News archive 2008
- April
- May
- June
- July
- Aug
- Sept
- Oct
- Nov
REACH ambassador comes to the North East
As a part of increasing the awareness of the REACH regulations and the risks for business in the North East, REACHReady and NEPIC have today announced that Phil Hollowood has been appointed as REACH Ambassador within North East England.
European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) adopted by the EU
Unlocking Europe's potential for innovation: European Parliament vote gives green light to the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
The next steps include appointing the EIT's Governing Board by June 2008 and establishing the first two or three Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) towards end of 2009.
Major boost for trade in goods between EU member states
The internal market for goods in the European Union will get a major boost after the final approval by Member States today of a broad package of measures which removes the remaining obstacles in this field. It will bring
particular benefits for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), who will no longer be discouraged from doing business outside their domestic markets.
Existing market surveillance systems for industrial products will be strengthened and aligned with import controls. These measures will reinforce the role and credibility of CE marking. In addition, trade in goods which do not fall under EU-legislation will be improved.
Commission adopts Regulation automatically approving aid for jobs and growth
The European Commission has adopted a Regulation, which will come into force in the coming weeks, giving automatic approval for a range of aid measures and so allowing Member States to grant such aid without first notifying the Commission.
The Regulation authorises:
- Aid in favour of SMEs, research, innovation, regional development, training, employment and risk capital.
- Environmental protection aid, aid measures promoting entrepreneurship, such as aid for young innovative businesses, aid for newly created small businesses in assisted regions, and measures tackling problems, like difficulties in access to finance, faced by female entrepreneurs.
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FP7 is not notified state aid
R&D tax credits can be claimed for work in projects funded by Framework Programme Seven (FP7) - the world largest R&D grant scheme
FP7 is NOT notified state aid. This means SMEs can benefit.
Confidential R&D project idea and proposal clinics
From September 2008 we will be running a series of R&D proposal clinics.
If you have a project idea and are looking to secure R&D grants from FP7, BERR Grant for R&D or other R&D funding sources, we can help you to identify a funding and prepare your application:
- Dates and locations of the clinics will be released shortly
- View forthcoming FP7 R&D calls:
Health, Security, Biorefinery, ICT and SME Association - We have copies to the draft work programmes for the forthcoming FP7 calls
- Please outline your R&D idea using the project ideas form
- Download project ideas form
- Forward your project idea by email to Gillian Kears and
Shak Gohir - We can also help identify EU and national policies and initiatives that are relevant to your R&D project
- Our R&D proposal clinics will be held in partnership with
Kite Innovation who have a solid track record of assisting high-scoring and high-ranking FP7 proposals
European Investment Bank to boost SME lending
At the request of European Union finance ministers meeting in Nice (Sept. 12-13), the European Investment Bank will modernise and increase significantly its volume of lending to small and medium-sized enterprises in 2008 and 2009 to help mitigate the effects of the current credit crisis.
Ministers agreed the Bank should target loans to SMEs totaling 15 billion Euro over the two year period as part of a global envelope of 30 billion Euro. This level of lending would represent an increase of around 50 percent compared with 2007, when the Bank lent 5.2 billion Euro to SMEs via its network of partner banks from the private sector.
In addition, the EIB announced to ministers its intention to give a new 1 billion Euro mandate to its European Investment Fund subsidiary to provide mezzanine finance to SMEs.
The Enterprise Europe Network extends to the USA
The Enterprise Europe Network, providing business and innovation services to businesses across Europe, is extending to the United States of America. Known as the US-EU Match, the new US extension of the network will help to enhance trans-Atlantic trade, innovation and technology transfer. If you are looking for new business, technology or R&D partners in the US, contact us.
Stoiber Group launches “Best Idea for Red Tape Reduction Award”
As the European Commission continues its progress towards its goal of reducing administrative burdens for enterprises by 25 percent in 2012, citizens and entrepreneurs are now invited to come forward with their practical ideas for cutting red tape. The High Level Group of Independent Stakeholders on Administrative Burdens (HLG AB) launched a new competition “Best Idea for Red Tape Reduction Award”. The competition was presented by Dr. Edmund Stoiber, Chairman of the HLG AB.
The competition is open to public authorities in the EU and Norway. While particular emphasis is placed on the local and regional level, national initiatives are also accepted in the “Entrepreneurship promotion” and the “Red-tape reduction” categories. Eligible entities include national organisations, towns, cities, regions and communities as well as public-private partnerships between public authorities and entrepreneurs, educational programmes and business organisations.
JASMINE the Joint Action to Support Micro-finance Institutions in Europe launched in 2007
Micro-finance institutions have chosen this year to review the initiative launched by the European Commission in November 2007 for the development of micro-finance in support of growth and employment.
The European Commission and the EIB Group (the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund) have developed a joint action known by the acronym JASMINE (Joint Action to Support Micro-finance Institutions in Europe).
Eurostars Programme - 21st November deadline
If you are an SME and investing 10% or more of your full-time equivalent or annual turnover in research and development activities, the EUREKA Eurostars Programme may well be for you:
December
