1. The document discusses the EU's cluster policy initiatives and programs that aim to strengthen innovation, entrepreneurship, and industrial modernization through cluster cooperation and excellence. 2. Key EU cluster programs described include the Cluster Excellence Programme, Cluster Internationalisation Programme, European Strategic Cluster Partnerships, and the European Observatory for Clusters and Industrial Change. 3. Lessons learned emphasize overcoming sectoral and regional silos, connecting innovation ecosystems, and focusing on new value chains and emerging industries to better support SME growth and investment through clusters.

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2. Internal Market, Industry,
Entrepreneurship and SMEs
Turning challenges into
opportunities through clusters
to support industrial policies
TCI European Conference
Sofia- 20-22 march
Dr Ulla Engelmann
Head of Unit for clusters, social
economy and entrepreneurship

3. European cluster strategy for growth
Clusters as
accelerators
for innovation
& industrial
change
Capacity-
building
Inter-
regional &
international
cluster
cooperation
Industrial
Modernisation
Industrial
Policy
Innovation
divide
Value-
Chain
approach
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4. Investing in a smart,
innovative &
sustainable Industry:
A renewed EU
Industrial Policy
Strategy
Strengthening
Innovation in
Europe's Regions:
Strategies for
resilient, inclusive &
sustainable growth
Europe's next
leaders:
The Start-up & Scale-
up Initiative
EU Policy Framework for Clusters
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6. Key conclusions of the 1st European Policy
Forum - 22 Feb 2018 - Brussels
Need to raise awareness across Member States about existing synergies between cluster
initiatives and industrial, innovation and regional policies, especially in relation to smart
specialisation, SMEs scaling-up and cross-sectoral collaboration
More mutual cluster policy discussions and mutual learning events are needed to
exchange experiences in an interactive discussion platform.
Member States have shown common interest to tackle the following topics during future
European Cluster Policy Forums:
• Better use of clusters in supporting entrepreneurship and the scaling-up
of SMEs;
• Fostering cluster internationalisation – using strategic cluster
partnerships to help clusters and their members go international
• To assess the impact of state-aid programmes on clusters
• Cluster excellence - supporting capacity-building and the
professionalization of cluster management (incl. Erasmus for cluster
managers)
• Next European Cluster Policy Forum will take place on 26 April 2018
•
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7. Current EU Cluster initiatives
Invest in cluster
excellence
Promote cluster
collaboration
Cross-sectoral
value chains
Cluster Excellence Programme (COSME)
Cluster Internationalisation Programme, Eur.
Strategic Cluster Partnerships(COSME)
European Observatory for Clusters and
Industrial Change, S3 Platform
Cluster facilitated projects for new industrial
value chains (Horizon2020)
European Cluster Collaboration Platform
Interreg (ESIF)
+ linkages with PPPs under Horizon2020, European Innovation Partnerships, Joint Technology Initiatives, Joint
Programming Initiatives, Knowledge and Sector Skills Alliances, Enterprise Europe Network, etc.
Knowledge and Innovation Communities (EIT)
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8. Support 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
The initiative is currently under revision to better meet the needs of the cluster
community
• 2014: six projects (January 2016 – December 2017)
• 2015: five projects (November 2016 – November 2018)
• New call to be launched by the end of 2018
Cluster Excellence programme
Encourage capacity building in cluster management through cluster
excellence projects
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9. The European Cluster Collaboration Platform -ECCP
The Platform Connecting Cluster Organisations
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10. The European Cluster Collaboration Platform -ECCP
The Platform Connecting Cluster Organisations
ECCP achievements (2016-2017)
• Over 750 cluster organisations profiled
• 10.000 monthly visitors to the website
• 4.500 subscription to newsletters and weekly
digests
• over 1000 news items published
• 600 events promoted
• more than 800 followers and almost 1000
contributions on Twitter
• 33 cluster Associations and Networks featured
• 28 cluster achievements showcased
• 33 testimonials (including videos) published
• 97 calls for proposals highlighted
• 50 partner search requests published
• 3 webinars organised for European clusters
• more than 150 references to the ECCP in external
media units
The ECCP’s showcased at the WTO !
at WTO workshop on “How to support
integration of MSMEs into
international trade: sharing of
national, regional and multilateral
experiences”
on 31 October 2017, Geneva
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11. Cluster Internationalisation Programme for
SMEs (COSME, €19M)
International cluster matchmaking events in third countries and Europe
• 6 Events in 2016 with: US, Taiwan, Iran, Mexico, Brazil & EU Cluster conference
• 5 events in 2017: US, Taiwan, Paris Air Show, Thailand, Greece
