The document discusses the European Cluster Strategy for growth. It aims to enhance growth from an EU perspective through clusters. Clusters accelerate innovation and industrial change. The strategy focuses on creating new sources of growth, interregional cooperation, supporting internationalization of EU firms through clusters, and supporting cluster excellence. Specific programs are discussed that provide support for SME internationalization through clusters, cluster excellence, and matchmaking events. Upcoming calls and opportunities are also mentioned.

1. Titel presentatie
[Naam, organisatienaam]
Working Day - Track: Modern cluster policy
Enhancing growth from an EU perspective
Michel Catinat
European Cluster Strategy
for growth

2. European Cluster
Strategy for growth
Michel Catinat
Head of Unit GROW.F2 –
Clusters, Social Economy &
Entrepreneurship
Directorate General for Internal
Market, Industry,
Entrepreneurship and SMEs
TCI Global Conference 2016
10 November 2016, Eindhoven

3. Cluster firms…
• - are more innovative
than non-cluster firms
• - register more
trademarks and apply
for more patents
• - cooperate more
Source: European Commission 2006 Innobarometer on clusters‘ role in facilitating
innovation in Europe and 2008 Staff Working Document on the concept of clusters and
cluster policies and their role for competitiveness and innovation: Main statistical results
and lessons learned. See
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/policy/clusters 2
SMEs are more innovative!

4. Focus areas of European Cluster Policy
1. Creating new sources of growth and new industrial
strengths
Promotion of greater linkages between different sectors and value chains
2. Interregional cooperation and smart specialisation
Acceleration of convergence of the less developed regions while providing
more developed regions with the possibility of expanding business
opportunities, knowledge sharing and value chains
3. Support for the internationalisation of EU firms through
clusters
Pooling of resources, knowledge, competences, critical mass for joint
internationalisation strategies towards third markets
4. Support excellence in cluster management

5. European cluster strategy for growth
Clusters
accelerators for
innovation and
industrial change
Cluster
excellence
International
cluster
cooperation
PME

6. Supporting cluster excellence
Cluster Excellence Programme for SMEs (COSME, €8.25m)
Supporting capacity building through benchmarking, training, twinning
and labelling of cluster management
2010-2016
• 811 (in 40 countries) BRONZE label
• 47 (in 10 countries) SILVER label
• 69 (14 countries) GOLD label
https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/cos-cluster-2015-3-02-clusters-excellence-programme

7. Cluster Excellence Programme in COSME
Assist managers of cluster and business networks
organisations to enhance management skills and improve
quality of the services to SMEs through benchmarking,
training activities and development of a comprehensive
strategy
• Calls for proposals addressed to cluster organisations engaged in
collaboration to improve cluster management and develop strategic
collaboration with regional authorities
2014 call (1,4 mio €) – six projects started in January 2016
2015 call (1 mio €) – five projects started in November 2016
• 2017 calls (1,2 mio €): Ad Hoc Grant to improve and consolidate the
cluster excellence initiative in support of industrial modernisation and
smart specialisation (300,000 €) + Open call to further develop
cluster excellence (900,000 €)
Phase II of the
initiative will start in
2017 to improve and
consolidate this
initiative on the basis
of new European
principles, the
reinforcement of
expertise across the
EU and a sustainable
governance structure

8. Supporting SME internationalisation through
clusters
Cluster Internationalisation Programme for SMEs (COSME, €19m)
European Strategic Cluster Partnerships – Going International (ESCP-4i)
• "Clusters Go International" call promoting SME internaliationalistion towards 3rd countries
• 1st call 2014 (3,75M€): 24 partnerships established (incl. 15 co-funded projects)
• 2nd call – end 2016 or early 2017 (5,8M€)
European Cluster Collaboration Platform
• Re-launched in March 2016 – Renew your cluster profile !!!
• The European hub for cluster cooperation & internationalisation
International cluster matchmaking events in third countries and Europe
• 6 Events in 2016 with: US, Taiwan, Iran, Mexico, Brazil & EU stakeholders
• 5 events planned in 2017
Promoting cluster cooperation for industrial leadership in global markets

9. European Strategic Cluster Partnerships –
Going International (ESCP-4i)
Others: Korea, Taiwan, North & West Africa,
ASEAN, Gulf/Middle East
7
3
5
8
8
8
10
12
0 5 10 15
Other Latin…
MEXICO
CANADA
INDIA
CHINA
JAPAN
BRAZIL
USA
Main target countries
Overall, 24 EU Cluster Partnerships "Go international" (incl. 15 co-funded)
involving: 138 European cluster organisations
 17,000 SMEs across 23 European countries

