Transcript INTERREG IVB North West Europe

Developing the NWE
knowledge-based economy:
scope of Priority 1
Rationale for transnational
cooperation in NWE
Strengths of the NWE
• high economic performance (GDP/per capita)
• critical mass in terms of high density of population and economic
activities
• home to important financial and decision-making headquarters
• high levels of employment
• good provision of universities and research institutes
• highly educated people
• good transport connections
HOWEVER…
Rationale for transnational
cooperation in NWE
Weaknesses of the NWE
• regional disparities in economic performance and growth
(metropolitan versus rural areas)
• innovation and knowledge-economy sectors mainly concentrated in
and around urban areas
• regional disparities in R&D expenditure and employment
• comparatively low levels of R&D investment and employment
NEED FOR ACTION!
Three Objectives for Innovation
Priority 1: Developing the NWE knowledgebased economy by capitalising on our
capacity for innovation
• Objective 1.1: to promote greater entrepreneurship and facilitate
the translation of knowledge into products, processes and services
that strengthen the NWE competitiveness
• Objective 1.2: to develop new and strengthen existing growth
clusters and networks by building on the endogenous potentials of
NWE cities and regions
• Objective 1.3: to use and improve territorial cooperation in order to
strengthen the institutional and territorial framework for
innovation and the transfer of knowledge within NWE
ERDF budget of Priority 1
Over EUR 60 million still available!
100,000,000
90,000,000
80,000,000
70,000,000
60,000,000
50,000,000
40,000,000
30,000,000
20,000,000
10,000,000
0
89,348,419
60,162,185
29,186,234
19,533,357
ERDF Budget (20072013)
ERDF allocated Calls 1 ERDF remaining (2007to 5
2013)
ERFD
ERDF requested (last
Call)
Budget allocated to date
No projects funded under
Objective 3 yet!
20,000,000
18,000,000
17,333,525
16,000,000
14,000,000
11,852,709
12,000,000
10,000,000
8,000,000
6,000,000
4,000,000
2,000,000
0
0
Objective 1.1
Objective 1.2
ERDF
Objective 1.3
Projects approved to date
Objective 1
Objective 2
PSC1 REGAIN
PSC2 ECCE
INNOVATION
PSC2 FITT
PSC3 FASILIS
PSC3 CAPEM
PSC5
FOOD2MARKET
PSC5 ENEVATE
PSC2 COLLABOR8
PSC5 GREENOV
PSC5 SIGNATURE
PSC5 COMPOSITE
7 projects
4 projects
Objective 3
0 projects
Projects approved to date –
examples
“niche” projects – focused on a specialised
group or market
• ECCE INNOVATION – cultural industries
• ENEVATE – innovation on electric and hybrid vehicles
• FASILIS – transnational voucher scheme in the health sector
• FOOD2MARKET – food cluster for innovation
• REGAIN – eco-efficient buildings in industrial and business parks
• SIGNATURE – security sector cluster infrastructure
Projects approved to date –
examples
Transnational project outputs
• common product or strategy useable over NWE, e.g. voucher
scheme (FASILIS)
• new technology piloted by enterprises in all partner areas, e.g.
focused on inter-business networking, publicity & marketing
(COLLABOR8)
• network of demonstration centres, e.g. investments focus on
practical demonstrations of eco-materials (CAPEM)
• transnational training programme, e.g. on ICT technology transfer
(FITT)
Tangible and/or with a clear long-term
impact
Stakeholders involved to date
Legal status of partners in Priority 1 (Call 1 to 5)
Local Public Authority
10%
Regional Public Authority
20%
National Public Authority
Research Institution
12%
41%
2%
University of Higher Education
Institution
Non-Profit-organisation
5%
Private enterprise
10%
Composing partnerships…
Who might be the target partners?
Final beneficiaries (companies) or intermediaries?
• Chamber of Commerce
• Regional Development Agencies
• Research Institutes and Universities
• Enterprise Agencies
Composing partnerships…
Who might be the target partners?
Private organisations can participate under conditions:
• they constitute a legal body
• they act as non-profit making organisations in the context of the
project (real costs)
• they provide project outputs free of charge
• the grant would not distort competition in the European market
Composing partnerships…
State Aid
Broad definition (covers any measure involving a transfer of state
resources which (threatens to) distorts competition by favouring
certain undertakings as so far as it affects trade between Member
States)
Exceptions (Compatible State Aid, De minimis and GBER)
Example A IVB NWE project proposes to design and conceptualise
an intelligent transport system for containers to be used in
commercial ports. The Lead Partner will detain the ownership and
property rights for a tool that will later be commercially exploited.
Composing partnerships…
State Aid
New guidance note in the Project handbook for Call 7
New procedure put in place in our Programme
If you believe that your project may contain State Aid, it is
essential that you contact the JTS or other Programme authorities at
an early stage in project development.
INTERREG NWE
NWE Annual Event
6-7 December 2010
Manchester
Topic: INNOVATION!