This document summarizes the European Union's support for clusters and cluster international cooperation. It discusses how clusters can accelerate innovation and industrial change. It outlines EU programs that support cluster excellence, cross-sectoral and international collaboration between clusters, and using clusters to facilitate new industrial value chains. Specific initiatives highlighted include the Cluster Excellence Programme, European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for international cooperation, and Horizon 2020 funding for cluster-facilitated projects.

1. Internal Market, Industry,
Entrepreneurship and SMEs
European Support to Clusters and Cluster
International Cooperation
Forum "Cluster – Cooperation with Result"
Riga, January 19th 2017
José Freitas
Policy Officer
SMEs: Clusters, Social Economy
and Entrepreneurship Unit

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

4. Clusters accelerators for
innovation and industrial change
Boosting interregional collaboration
and investment through clusters

5. Customised
SME support
Regional and
International
Strategy
Cross-sectoral
Collaboration
VALUE CHAIN
INNOVATION
Using clusters to facilitate value chain
innovation and industrial transformation
Cluster facilitated projects for new industrial value chains (INNOSUP-1)
https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6084-innosup-01-2016-2017.html
18.5 mio €
(04.04.17)
2-stage
procedure
75% to
support
innovation
in SMEs

6. Challenges Objectives Measures
Reindustrialise EU's
industrial base
Develop long-term
internationally
competititive goods
and services
Create new industrial
value chains
Support development
of emerging industries
in Europe
Contribute to regional
smart specialisation
strategies
Support cross-
sectoral and cross-
regional cooperation
Support innovation
activities
Improve business
environment through
open collaboration
spaces
Horizon2020: Cluster facilitated projects for new
industrial value chains

7. Cluster Partnering in Europe - Cluster facilitated
projects for new industrial value chains
ICT/Mobile/Electonics/Int
ernet of
Things/Digital/Cloud
15%
Health/Care/Personalized
medicine/Pharma
13%
Circular/Ressource
Efficiency/Environmental/
Eco-efficient/Renewable
energy
9%Creative
Industries/Fashion/Experi
ence Industries
9%
Advanced
Manufacturing/4.0/Smart
factory/KETs
7%
Food/Agrifood
7%
Blue
growth/Marine/Maritime/
Port
5%
Logistics/Mobility/Car
5%
Construction
4%
Servitization
2%
Other industries
(once each)
11%
General
13%
Topics of INNOSUP-1 cluster projects - 45 second stage full
proposals

8. 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 open 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

9. Towards cluster and technology centres Investment Plans!
• The gap on European KETs Technology Infrastructures providing
services to SMEs:
Total of 187 KETs Technology
Infrastructures
60% in only 4 countries (DE,
ES, FR, UK)
Need for networking
and pan-European
access to SMEs
For each
infrastructure:
competences,
TRLs, market
sectors, services,
trainings, SME
contact…

10. S3 Platform for Industrial Modernisation
10

11. Support to S3-Platform on Industrial
Modernisation

12. 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

13. Regional hotspots in sectoral clusters

14. Regional hotspots in cross-sectoral clusters

15. Emerging Industries overview
European Cluster Panorama 2016
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/cluster/observatory/cluster-mapping-services/cluster-mapping/cluster-panorama

16. Fostering SME internationalisation
through clusters

17. European Strategic Cluster Partnerships – Going International (ESCP-4i)
• 1st call 2014 (3,75M€): 15 partnerships established – 80 clusters involved
• 2nd call end 2016 (4,42M€);
• 3rd call: 2017 Q1 (5,79M€); it includes funding for space and ddual-use defence clusters
• Eligible: cluster organisations that support SMEs in clusters
• 2013-2020: 19 M €
International cluster matchmaking events in third countries and Europe
• EU-USA Event, Hannover Messe, 25-26 April 2016 – Industrial automation, environmental technology, etc.
• EU-TAIWAN Event, European Innovation Week, ICT Fair Computex, 30 May-3 June 2016, Taipei
• EU-IRAN Cluster Matchmaking Event on sustainable construction, automotive and mobility, textile, chemicals,
raw materials, environmental technologies and tourism, Tehran (Iran) 17/18 October 2016
• EU-Mexico, cluster matchmaking event on Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Waste Management and
Wastewater Management, Green Days Exhibition, Mexico City, 25/27 October 2016
• EU-Brasil, cluster matchmaking event on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Solid Waste Management, Renewable
Energy (solar, biomass) and Biogas, Lyon, France, 29/30 November 2016
• EU-USA (Tech Connect Trade Fair), May, 2017 Washington
• EU-Taiwan (ICT, circular economy), June 2017, Brussels (tbc)
• EU-India smart cities, water, transport, solar, buildings, , 10-12 May, 2017New Deli (tbc)
• EU-EU, aerospace, Paris, 2017 (tbc)
• EU-EU, 2017 agrofood (tbd)
Promoting cluster cooperation for win-win industrial leadership in global markets
Cluster Internationalisation Programme for SMEs
- Ongoing activity
Promote
cluster
competitive
ness

