SMEs work together to break down barriers towards enhanced participation in RTD programmes
More than 50 experts comprised of SMEs and SME stakeholders from all over Europe met at the inaugural European SME Experts’ Panel Meeting, Mr Paul Rübig, Austrian Member of the European Parliament in his welcome message stressed the importance of such meetings where SMEs can express their voice and be directly informed on future policy. Furthermore, Mr Rübig confirmed that the European Parliament is a right place to channel emerging ideas and measures that will be drafted by the Panel. Dr Julián Seseña (ROSE Vision), coordinator of the MAPEER SME project and moderator of the meeting, introduced the participants to the challenge of the day: 99,8% of the European companies are SMEs, 65% of the European GDP comes from SMEs . This means that SMEs play a very important role in the European economy but, surprisingly, SMEs are not similarly represented in the Research, Technology Development and Innovation (RTDI) activities. “Why this situation of low SME involvement? How to improve the situation? What are the lessons, positive or negative, that we can learn from National and Regional Research and Innovation programmes?. These questions require responses aimed at issuing recommendations which could be implemented in the European, National and Regional RTD programmes.” – said Dr. Sesena. The first results of the analysis of the national SME landscapes and the national and regional programmes in the European Member States showed that whilst a very wide spectrum of SME funding programmes exist (funding RTDI activities) only a small percentage of SMEs benefit from the programmes’ funding. Those SMEs which participate in the corresponding programmes face several problems before, during and after the project implementation. Two bigger groups of barriers were preliminarily identified: SME internal barriers and SME external barriers. The internal barriers include the “wrong” mind set towards innovation and research (education, entrepreneurial thinking, need for capacity building), lack of awareness/information? on available programmes, the lack of skills/knowledge regarding proposal writing and as the most serious internal barrier the cash-flow problem has been raised. The SME external barriers refer to the environment where the SMEs are embedded and to the programmes themselves. The SMEs explained that the language of the calls are too programme specific (jargon), the lead time to contract is too long in addition to a lack of time for implementation of the project outputs. SMEs are often not aware of IPR issues, but fear the loss of background knowledge. The external barriers with most importance included applying for public funding became a “market” where it was perceived that the most innovative proposals with a huge potential are not necessarily selected for funding. The participating Experts were asked not only on the barriers they personally faced or visualise but also on solutions, measures that might minimize the identified barriers. However there were diverse opinions and views, most of the experts agreed that coaching for SMEs (by whom?) and also to the programme managers’ side (?) on innovation and entrepreneurship would definitely improve the attitude of the stakeholders (SMEs?). There is a large list of measures recommended which have to be further analysed, with the objective to issue a compendium of measures that could contribute to enhancing SME participation in the RTDI projects. Ms Adrea Erdei (DG Research, European Commission) in her closing words stressed the EC is eager to have direct contact with SMEs and to listen to their concerns related to RTDI programmes and offer solutions for them. Ms Erdei explained that SMEs have received special attention during FP7 and this will continue for the preparations of FP8, to which the results of the Expert Panel meetings could greatly contribute. Ms Erdei stressed that she was encouraged by the European SME Experts Panel and implored the experts to continue to participate in the consultations and the preparatory work. The Panel has just started its substantive work; therefore SMEs and SME representatives interested in the work of the Panel are encouraged to join the Panel (voluntarily) and contribute to the achievements. If you are interested please send a message to the secretariat_sme_panel@ivsz.hu address! If you would like to follow our activities please visit the website of the project where the most important results and further activities are continuously published: www.mapeer-sme.eu MAPEER SME project an FP7 funded initiative :www.mapeer-sme.eu
Countries
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, United Kingdom