The document outlines the EU's support for competitiveness and innovation in Turkey, focusing on the financial frameworks and operational programs available to enhance small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and collaboration with academia. It details funding amounts, project categories, and specific initiatives implemented from 2007 to 2020, including the focus on research and development, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship. The assessment highlights Turkey's economic relationship with the EU, trade statistics, and the impact of various programs aimed at improving competitiveness in the Turkish market.

1. EU SUPPORT ON COMPETITIVENESS AND
INNOVATION IN TURKEY
SMALL BUSINESS ACT (SBA) ASSESSMENT
Study Visit
“SME and Academia collaboration: Turkey’s Experience in Innovation and Technology Centres”
Ela Yazıcı İnan
İstanbul
29 November-1 December 2017
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2. FACTS FIRST: EU-TURKEY ECONOMIC AND TRADE RELATIONS
11 Turkey-EU annual trade volume: € 140 billion worth of goods. The EU received
about 48% of Turkey’s exports in 2016.
11 Turkey is the EU’s 5th trade partner (2016), representing 4% of the EU's total
foreign trade. The EU is Turkey's number 1 trade partner.
11 The EU's biggest export categories (2016): machinery and appliances (27.9% of
overall exports), by transport equipment (20.6%), chemical products (11.3%).
11 Turkey`s biggest export sectors (2016): transport equipment (23.8%), textiles
and textile articles (21.6%), machinery and appliances (17.4%).
11 Three quarters of overall foreign direct investment (FDI) (66.3% on average
between 2008 and 2016) in Turkey from the EU.
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3. SUPPORT FRAMEWORK FOR COMPETITIVENESS AND INNOVATION
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National IPA Funding Access to Finance EU Framework
Programmes
IPA I: Regional Competitiveness
Operational Programme (2007-
2013), € 500 million, 43 provinces
(per capita income below 75% TR
average), 44 projects, completed or
under implementation.
IPA II: Competitiveness and
Innovation Operational
Programme (2014-2020),
€405 million, calls launched,
selection process ongoing.
Greater Anatolia Guarantee
Facility, €61.4 million (EIF)
G43 Venture Capital, €16.3
million (EIF)
Technology Transfer
Accelerator Fund, €50.5 million
(TÜBİTAK)
InnovFin, total budget for all:
€ 48 billion; TR so far
€ 110 million (EIF)
COSME Loan Guarantee
Facility, total budget for all:
€1.4 billion ; TR so far
€23.2 million (EIF)
Turkish Growth and Innovation
Fund , € 60 million from EIF to
create a fund size of € 200
million, launched in May 2016
Horizon 2020 (2014-2020)
€ 77 billion (TR expected to get
in total some €240M, assuming
€35M per year).
COSME (2014-2020), € 2.3
billion, TR benefitted a total of
€ 13 million so far with
European Enterprise Network,
Erasmus for Young
Entrepreneurs and Tourism

4. Regional Competitiveness Operational Programme (2007-2013)
  44 project in 43 provinces
  Types of projects: R&D and Innovation (7), Access to Finance
(3), Business Development Centres (8), Licensed Warehouses (3),
Capacity–Building (3), Clustering (3), Common Use Facility and
Production Plant (9), Logistics Centre (1), Tourism (5)
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5. Regional Competitiveness Operational Programme (2007-2013)
• R&D and Innovation projects (with SME & University collaboration):
  Gaziantep Technopark & TTO Project – Gaziantep University, Gaziantep Chambers of
Industry and Commerce, Gaziantep Municipality, € 7.8 million
  Erciyes Technopark Regional Innovation Centre Project – Erciyes University, Nuh Naci
Yazgan University, Abdullah Gül University, Kayseri Chambers of Industry and Commerce,
Kayseri Organised Industrial Zone, € 7.8 million
  Elazığ Fırat Technocity & TTO – Fırat University, Elazığ Municipality, Elazığ Chambers of
Industry and Commerce, Elazığ Provincial Administration, € 7 million
  Rize Tea Research and Application Centre – Rize Chambers of Industry and Commerce,
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize Commodity Exchange, € 10 million
  The rest: Samsun International Accredited Metal Metrology and Calibration Laboratory- Samsun Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, € 8.3 million, Gaziantep Regional Industrial Design and Hybrid Modelling Centre-KOSGEB Gaziantep
Provincial Directorate and Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce , € 7.4 million, Regional Industrial Collaboration in Cotton
Fibre Manufacturing- GAP International Agriculture Research and Training Centre (GAPUTEAM), € 6.7 million
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6. Regional Competitiveness Operational Programme (2007-2013)
• Technology Transfer Accelerator Fund under Access to Finance:
  Fostering techno-entrepreneurship and commercialisation of R&D results by directly
investing in 50 innovative projects, € 50.5 million, EIF-TÜBİTAK
• Main objectives of TTA Turkey :
• - establish two independently managed TTA Turkey funds that invest in commercialisation of
technology intensive research coming out of universities and research centres in Turkey;
• - establish the R&D commercialisation capacities of TTOs in Turkey so that they can play a
successful interface role between industry and universities.
