Enterprises can have guide to biotechnology The European Commission, DG III, has launched the first edition of "A user's guide for SMEs in Biotechnology", as it believes that a strong European research base is vital to the continued success of the fledgling, innovative biotechnology industry. "The ability to commercia... The European Commission, DG III, has launched the first edition of "A user's guide for SMEs in Biotechnology", as it believes that a strong European research base is vital to the continued success of the fledgling, innovative biotechnology industry. "The ability to commercially exploit research in this area is of prime importance," said European Commissioner Martin Bangemann. "Europe has made important progress in recent years, but still lags behind the USA in most indicators of economic performance. Unless substantial steps are taken by those involved (industry, venture-capital firms, public authorities, and academia), the gap will only continue to widen. In this, the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is of crucial importance, especially because biotechnology firms, by their nature, are often start-ups where new products are developed. Therefore, it is up to public authorities and venture-capitalists, at both the national and European level to help engender a more conducive external business environment for SMEs to succeed and grow." This explains why DG III decided to launch this guide, which aims to provide the industry with practical views on the authorities responsible (Member States and European Union) and on funding (Venture-Capital, Fifth Framework Programme, etc.) available in this area. The European Commission's role has been to identify, for the European SMEs, both the European/National programmes and the actors (both private and public, at national and European level) who can enhance the global transfer of information and expertise to SMEs, helping them to secure a business environment which will grow into the next century, creating jobs and improving the environment in which we live.
