The European Commission’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme is one of the specific programmes under the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP). With this programme, the Commission seeks to support innovation and SMEs in the EU.
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Objectives
The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP) focuses in particular on the following objectives:
– Facilitate access to finance for the start-up and growth of SMEs and encourage investment in innovation activities.
– Create an environment favourable to SME cooperation, particularly in the field of cross-border cooperation.
– Promote all forms of innovation in enterprises.
– Support eco-innovation.
– Promote an entrepreneurship and innovation culture.
– Promote enterprise and innovation-related economic and administrative reform.
Actions
With a budget of 2.17 billion for the overall period of 2007-2013 the programme aims to achieve its objectives through the following actions:
1. Access to finance for SMEs through “EU financial instruments”
These EU instruments target companies in different phases of their lifecycle: seed, start up, expansion and business transfer; and will support investments in technological development, innovation (including eco-innovation), technology transfer, and the cross border expansion of business activities. They are managed by the European Investment Fund (EIF) in cooperation with financial institutions.
2. “Enterprise Europe Network”: a network of business and innovation service centres
Regional centres providing integrated business and innovation support services form part of a European network, drawing on the experience of the Euro Info Centres (EIC) and Innovation Relay Centres (IRC). They provide enterprises with a range of quality services to help make them more competitive. Further information on the centre nearest to you and the services provided
3. Support for initiatives to foster entrepreneurship and innovation
Support will be given to encourage the trans-national networking of innovative companies and all other actors in the innovation process, including benchmarking initiatives and the exchange of best practice. Further information on EU innovation policy
4. Eco-innovation – making sustainable development become a business reality
Innovative products, processes and services aiming at reducing environmental impacts, preventing pollution or achieving a more efficient and responsible use of natural resources will be supported. Further information on instruments available for promotion of eco-innovation
5. Support for policy-making
Under the EIP a number of conferences can be organised to assemble and publicise sectoral knowledge, inform policy-makers, and make policy suggestions to increase the coherence and cooperation between EU Member States.
The programme will also be used to support policy-makers; the latest trends and developments in certain sectors – as well as European and global markets- will be analysed in studies and the results disseminated. Further information
Source: European Commission
