Deadline: 11-Aug-21
The European Commission (EC) is currently seeking proposals for the Enterprise Europe Network to set up and ensure the upgraded functioning of Enterprise Europe Network in the period 1 January 2022 until 30 June 2025 by selecting the consortia that will make up the Network.
To this end, applicants are invited to submit proposals
- Defining the strategic approach and explaining how the objectives and requirements laid down in the present call will be addressed, taking account of the challenges faced by SMEs in the target region(s) and the specific strengths of businesses and the business environment; and
- Suggesting specific activities translating that strategic approach into action.
Objectives
The Network should contribute to the objectives of the SMP by improving the competitiveness and sustainability of SMEs in Europe and promoting entrepreneurship. It should do so notably by:
- Assisting them to become more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable;
- Supporting their digitalisation and greater resilience to shocks;
- Supporting their innovation and innovation processes;
- Facilitating their access to the Single Market and third country markets;
- Helping them to cooperate and where appropriate integrate with local, regional, national and European clusters and industrial ecosystems and global value chains.
The Network should be recognised by SMEs and stakeholders as the indispensable “European arm” of regional and national business support systems, leveraging the work those support systems and wider national and regional policies. It should provide clear European added value and providing services that are ever more highly valued by clients and help them to grow and become more competitive.
Funding Information
- The indicative call budget is EUR 164 500 000.
Expected Results
- Increased number of SMEs linked with other entities across Europe and beyond for cross-border business cooperation, technology and knowledge transfer and technology and innovation partnerships;
- Increased number of SMEs aware of sustainability challenges and opportunities and integrating them in their business processes;
- Increased number of SMEs integrating digitalisation to improve the business processes and developing new business opportunities;
- Higher rate of European SMEs exporting within the Single Market and outside the EU;
- Higher rate of European SMEs participating in EU programmes;
- Better understanding by European SMEs of EU legislation and of opportunities offered by EU programmes and EU access to finance;
- Increased number of companies reporting a successful impact on their business in terms of market share, turnover, optimised costs or realised savings in international activities, job creation or maintenance, improved quality of products, services or processes, introduced product or service innovations related to international activities;
- Better visibility of the Network by promoting success stories;
- Better knowledge in EU institutions of SMEs’ opinions, difficulties and expectations.
Eligibility Criteria
In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies,
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)
- non-EU countries:
- countries associated to the COSME part of the Single Market Programme (associated countries) or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3rVe9Bg