MaPEeR European Experts’ Panel on Research by SMEs
5 October 2011
Austria
The group of experts is composed of 100 stakeholders from European, National and Regional entities across Europe from the fields of research, technological development, innovation, enterprise and industry, education and culture. Their objective is to produce recommendations to enhance the participation of SMEs in European, national and regional RTDI programmes and thereby increase the level of research activities carried out by the SMEs. The primary input for their work is the results and output of the research carried out the the MaPEeR project which has acquired a comprehensive insight into the design, implementation and impact of existing SME research and innovation support programmes and initiatives in the 27 EU Member States plus Bosnia Herzegovina.
During their meeting today, EEP-SME discussed and finalised the recommendations which they have developed over the last 12 months on how to remove barriers identified by MaPEeR as hindering participation of SMEs in the R&D cooperative programmes. In addition, the Panel members discussed alternatives for the promotion of the EEP-SME panel as well as sustainability options for its operation after the MaPEeR SME project has ended.
Each expert contributed to the discussion on policies which should be developed and amended to assist in the development and enhancement of SMEs’ advanced research and on how these policies should be communicated to relevant national and EU entities and SME policy-makers at regional, national and European levels.
Recommendations of the MaPEeR European Experts’ Panel on Research by SMEs will provide discussion material for the MaPEeR conference on “Making Progress and Economic enhancement a Reality for SMEs”: new approaches towards RTDI Programmes (6th October 2011) where the main findings and conclusions of the two-year project will be presented. In addition, Programme managers, policy-makers from the European Commission and representatives of important networks will also provide useful insights on how to make RTD&I programmes more attractive to potential SME participants.
In the evening the meeting was hosted by the European Parliament where the group of experts was welcomed for a working dinner by Dr. Paul Rübig, MEP and President of SME-Global and by Dr. Cristina Gutiérrez-Cortines, MEP. During his welcome address, Dr. Rübig spoke of his keen interest in the activities of EEP-SME and recognised its importance to the results of MaPEeR. Dr. Julián Seseña, chairman of EEP-SME, enthusiastically supported the possibility to continue the Panel’s activities even after the end of the project.
For further information visit: www.mapeer-sme.eu
During their meeting today, EEP-SME discussed and finalised the recommendations which they have developed over the last 12 months on how to remove barriers identified by MaPEeR as hindering participation of SMEs in the R&D cooperative programmes. In addition, the Panel members discussed alternatives for the promotion of the EEP-SME panel as well as sustainability options for its operation after the MaPEeR SME project has ended.
Each expert contributed to the discussion on policies which should be developed and amended to assist in the development and enhancement of SMEs’ advanced research and on how these policies should be communicated to relevant national and EU entities and SME policy-makers at regional, national and European levels.
Recommendations of the MaPEeR European Experts’ Panel on Research by SMEs will provide discussion material for the MaPEeR conference on “Making Progress and Economic enhancement a Reality for SMEs”: new approaches towards RTDI Programmes (6th October 2011) where the main findings and conclusions of the two-year project will be presented. In addition, Programme managers, policy-makers from the European Commission and representatives of important networks will also provide useful insights on how to make RTD&I programmes more attractive to potential SME participants.
In the evening the meeting was hosted by the European Parliament where the group of experts was welcomed for a working dinner by Dr. Paul Rübig, MEP and President of SME-Global and by Dr. Cristina Gutiérrez-Cortines, MEP. During his welcome address, Dr. Rübig spoke of his keen interest in the activities of EEP-SME and recognised its importance to the results of MaPEeR. Dr. Julián Seseña, chairman of EEP-SME, enthusiastically supported the possibility to continue the Panel’s activities even after the end of the project.
For further information visit: www.mapeer-sme.eu