In fact, SMEs will be the primary users of the searchable database that MAPEER will develop, including useful information on the analysed R+D+I programmes.
Countries
Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, United Kingdom