Innovation Europe > News > Innovation EU Vol1-1 > Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme

The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) aims to boost the competitiveness of enterprises within Europe. With SMEs as its main target, the programme supports innovation activities, provides better access to finance and delivers business support services. It encourages a better take-up and use of information and communications technology and also promotes the increased use of renewable energy and energy-efficient ways of working.

With a total budget of €3,621bn, the programme has been running since 2007 and will be ending in 2013.

The CIP is divided into three programmes:

• Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP)
• Information Communication Technologies – Policy Support Programme (ICT-PSP)
• Intelligent Energy Europe Programme (IEE).

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme

The EIP focuses on the following objectives:

• Facilitating access to finance for the start-up and growth of SMEs, and encouraging investment in innovation activities
• Creating an environment favourable to SME co-operation, particularly cross-border
• Promoting all forms of innovation in enterprises
• Supporting eco-innovation.
• Promoting an entrepreneurship and innovation culture
• Promoting enterprise and innovation-related economic and administrative reform.

With a budget of €2.17bn, the programme aims to achieve its objectives through the following actions:

• Access to finance for SMEs through EU financial instruments. These target companies in different phases of their lifecycle – seed, start up, expansion and business transfer – and support investments in technological development, innovation, technology transfer, and the cross-border expansion of business activities. They are managed by the EIF on behalf of the European Commission, in co-operation with financial institutions.
  
  For more information, visit: www.accesstofinance.eu
• Enterprise Europe Network – a network of business and innovation service centres. These regional centres provide integrated business and innovation support services and form part of a European network, drawing on the experience of the Euro Info Centres (EIC) and Innovation Relay Centres (IRC). They provide enterprises with a range of services to help make them more competitive.
  
  For more information, visit: www.enterprise-europe-network.ec.europa.eu/info/network_en.htm
• Support for initiatives to foster entrepreneurship and innovation. Support is given to encourage the transnational networking of innovative companies, as well as all other actors, including benchmarking initiatives and the exchange of best practice.
  
  For more information, visit: www.ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/index_en.htm
• Eco-innovation – making sustainable development a business reality. This initiative supports pilot and first- market replication projects on innovative products, processes and services aiming at reducing environmental impacts, pollution prevention or achieving a more efficient and responsible use of natural resources.
  
  For more information, visit: www.ec.europa.eu/environment/eco-innovation/index_en.htm
• Support for policy-making. Conferences are organised under the EIP to assemble and publicise sectoral knowledge, inform policy-makers, and make policy suggestions to increase the coherence and co-operation between the member states.
  
  For more information: www.ec.europa.eu/enterprise/contracts-grants/calls-for-tenders

Information Communication Technologies – Policy Support Programme (ICT-PSP)

The ICT-PSP aims to stimulate innovation and competitiveness through the wider uptake and best use of ICT. The programme builds on the aims of the previous e-TEN, Modinis and e-Content programmes and supports the aims of the new integrated strategy i2010 – European Information Society 2010.

ICT-PSP focuses on the following objectives:

• Developing a single European information space
• Strengthening the European internal market for ICT and ICT-based products and services
• Encouraging innovation through the wider adoption of and investment in ICT
• Developing an inclusive information society and more efficient and effective services in areas of public interest
• Improving of quality of life.

ICT-PSP mainly supports pilot projects testing in areas such as ICT for health; ICT for ageing and inclusion; Digital Libraries; ICT for government and governance; ICT for energy efficiency, environment and smart mobility; Public Sector information; and Internet evolution and security.

It also provides a forum for stakeholders in such areas to share their experiences.

For more information, visit: www.ec.europa.eu/ict_psp

Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE)

There are many untapped opportunities to save energy and encourage the use of renewable energy sources in Europe, but the market conditions do not always help.

The IEE programme is the EU’s tool for funding action to improve these conditions and move us towards a more energy-intelligent Europe. It aims to do this by:

• Fostering energy efficiency and the rational use of energy sources
• Promoting new and renewable energy sources and energy diversification
• Promoting energy efficiency and new energy sources in transport
• Supporting networking, training, dissemination and information actions.

A network of Local and Regional Agencies all around the EU provide information on sustainable energy.

For more information, visit: www.ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/ict_psp/index_en.htm