Dinner Debate: How Can Networking in Science and Technology Help SMEs Meet the Innovation Union Goals?

With this in mind, COST is orgasing a dinner debate that will feature the following confirmed speakers:
Mr Jürgen Creutzmann MEP, European Parliament
Dr Ángeles Rodríguez-Peña, President of the COST Committee of Senior Officials
Ms Clara De La Torre, Director, Research and Innovation, European Commission
Dr Marta Martínez Vázquez, Chair of COST Action IC1102, IMST GmbH
This event will bring together Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), experts from the European Commission and Member States Permanent Representations to the European Union, as well as stakeholders in research policy, to discuss SME involvement in European programmes. Representatives of SMEs who participate in COST Actions will be in a key position to make the most of this debate in order to express the challenges of their industry, contribute to a lively debate and network with European policy-makers.
Discussion focus
The dinner debate will focus on the following issues:
How to promote the role that SMEs can play in Science and Technology innovations?
How to involve SMEs from all European countries?
Can fewer administrative constraints motivate SMEs to participate in European programmes?
How participation of European SMEs in EU-funded research networking programmes can be enhanced?
COST is one of the founding members of K4I.