 proof of concept generation projects, university / research centre spin-offs, start –ups,
intellectual property (IP) assets / projects, return for equity into start -ups, spin - offs, and SMEs.
• The two TTA Turkey funds invested in 50 projects so far including 25 proof of concept investments.
Target technologies cover micro and nano-electronics, Internet of Things, Software as a Service,
robotics, advanced materials, clean technologies, biotechnology and medical technologies.
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7. Competitiveness and Innovation Operational Programme (2014-2020)
• Geographical coverage extended to cover all the country. CISOP will continue to
serve in the fields of Manufacturing Industry, Research, Development, Technology
Transfer and Commercialization with another €405 million to increase efficiencies in
industry and manufacturing, and to contribute to the reduction of the current
account deficit.
• 3 actions and 6 activities:
• Action 1. Private Sector Development
• Activity 1.1. Manufacturing Industry
• Activity 1.2. Services & Creative Industries
• Action 2. Science, Technology and Innovation
• Activity 2.1. Research and Development
• Activity 2.2. Technology Transfer and Commercialization(TTOs,TDZs, research
centres, universities, NGOs)
• Action 3. Capacity Building
• Activity 3.1. Technical Assistance for System Operators and Publicity of the CISOP
• Activity 3.2. Acquis and Sector Approach related Institution Building Activities
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8. HORIZON 2020 (2014-2020)
 The SME Instrument under Horizon 2020: € 3 billion, funding high-risk
mature research by SMEs & stimulating breakthrough innovation.
Turkey so far : 18 projects as coordinator, 1 project as a partner, total € 8.05
million,
 Fast Track to Innovation under Horizon 2020 (promoting close-to-the-
market innovation activities ): 6 projects in TR, € 2.74 million
 Horizon 2020 Innosup (innovation ecosystem for SMEs) : 3 projects in TR,
€ 158,000
 InnovFin, total budget for all: € 48 billion in total; TR so far € 110 million
(EIF)
Turkey is expected to benefit about € 35 million on an annual basis from the
full programme.
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9. COSME (2014-2020)
• COSME supports:
Better access to finance for SMEs, access to markets for SMEs,
entrepreneurship, more favourable conditions for business creation and
growth
Turkey so far for all components: € 13 million
- EEN: € 12,9 million
- Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs: € 0.3 million
- Tourism: € 0.09 million
COSME Loan Guarantee Facility:
• TR so far: €23.2 million, 2500 SMEs (EIF- Finansbank Turkey)
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10. Useful links
• Regional Competitiveness Programme and Competitiveness and Innovation
Programme :
https://rekabetcisektorler.sanayi.gov.tr/en/eu-turkey-financial-cooperation
; https://rekabetcisektorler.sanayi.gov.tr/en/birinci-donem-projeleri ;
https://rekabetcisektorler.sanayi.gov.tr/en/ikinci-donem-projeleri
• Horizon 2020 and COSME SME supports: https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en
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11. Thank you for your attention…
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