New SMEs network highlights ERA goals
'Partners for life', a new networking project for small and medium sized enterprises in the biomedicine, biotechnology and agro-industrial sectors launched in Vienna on 19 December, reflects the goals of the European Research Area, according the European Commission. The network of 18 expert organisations will offer SMEs targeted information on technological and market trends in life sciences and it is, according to the Commission, 'a perfect example of coordinated activities between national and transnational organisations - precisely one of the objectives of the European Research Area [ERA].' Administered by the Austrian bureau for international research and technology cooperation (BIT), the network has 18 members (including five central and eastern European countries) and has a total budget of 4 million euro. Some 50 per cent of this is being allocated by the European Commission under the 'economical and technological intelligence' actions launched in 2000 under the Fifth Framework programme. The project aims to create 500 projects involving SMEs, for whom the service is free. Enhanced cooperation between research institutes and SMEs is one of the major overall objectives of the project. CORDIS will also play a role in helping SMEs participating in the scheme. All of the expressions of interest (EoI) filled out by participant SMEs will be listed on the CORDIS partners service, providing another outlet for cooperation.