The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) of the

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...

is meant to improve the competitiveness of European companies facing the challenges of

globalization Globalization, or globalisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments worldwide. The term ''globalization'' first appeared in the early 20t ...

. The programme is mainly aimed at

small and medium-sized enterprises Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are businesses whose personnel and revenue numbers fall below certain limits. The abbreviation "SME" is used by international organizations such as the World Bank ...

(SMEs), which will receive support for

innovation Innovation is the practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods or services or improvement in offering goods or services. ISO TC 279 in the standard ISO 56000:2020 defines innovation as "a new or changed entity ...

activities, better

access to finance Access to finance is the ability of individuals or enterprises to obtain financial services, including credit, deposit, payment, insurance, and other risk management services.Demirgüç-Kunt, A., Beck, T., & Honohan, P. (2008). ''Finance for All? ...

and business support services. It will run from 2007 to 2013. The programme wants to encourage the usage of

information and communications technologies Information and communications technology (ICT) is an extensional term for information technology (IT) that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals) and computers, ...

(ICT),

renewable energies Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a Orders of magnitude (time), human timescale. It includes sources such as Solar power, sunlight, wind power, wind, the movement of Hydropo ...

and to promote

energy efficiency Energy efficiency may refer to: * Energy efficiency (physics), the ratio between the useful output and input of an energy conversion process ** Electrical efficiency, useful power output per electrical power consumed ** Mechanical efficiency, a ra ...

History

The CIP is based on Decision No 1639/2006/EC of the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...

and of the Council of 24 October 2006 establishing a ''Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme'' (2007 to 2013). CIP is complementary to the 7th

Framework Programme The Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development, also called Framework Programmes or abbreviated FP1 to FP9, are funding programmes created by the European Union/European Commission to support and foster research in the Europea ...

(FP7) and is supposed to be "mutually-reinforcing . each designed to contribute to the success of the other." The program

COSME Cosme, Cosmè, or Cosmé may refer to: * Cosme (name), including a list of people with the given name or surname * Cosme District, Churcampa province, Peru * Tropical Storm Cosme (disambiguation), various storms See also * San Cosme (disambig ...

followed up CIP and runs 2014 to 2020.

Operational programmes

The CIP consists of three programmes: * Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP) * Information Communication Technologies Policy support Programme (ICT PSP) * Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) All three programmes are managed by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI), an EU government body established by the European Commission to operate and oversee the various activities of CIP. Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP) The European Commission indicates that EIP focuses to facilitate access to finance for the start-up and growth of

SMEs Superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) systems store energy in the magnetic field created by the flow of direct current in a Superconductivity, superconducting coil which has been Cryogenics, cryogenically cooled to a temperature below ...

and encourage investment in innovation activities and to create an environment favourable to

SME SME may refer to: Economics * Small and medium-sized enterprises * Socialist market economy, an economic system of China Organizations Music * SME Limited, UK audio turntable manufacturer * Sony Music Entertainment, US * Spontaneous Music Ensembl ...

cooperation, particularly in the field of cross-border cooperation, thereby promoting and assisting in all forms of innovation in enterprises. The EIP will specifically support innovation efforts in the

ecological Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...

sector. It also has the broader ambition to promote an entrepreneurship and innovation culture and related economic and administrative reform. To help achieve these objectives the Commission has funded a number of actions. One of these is the formation of the

Enterprise Europe Network The Enterprise Europe Network provides support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with international ambitions. Co-funded by the European Union's COSME and Horizon 2020 programmes, the Network's aim is to help businesses innovate and gro ...

, which started to form during January 2008. This new network has been established by integrating two former networks: the Euro Info Centres (EIC) and the Innovation Relay Centres (IRC). There are over 500 regional teams across Europe and beyond in 40 countries, making it the world's largest business and innovation support network. The objective of integrating the two networks is to offer businesses a one-stop-shop of integrated services under one roof to better assist companies in addressing their business and innovation need. The type of services offered by many of the regional teams comprises: * business partnering such as supplier, distribution and join venture partner searches * Online tools for tracking European public sector tenders * Online facilities for assistance in finance and grant searches * Advise on IPR and legal matters * Advice on finance including grants, debt and risk * Assist businesses in accessing research programmes and apply for R&D grants * Advice and assistance on accessing EU programmes and funds * Access to information on EU policies, regulations and support programmes * Technology and R&D partnering * Assistance for accessing Seventh Framework Programme ( FP7) Each of the Enterprise Europe Network Centres also offer a channel for passing feedback from businesses to the Commission on policies. All the Centres are also required to help engage businesses in EU policy-making by promoting consultations opened by the EC. The Network is essentially the front line for business and innovation support offered by Directorate General Enterprise and Industry, one of the various divisions or Directorate Generals comprising the European Commission. In addition to the new Network, DG Enterprise & Industry have established other initiatives such as the

European Investment Fund The European Investment Fund (EIF), established in 1994, is a financial institution for the provision of finance to SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), headquartered in Luxembourg. It is part of the European Investment Bank Group. It ...

(EIF), which provisions for venture capital aimed at SMEs - in particular high-tech early-stage companies.

References

*
FPCIP Consultation

SME Circle's view on CIP

External links

An example of innovation-support services provided within the ICT District in Piedmont
{{DEFAULTSORT:Competitiveness And Innovation Framework Programme European Commission projects Innovation organizations