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[1] and Horizon 2020[2] programmes, the Network's aim is to help businesses innovate and grow internationally.
The Network is active in more than 60 countries worldwide. It brings together 3,000 experts from more than 600 member organisations, including:
- chambers of commerce and industry
- technology poles
- innovation support organisations
- universities and research institutes
- regional development organisations
Advice for international growth
Enterprise Europe Network advisory services[3] support businesses seeking to expand into international markets. The services cover a wide range of regulatory areas and market intelligence:
- Compliance with EU regulations and standards (e.g. CE marking)
- Access to international markets – market intelligence and capacity building
- International public contracts –access to cross-border procurement and EU tender opportunities
- National and regional finance and funding – identification of sources of finance and investor-readiness training
- EU funding schemes and application support
- Intellectual property rights (IPR) – patents and IPR applications and exploitation strategies
- Energy and resource efficiency – identification of technologies and finance opportunities
- Management improvement – capacity building
Support for business innovation
Enterprise Europe Network innovation support services[4] are available based on an assessment of the needs and development phase of the business.
At an entry level, Network services include:
- information on innovation-related policies, legislation and support programmes
- links with local innovation stakeholders
- information about access to local sources of funding/support
Network experts can provide one-to-one services to support innovation capacity building. Services include innovation audits, advice on intellectual property, marketing and access to finance.
Finally, the Network provides key account management services to businesses benefitting from the Horizon 2020 SME instrument programme,[5] part of the European Innovation Council (EIC) pilot.
History
The Enterprise Europe Network was launched on 7 February 2008 by former EU Commissioner Günter Verheugen. The Enterprise Europe Network combines the previous Euro Info Centres and the Innovation Relay Centres. From 2008 to 2014, the Network was co-financed by the EU's Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), in cooperation with institutions at national and regional levels. From 2015-2020, the Network is co-financed under the European Union's programme for the competitiveness of SMEs[6] (COSME) and Horizon 2020.[7]
Under the responsibility of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs,[8] the Enterprise Europe Network is managed by the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME).[9]
Media coverage
La rete Ue Een aiuti a 2,6 milioni pmi[10] (ansa.it economia, Italy)
Pmi, supporto a 2,6 milioni aziende da rete Ue Een[11] (ilsole24ore.com, Italy)
Apre alle start up la rete europea che aiuta le impresse a crescere[12] (larepubblica.it, Italy)
Scots firms export their green-energy expertise to Chile[13] (energyvoice.com, UK)
Start-ups: Learning to walk before you run[14] (irishtimes.com, Ireland)
Irish companies to get free access to Europe's largest opportunities database[15] (businesspost.ie, Ireland)
La UCLM informa a las pymes de opportunidades europeas en innovación[16] (eldiario.es, Spain)
Les TPE pourront-elles bientôt exporter vers les Etats-Unis?[17] (lesechos.fr, France)
References
- "COSME - EASME - European Commission". EASME. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "Horizon 2020 - European Commission". Horizon 2020. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "Enterprise Europe Network". een.ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "Enterprise Europe Network". een.ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "SME Instrument - EASME - European Commission". EASME. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "COSME. Europe's programme for small and medium-sized enterprises. - Growth - European Commission". Growth. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "Horizon 2020 - European Commission". Horizon 2020. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "Growth – Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs - Growth - European Commission". Growth. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "EASME - European Commission". EASME. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "Da rete Ue Een aiuti a 2,6 milioni pmi - PMI". ANSA.it (in Italian). 2018-05-08. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "Pmi, supporto a 2,6 milioni aziende da rete Ue Een". Il Sole 24 ORE (in Italian). Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "Apre alle start up la rete europea che aiuta le imprese a crescere". Repubblica.it (in Italian). 2018-05-09. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "Scots firms export their green-energy expertise to Chile - News for the Oil and Gas Sector". Energy Voice. 2016-04-03. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "Start-ups: Learning to walk before you run". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- Reporter, Post. "Irish companies to get free access to Europe's largest opportunities database | BusinessPost.ie". www.businesspost.ie. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "La UCLM informa a las pymes de oportunidades europeas en innovación". eldiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- "Les TPE pourront-elles bientôt exporter vers les Etats-Unis ? - Les Echos". business.lesechos.fr (in French). Retrieved 2018-07-23.
External links
- Official Enterprise Europe Network Website
- Final evaluation of the impact of the Enterprise Europe Network 2008-2014 (executive summary): "Final evaluation of the impact of the Enterprise Europe Network 2008-2014 : executive summary". publications.europa.eu. Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (European Commission). 2015-11-27. Retrieved 2018-07-23.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Final evaluation of the impact of the Enterprise Europe Network 2008-2014 (full report): "Final evaluation of the impact of the Enterprise Europe Network 2008-2014 : report". publications.europa.eu. Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (European Commission). 2015-11-27. Retrieved 2018-07-23.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Interim Evaluation of the COSME Programme Final Report: "DocsRoom - European Commission". ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 2018-07-23..