Europe is facing major economic challenges that require an ambitious economic policy for the 21st century. The EU set out its vision for Europe's social market economy in the Europe 2020 strategy, which aims at confronting our structural weaknesses through progress in three mutually reinforcing priorities:
• smart growth, based on knowledge and innovation,
• sustainable growth, promoting a more resource efficient, greener and competitive economy,
• inclusive growth, fostering a high employment economy delivering economic, social and territorial cohesion.
MANUNET III, as a continuation of MANUNET II, is aligned with the European priorities and intends to create a smart sustainable growth in the European manufacturing sector by coordinating the research and innovation efforts in the field of advanced manufacturing with a special focus on the key areas of new production processes, adaptive manufacturing systems and technologies for the factory of the future.
The project will also reinforce the territorial cohesion through an extended collaboration network. The consortium, constituted by 8 Member States, 3 Associated Countries and 1 Third Country intends to respond to the actual economic crisis by promoting transnational research, innovation and entrepreneurship in the industrial sector, especially in the SMEs, which are the backbone of Europe's economy.
Through this strategic and integrated approach to innovation in advanced manufacturing, MANUNET III intends to maximise European, national and regional research and innovation potential.
After 6 years of network activities MANUNET has looked back to its performance, analysing the coordination of the network and the results and impact that its calls have had in the RTD community. MANUNET is a mature and experienced platform which has succeeded launching calls every year since 2007. It has provided a regular funding opportunity to the manufacturing industry, mobilising 141 M€ of public funding. Very high SME involvement in calls: 78,3% of the MANUNET beneficiaries are SMEs. MANUNET fulfils this way one of its main goals which is to support industry and particularly SMEs, by designing calls tailored made for them. MANUNET has demonstrated added value for the need for an international network, complementary to other transnational funding instruments (both national and European funding instruments. MANUNET is an easy way to apply for funding, with relatively low administration effort, large geographical coverage and relevant topics.
