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1. News from the Enterprise Europe Net wor k
Autumn 2010 / First Edition
Helping small businesses
hit the big time
Success stories
Country profile
NetTools
MyNet
3. Joint editorial
Reaching out to SMEs
As we reflect on the accomplishments of the Enterprise Europe Network to date, we must also remind
ourselves of the constant need to improve our services for SMEs – the backbone of the European economy.
Given the Network’s 3 100 staff in 47 countries, a qualified expert is always close at hand to help
businesses on their own doorstep.
Anyone who ever doubted the Network’s impact should consider that in its first 24 months,
it has reached out to two million SMEs and helped businesses ink 2 150 partnerships.
With this first edition of NetWorth magazine, we hope to illustrate the Network’s far-reaching impact,
especially with the results of our first-ever evaluation exercise.
We have selected some success stories and country profiles which show where and how the Network
has made a difference, from answering queries about EU law to bringing firms together for technological
collaboration. In the following editions, you will find many more.
Set up by the Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry, the Network is in the capable hands
of the Executive Agency for Competitiveness & Innovation (EACI).
Our two departments work hand in hand to make the Network a success. The EACI regularly updates the
Network on new EU policy, programmes and legislation applicable to SMEs. These include innovation,
intellectual property and funding. Partners then spread the word to local SMEs.
The EACI has also trained over 2 000 Network staff so far in Brussels. It also monitors and evaluates
partners and ensures that they are paid on time.
Especially in the current economic climate, we strongly believe the Network can help SMEs achieve
their goals and thus contribute to a more competitive and innovative Europe.
Joanna Drake Patrick Lambert
Director at the European Commission’s Directorate-General Director of EACI
for Enterprise and Industry, Directorate Promotion of SME
Competitiveness and Deputy SME Envoy
NetWorth News from the Enterprise Europe Net wor k Autumn 2010 3
4. NetFocus
Helping small businesses
hit the big time
Every day is different when you work for the Enterprise Europe Network. From helping a Swedish company
export chocolates to China to finding the right Italian supplier for a Scottish wine tours firm, the Network's experts
are on hand to help small businesses make the most of their opportunities in the EU. You could call them Europe's
business partners.
T he Enterprise Europe Network was
launched with the aim of helping SMEs to
go international, innovate and access European
databases. Once a Network partner enters
a company's partnership request, other
members across the Network can access it
think about merging the networks and creating
a unique one-stop service for entrepreneurs
that would save them the hassle of dealing
funding and finance. “All these objectives and pass along the information to local players. with different networks for different services.
supporting the growth of European SMEs At the time of the launch Heinz Zourek,
took on added significance and posed several One example that made waves in Denmark Director-General in charge of Enterprise and
new challenges amidst the current economic is a company that produced tanks and wrote Industry, urged all entrepreneurs in the EU and
recovery,” says Antonio Tajani, Vice-President software programmes to measure behaviour beyond to use the Enterprise Europe Network
of the European Commission in charge of patterns in fish. “There isn't a big market for “to the best of their needs”. This includes
Industry and Entrepreneurship. this type of software, but we connected them turning to the Network for assistance in finding
with a group who needed their application,” partners and filing applications for EU-funded
Despite, or perhaps, because of the recession, says Simon Poulsen of Danish Network partner, projects, in particular those funded through
the Network's expert staff have been able Agro Park. “In the last few months every one of the Seventh Research Framework Programme
to make a real difference to European small the seven companies that asked us to use our (FP7, 2007-13).
businesses. The Network has generated cutting-edge technology database has been
more than 60 000 expressions of interest from teamed up successfully.” Close to companies
companies wanting to do business. These With 587 contact points and 3 100 staff (or
led to 2 150 international partnership Strong foundations 1 300 full-time equivalents), the Enterprise
agreements in 24 months, ranging from joint The idea behind the Enterprise Europe Europe Network provides expertise and
ventures to fully-fledged cooperation on research, Network was simple: to combine and build services to businesses free of charge in all
technology and EU funding applications. on the strengths of the former Euro Info 27 EU Member States plus 20 third countries,
Centre (EIC) and Innovation Relay Centre including candidate and European Free Trade
“Small businesses often lack the resources to (IRC) networks, established in 1987 and 1995 Association (EFTA) countries as well as the
find partners on their own, especially abroad. respectively, and steered by the Commission’s US, China, Russia and Turkey, among others.
Or they may have an innovative idea but find Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry. Its members are respected business and
it hard to turn it into a commercial success,” Both networks complemented each other with technology organisations, well known and
explains Joanna Drake, Director and Deputy the services they offered. The EIC network deeply rooted in their communities and in
SME Envoy at the Commission's Enterprise and advised small and medium-sized enterprises constant contact with local SMEs.
Industry Directorate-General. The Enterprise (SMEs) on EU law and helped them enter new
Europe Network is ideally placed to help SMEs markets, while the IRC network sourced new They are also well connected to each other.
find business partners, using one of the world's technologies for them in other countries. Take the case of Finnish jewellery company
largest technology and business cooperation Kaipus, which produces scented jewellery
Detecting increasing overlaps in their client based on nanotechnology. It found a French
bases, it was natural for the Commission to commercial partner thanks to its local Network
NetLights
587 contact points 47 countries
in the Network are home to Network partners
4 NetWorth Ne ws fro m the Enterprise Europe Net work Autumn 2010