• 4 events in 2018: Ukraine, US, Taiwan, Western Balkans
• THE EUROPEAN CLUSTER POLICY LEARNING AND MATCHMAKING EVENT IN
THESSALONIKI, GREECE, 13-14 September 2017
•
50 clusters active in the sectors of creative and cultural industries, smart cities, the circular economy,
mobility and automotive.
• 17 countries represented:
• EU: Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, UK, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Lithuania,
Sweden
• Western Balkan Region: Serbia, Montenegro, FYROM, Albania.
• Feedback from the delegation highlighted the usefulness of combining policy and learning
opportunities with matchmaking activities (Cluster-to-cluster and Cluster-to-Business).
Supporting SME access to global value chains through clusters
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12. European Strategic Cluster Partnerships – Going
International (ESCP-4i) – First generation (2016-2017)
• 15 co-funded and 10 voluntary European Strategic Cluster Partnerships
involved about 150 cluster organisations across 23 European countries
have developed and implemented joint strategies to support SME
internationalisation towards third countries (2016-2017)
• 2000 European Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have been
involved in activities targeting international third-markets generating 85
concrete business cooperation cases with international partners
• 370 Cluster-to-Cluster events
• 3010 Business-to-Business events have been conducted
• 39 Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) and 45 collaboration projects
implemented between EU clusters and international peer organisations
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13. European Strategic Cluster Partnerships – Going
International (ESCP-4i) – Second generation (2018-2019)
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14. Cluster intelligence tools and cross
regional initiatives
• European Observatory for Clusters and Industrial
Change (COSME 2016, €2.8 mio)
• European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for smart
specialisation investments (COSME 2017, €2.8 mio)
• INNOSUP – 1 (H2020 €130 mio until 2020, next call April
2018) - Cluster facilitated project for new industrial
value chains
Promoting collaboration and innovation across regional and sectoral silos
& accelerating industrial change and smart specialisation synergies
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15. Sectoral & cross-
sectoral cluster
mapping tool
(emerging industries
and value chains)
Regional Ecosystem
Scoreboard tool with
bottleneck analysis &
European Service
Innovation
Scoreboard
Trends reports,
priority sector reports
& smart guides
including on
entrepreneurship
support
Indicators on high-
growth enterprises,
start-ups, gazelles,
scale-ups, employees &
wages, etc.
Analysis of linkages
between clusters &
industrial change,
entrepreneurship/SME
growth, innovation,
internationalisation
European Cluster Policy
Forum
Cluster programmes in
Europe
European Cluster Week
European Observatory for Clusters & Industrial Change
Statistical &
trend analysis
Framework
conditions &
bottlenecks
Policy advice to
12 model
demonstrator
regions
Support for
mutual cluster
policy learning,
mapping &
cooperation
Advisory support
to European
Strategic Cluster
Partnerships
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/cluster/observatory/ http://www.clustercollaboration.eu
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16. Lessons learned from cluster actions
• Shift from supporting clusters to using clusters for creating growth opportunities for
SMEs and investments
• Need to overcome sectoral and regional silos, e.g. by focussing on new value chains an
emerging industries
• Need for more strategic connections across eco-systems and stronger link to smart
specialisation
 Right mix of partners: policy-makers, intermediaries & SMEs
• Missing funding pipeline to make strategic partnerships sustainable across specialised
themes
• Co-creating new initiatives
https://ec.europa.eu/growth/content/300-participants-co-create-inspiring-future-cluster-initiatives-grow-your-region-conference_en
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17. Outlook for European Cluster Policy
High-Level Expert Group on Clusters to be set-up in 2018
European Cluster Week 2019
Stronger use of thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms
European Cluster Conference in 2019
Moving towards Joint Cluster Initiatives (value chains, innovation,
internationalisation, skills, enterpreneurship)
Topics to be looked at:
‘Clusters and Entrepreneurship’ and ‘Clusters and Social Economy’ 17

18. For more see
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/policy/clusters/observatory
http://www.clustercollaboration.eu
http://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/industrial-modernisation
Clusters, Social Economy and Entrepreneurship unit (GROW.F2)
Innovation and Advanced Manufacturing Directorate
European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
GROW-F2@ec.europa.eu
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/policy/cluster
or the Smart Guide to Cluster Policy, available at
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/business-friendly-environment/regional-policies/
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