10. The European Cluster Collaboration Platform -ECCP
The Platform Connecting Cluster Organisations
ECCP is a service facility aiming to provide cluster organisations modern
tools to:
• map and profile cluster organisations across Europe (and beyond) - currently
over 400 organisations
• make efficient use of networking instruments (search/find potential partners
and opportunities)
• develop collaboration trans-nationally (within Europe) and internationally
(beyond Europe)
• support the emergence of new value chains through cross-sectorial
cooperation
• access the latest information on cluster events and development in Europe
and third countries
• support policy dialogues with third countries (eg. EU-US Cluster Cooperation
Arrangement)

11. 2016
• EU-USA Event, Hannover Messe, 25-26 April 2016
Focus: Advanced manufacturing, industrial automation, environmental technology, etc.
Participation of over 75 EU and US clusters / EDOs with 250 face-to-face meetings scheduled
• Taiwan -EU Event, ICT Fair Computex, Taipei, 30 May-3 June 2016
Participation of 23 EU clusters - 120 one-to-one meetings with Taiwanese organisations
• Iran – EU event, EU Economic Mission led by Commissioner Bienkowska, 17-19 Oct. 2016
Focus: automotive and mobility, tourims and sports, textile, biotech and green tech
Participation of 14 EU clusters and 60 Iran organisations – 7 industrial site visits
• Mexico – EU event, Green Expo, 25-27 October 2016
Focus: Renewable energy, Energy efficiency, Waste management, Wastewater management
Participation of 38 EU clusters and Mexican organisations - in cooperation with the Low Carbon
Business Action (funded under FPI, EEAS)
• EU – Brazil Event, Pollutec, Lyon, 28-30 November 2016
Participation of 35 EU clusters and Brazil organisations – Green technologies
• EU Cluster Event, Brussels, 30 November 2016 - prior to the European Cluster Conference 2016
Participation of 120 EU clusters
International Cluster Match-making Events

12. Using clusters to facilitate value chain
innovation and industrial transformation
• Cluster facilitated projects for new industrial value chains
(Innovation actions under Horizon2020 by promoting cross-sectoral and
cross-regional collababoration, INNOSUP-1 with ca. €130m until 2020 - 5
projects selected in 2015, 3 new projects to be selected early 2017 with
€15 million – Next call deadline April 2017 with €18,5 million)
• European Cluster Observatory
(European Cluster Panorama, European Cluster Trend report,
advisory support to model demonstrator regions…)
New service contract in 2017 – open call end of 2016
Promoting collaboration and innovation across regional and sectoral silos
& accelerating industrial change and smart specialisation synergies
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/cluster/observatory/
https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6084-innosup-01-2016-2017.html

13. Priority on Investment, Growth and Jobs and Role of
Clusters:
1. A new boost for Investment, growth and jobs is a priority of the European
Commission.
- Currently investment in Europe is 15% below pre-crisis levels
(source: EIB)
- Investment is €260 billion below (long term) trend
(source: Bruegel org)
The challenge is to contribute to investment, innovation across clusters in
the regions:
clusters in cooperation with technology centres focusing on
smart specialisation strategies
acting as
integrators and facilitators for SMEs investment projects!

14. http://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/industrial-modernisation
www.clustercollaboration.eu/news/call-expression-interest-towards-european-strategic-cluster-partnerships
Strategic interregional collaboration

15. How to get involved
Call for expression of interest to establish
thematic areas, matchmaking and interest
handling by Joint Research Centre/ S3Platform
Regions
http://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/industrial-modernisation
Call for expression of interest and partner
search towards European Strategic Cluster
Partnerships for smart specialisation
investments (S³)
Cluster organisations,
business networks,
technology centres,
science parks
Businesses
www.clustercollaboration.eu/news/call-expression-interest-towards-european-strategic-cluster-partnerships
European Investment Advisory Hub, regional
managing authorities, regional cluster
organisations & business networks, and
Enterprise Europe Network partners

16. Call for expression of interest
Towards European Strategic Cluster Partnerships
for smart specialisation investments
• aims to strengthen industry participation and inter-regional
collaboration in implementation of smart specialisation strategies
• addressed to cluster organisations, other business network
organisations, technology centres and science parks
• focuses on industrial modernisation
• open partnering process until end of 2016 via
• preparing for a call for proposals (2.8 million) for early 2017
http://www.clustercollaboration.eu/news/call-expression-interest-
towards-european-strategic-cluster-partnerships

17. EUROPEAN CLUSTER CONFERENCE 2016
CLUSTERS 4.0: Shaping Smart Industries
1-2 December 2016, Brussels
•
• European Cluster Manager of the Year 2016
• The contest is still open – deadline for application set to 11 Nov. 2016,
• European Strategic Cluster Partnerships Award 2016
• rewarding 'Cluster Go International' (ESCP-4i) Projects’ partnering and
communication activities