Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme gets EU ministers' seal of approval The EU Council of Ministers has officially approved the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) at a meeting in Luxembourg. The Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council accepted all of the amendments put forward by the European Parliament earlier this ... The EU Council of Ministers has officially approved the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) at a meeting in Luxembourg. The Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council accepted all of the amendments put forward by the European Parliament earlier this year. The CIP aims to promote innovation and foster the competitiveness of European businesses, particularly small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs); accelerate the development of a sustainable, innovative and inclusive information society and promote energy efficiency and new and renewable energy sources. The programme will run from 2007 to 2013, and have a budget of €3.2 billion, part of which is set aside to promote eco-innovation. It is designed to be complementary to the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7).
