DG Enterprise reports outline innovation actions
The European Commission's Enterprise DG has published three reports on innovation within the EU. 'Creating an entrepreneurial Europe, the activities of the European union for SMEs' is a report from the European Commission to the Council, European Parliament, Economic and Social Committee (ESC) and the Committee of the Regions (COR). The report describes the aid given to SMEs. The report includes sections on mechanisms for improving the business environment through action on regulation, legislation and the financial environment, as well as a section on financial instruments and programmes to support SMEs, such as loans and the provision of venture capital, and vocational training programmes. The final chapter's contents are summarised by its title: 'Enlargement, pre-accession and cooperation with non-member countries'. 'Assessment of the Community regional and technology transfer strategies' documents the regional innovation and technology transfer system (RITTS). The executive summary lists the achievements of the programme and gives reasons for the 'successes' and the 'failures', concluding with suggestions for future RITTS projects and moving beyond this type of project. The body of the report deals with the RITTS programme in detail: its implementation, evolution and evaluation. In the final chapter, Beyond RITTS, the report uses a theoretical perspective to suggest how to go further. 'Corporate venturing in Europe' defines corporate venturing, explains how it is organised and managed in Europe and contrasts this with the situation in the USA. Lessons are drawn from recent case studies and these are applied in suggestions for public policy.