Regional innovation and technology transfer
In September 1995, the European Commission launched a call for proposals in support for Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS), Regional Innovation and Technology Transfer Infrastructures and Strategies (RITTS), Regional Technology Transfer (RTT) projects and relevant support measures. Following this call 21 new RITTS projects have been selected and contract negotiations are currently underway. Helping regions to improve their innovation and technology transfer support infrastructures and flanking policies for SMEs is a key objective of the Community's INNOVATION programme for the dissemination and exploitation of the RTD results. The Commission's support to regions for the development of RIS or RITTS actions involves a joint action between DG XIII (Telecommunications, information market and exploitation of research) and DG XVI (Regional policy). The principle is to encourage the regions to set up the mechanisms to: - Analyse the explicit or latent demand of SMEs; - Appraise existing technology supply and the supporting measures and services to develop, in a European context; - Develop an action plan aiming to correct detected imperfections and to ensure monitoring of the measures taken. A total of 102 proposals were received in response to the joint call launched in September 1995, of which 47 were for RITTS projects. Following evaluation, 21 RITTS have been selected for funding pending the completion of contract negotiations. These bring the total number of current RITTS projects up to 43. The new RITTS projects concern the regions of: Häme (Finland), Nord Pas de Calais and Lyon (France), Neubrandenburg and Berlin (Germany), Crete (Greece), Iceland (Iceland), Tuscany, Milano and Marche (Italy), Noord Holland, Rotterdam and Overijssel (The Netherlands), Western Norway (Norway), Lisbon Tagus Valley (Portugal), Madrid region and the Canary Islands (Spain), South Sweden (Sweden), Kent, Oxfordshire and East Midlands (UK).