18. ESCP-4i Overview
Others: Korea, Taiwan, North & West Africa, ASEAN,
Gulf/Middle East
7
3
5
8
8
8
10
12
0 5 10 15
Other Latin Amercica
MEXICO
CANADA
INDIA
CHINA
JAPAN
BRAZIL
USA
Main target countries

19. International Cluster Cooperation at EU level
Promoting "European Strategic Cluster Partnerships - Going
International (ESCP-4i)"
Not about
• Trade promotion only
• Sector specific
• Individual cluster support on international markets
More about
• Developing Longer Term strategic cooperation in mutual interest
• Across sectoral boundaries
• Pan-European cluster consortia through a joint strategic vision and common
goals, and indeed trhough the establishment of:
• European Strategic Cluster Partnerships - Going international
• Towards a win-win approach

20. 20
Analysis of complementarities between cluster partnership members
www.clustercollaboration.eu/wiintech

21. Supporting cluster excellence
Cluster Excellence Programme for SMEs (COSME, €8.25m, call for 1.5
million to fund ca 7 projects closed on 31/03/2016) – Next call 2018
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

22. Cluster firms …
- are more
innovative than non-
cluster firms
- register more
trademarks and
apply for more
patents
- cooperate more
38% of European jobs
are based in 2000
clusters.
22
Why clusters? SMEs are more innovative!

23. Cross Technologies, cross Sector Approaches

24. The Role of Clusters: integrators /
synergy
Act as facilitator
& bridge-builder
Support groups
of related SMEs
Promote cross-border &
cross-sectoral
cooperation
Integrate, catalyse &
multiply cross-sectoral
and cross-regional
cooperation
Create favourable "open
space" for cross-sectoral
fertilisation

25. SMEs
Why specific policy actions for SMEs:
the RED gap
Numberofenterprises(%)
Employment(%)
Valueadded(%)
Smaller economies of scale
Lower apparent productivity
compared to large companies
e.g. greater variety of tasks
per employee – usually
smaller degree of
specialisation
Large businesses
Case for a SME-relevant public
policy & cluster policy
Gap!

26. Why SMEs are important
99,8
0,2
Number of
Enterprises (%)
SMEs
Large
57,6
42,4
Value Added at
Factor Costs (%)
SMEs
Large
66,5
33,5
Employment (%)
SMEs
Large
85
15
Net new jobs 2002-
2010 (%)
SMEs
Large

27. Smart Guide to Cluster Policy
Available at http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/business-friendly-environment/regional-policies/
A couple of concepts,
Eight Do’s and Don’ts, and
Plenty good practice examples …
of how to make better use of clusters
for promoting regional industrial
modernisation, supporting the growth of
SMEs and encouraging smart
specialisation.

28. Do's and Don'ts of Modern Cluster Policy
Don’ts Do’s
Support individual specialised firms Support new activities, in particular those being undertaken
by groups or networks of related industries
Create clusters from scratch Facilitate the growth of clusters by building upon existing
strengths
Fund large numbers of widely varied clusters Fund strategic cluster initiatives that focus on promoting the
strengths, linkages and emerging competences and which
are in line with the aims of national/regional smart
specialisation strategies
Follow growth trends without reflection Capitalise upon regional competences to diversify into new
activity areas and to develop emerging industries
Follow a narrow sectoral cluster approach Follow a systemic cluster approach focusing on related
industries by capturing cross-sectoral linkages
Develop and implement cluster policy in isolation from
other policy areas
Adopt an inclusive and participatory cluster approach
Support cluster initiatives that are only inward looking Support cluster initiatives that have an international
perspective on the positioning of the cluster in international
value chains
Focus exclusively on strengthening regional partnerships Build regional partnerships as a basis for joining European
Strategic Cluster Partnerships

29. More information
• EU Cluster Portal:
• http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/cluster/index_en.htm
o The European Cluster Observatory
o Cluster Excellence
o Cluster Internationalisation
o Clusters and Emerging Industries
• COSME calls
• http://ec.europa.eu/growth/contracts-grants/index_en.htm
• https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6084-innosup-01-
2016-2017.html
• Horizon 2020 Work Programme:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/wp/2014_2015/main/h2020-
wp1415-sme_en.pdf
• EASME AGENCY
• http://ec.europa.eu/easme/
• European resource Efficiency Self-Assessment Tool for SMEs:
• https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/tender/31/european-resource-efficiency-self-assessment-tool-
smes
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