SMEsforFOOD: Lille Brokerage Event

The aim of the conference was to review the results obtained during the 5th, and the beginning of the 6th Framework Programme in the field of Food Quality and Safety. In particular, the review contributed to the preparation of the next call for proposals of the 6th Framework programme, and to provide recommendations for the building up of the 7th one. ,In a parallel session, the EU financed project SMEsforFood organized a brokerage event, which aimed at linking the academic community with the entrepreneurial world, on the 5th thematic priority: Food Quality and Safety. The happening was an opportunity for FP6 project leaders to meet suitable SMEs through personalised face-to-face meetings.,The event was structured in two sessions. The first one was dedicated to the presentation of 19 Integrated Projects (IP), Network of Excellence (NoE), and STEPs e.g. ongoing projects; submitted on the third call (deadline 7th of October); under preparation for the future calls. The second session focused on the face-to-face meetings between IP/NoE proposers and SMEs coming from nine different European countries. As a consequence, it occurred more than 120 face-to-face meetings. ,According with the feedback gathered from the participants, the first brokerage event organised by SMEsforFOOD was a real success: I feel that the SMEs for food project is a well managed and extremely important initiative to optimise technology transfer from IPs and NoEs, but also Streps and other EU RTD mechanisms. The event was extremely well organised and attended and as one participant stated "I would like to see many more such events throughout Europe." ,For further details on the programme, Power Point presentations, etc. please visit the SMEsforFOOD website http://www.smesforfood.org
Project Coordinator :,Michel Ganoote , French SME NCP, ANVAR, French Public Agency for Innovation.,email: smesforfood@anvar.fr
Project Officer : ,German Valcarcel, Research Directorate General, European Commission.,e-mail: German.valcarcel-resaltbedoya@cec.eu.intMara Gualandi,APRE - Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea,P.zza G.Marconi 25 - 00144 Roma,tel. 06 5911817 fax. 06 5911908 ,e-mail gualandi@apre.it,http://www.apre.it