The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP) is one of the specific programmes under the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP). With this programme, the European Commission seeks to support innovation and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU.  

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.

 

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.

This action is currently under preparation and it will be progressively operational in 2008. For further information, click here.

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. For more information on the centre nearest to you and the services provided, click here. 

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. For more information on EU innovation policy, click here. 

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. For more information on instruments available for promotion of eco-innovation, click here. 

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. For more information, click here.

 

Source: European Commission