1. INSME – International Network for SMEs INSME INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR SMEs 1 st INSME Promoting Committee Meeting Milan 7-8 July 2003 INSME INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR SMEs 1 st INSME Promoting Committee Meeting Milan 7-8 July 2003

2. INSME – International Network for SMEs INDEX INSME Process Background INSME Organisation INSME Road Map 2003-2004 INSME Services INSME Portal INSME Pilot Projects 2

3. INSME – International Network for SMEs INSME Process Background 1 st OECD Ministerial Conference on SMEs, Bologna, June 2000 The Bologna Charter on SME Policies “Ministers and Representatives of governments of countries participating in the Bologna Conference welcomed Italy’s offer to carry out a feasibility study, including a needs assessment, to define the possible design and development of an International Network for SMEs (INSME), which could also benefit from support by interested countries and private sector inputs.” The “Bologna Process” 2 nd OECD Ministerial Conference on SMEs, Istanbul, June 2004 3

4. INSME – International Network for SMEs Creation of the INSME Steering Group, July 2000 2nd Steering Group meeting, October 2001 Kick - off of the INSME Feasibility Study, January 2002 3rd Steering Group meeting, December 2002 Creation of the INSME Promoting Committee, April 2003 1st meeting of INSME Promoting Committee, July 2003 First Steps 4 2000-2003

5. INSME – International Network for SMEs INSME Achievements 2000-2003  Enlargement of the Steering Group from 7 to 40 countries plus involvement of International Organisations and NGOs  Consensus building: participation and presentation of INSME at international events  Setting up and management of the INSME portal  Publishing of “INSMEnews” (the INSME newsletter)  Launching of Pilot Projects  Drafting of the INSME Statute  Drafting of the INSME Catalogue of Services 5

6. INSME – International Network for SMEs 6 Who is involved? INSME Steering Group (40 Countries, 17 International Organisations and NGOs and some Intermediaries and Networks) INSME Steering Group (40 Countries, 17 International Organisations and NGOs and some Intermediaries and Networks)

7. INSME – International Network for SMEs INSME Rationale Political impact: involving Policy Makers to exchange good practices, benchmark policies and carry out lobbying activities so as to make more financing available for innovation and technology transfer (TT) for SMEs Operational role: support the competitiveness and growth of Intermediaries and their Networks 7

8. INSME – International Network for SMEs Why INSME?  Encouraging the transfer of knowledge, exchanges of experiences, good practices and methodologies among the Community Members  Strengthening networking, partnering and linkages between participating member countries, International Organisations and International Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs) as well as intermediaries aiming at fostering cooperation, joint projects and strategic alliances  Facilitating closer interactions and connections between the public and private research bodies and the intermediaries so as to increase the transfer of knowledge within the innovation cycle from its source to its final user, the enterprise INSME will contribute to: 8

9. INSME – International Network for SMEs What is INSME? INSME will act as an information hub, a facilitator, accelerator, multiplier and catalyser of existing, relevant intermediaries and their networks at international, regional and national level, supporting the launch of new projects, disseminating results, developing synergies and promoting economies of scale By taking advantage of the use of ICT: 9

10. INSME – International Network for SMEs It is proposed to consolidate and expand the INSME Network by transforming the current informal, multi stakeholder Community (the INSME Steering Group) into the legal form of an international non profit Association INSME Vision  Creating a common information platform for exchange of know how  Providing technical support and assistance in innovation and technology transfer  Facilitating the development of transnational and transregional projects The specific goals that INSME aims to achieve by setting up the Association are: 10

11. INSME – International Network for SMEs INSME Activities (a) Promote networking and alliances between intermediaries and other public and private bodies (Public Private Partnership approach) Stimulate the rationalisation, specialisation, integration, delocalisation and internationalisation of intermediaries Act as a hub and a clearing house for the collection, analysis and diffusion of Good Practice policies, programmes and projects 11

12. INSME – International Network for SMEs Provide assistance to Policy Makers for the planning and development of targeted policy strategies Promote the carrying out of joint projects among Members through partner and funding opportunity search at international level Strengthening North-South and South-South cooperation, flows of information and exchange of know how INSME Activities (b) 12

13. INSME – International Network for SMEs INSME Organisation INSME Think Tank ADVISORY COMMITTEE INSME ASSOCIATION GENERAL ASSEMBLY Secretary General INSME SECRETARIAT INSME BOARD Thematic Working Group 1 (e.g. on the Textile sector) Thematic Working Group 2 (e.g. for the EUMED region) Thematic Working Group 3 (e.g. “Fashion Med“) Thematic Working Group n ……….. Focal Point 1 Focal Point 2 Focal Point 3 Focal Point n 13 President and Vice President

14. INSME – International Network for SMEs Association Governing Bodies It is proposed that the INSME Association comprise the following formal governing bodies: The General Assembly The INSME Board The INSME Secretariat 14

15. INSME – International Network for SMEs General Assembly It shall have the following functions:  Elect at the General Meeting the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary General and the INSME Board  Make proposals for the INSME Association Annual Action Plan  Discuss priorities and goals of the INSME Association over time, identifying main strategic fields for joint actions The General Assembly shall consist of all Members of the INSME Association (Artt. 24 and 25 of the INSME Statute) 15

16. INSME – International Network for SMEs INSME Board It is the formal elected body made up by representatives of the INSME Members participating in the Association (Artt. 26 to 30 of the INSME Statute) This Board will monitor the activities of the INSME Secretariat and provide, on a regular basis, political guidance and support for the Association, also by lobbying its activities on a wider international scale. Only Full members are eligible. 16

17. INSME – International Network for SMEs At present the INSME Secretariat is hosted by the Institute for Industrial Promotion (IPI), Viale Maresciallo Pilsudski, 124, 00197 Rome, Italy The location of the Headquarters of the INSME Association shall be decided upon by majority vote of all Members at the General Meeting of the General Assembly The INSME Secretariat is the central operating body responsible for the management of the Association and for the execution and application of guidelines from the INSME Board in carrying out its activities 17 INSME Secretariat

18. INSME – International Network for SMEs Advisory Committee  External high level Advisory Committee to be created on a voluntary basis, made up only of Governments and International Organisations  It will represent an open forum for a strengthened dialogue among Policy Makers on wider political themes of common interest: -relaunching innovation, technology transfer and research policy -promoting innovative start-ups and innovative financing instruments for SMEs - facilitating relationships between large enterprises and SMEs  It will be aimed at: lobbying, exchanging good practices and fostering benchmarking at international level 18

19. INSME – International Network for SMEs INSME Members Governmental bodies (i.e. Ministries of Industry, Science and Technology, Ministries of Economy, SME and Small Business Agencies, national and regional bodies and institutes in charge of promoting innovation and TT for companies, etc.) It is suggested that the INSME Association have the following Members: The Association membership is on a voluntary basis and has an unlimited number of participants from any geographical area. 19 International Organisations in charge of defining and managing policies, programmes, projects and initiatives for innovation and technology transfer to SMEs or more generally working in the field of Science and Technology International NGOs, Networks of intermediaries and intermediaries having as a main or exclusive institutional mission the diffusion and promotion of innovation and TT at sub-national, national, regional or international level

20. INSME – International Network for SMEs INSME Membership  Full membership shall be exclusively for Governmental bodies, International Organisations and international Non Governmental Organisations, networks of intermediaries at sub-national, national, regional or international level  Associate membership shall be open to the above mentioned categories and also to individual intermediaries and business support organisations  Observer status shall be open to any of the above mentioned bodies The proposed member typologies of the Association are: Full Members, Associate Members, and Observers 20

21. INSME – International Network for SMEs Policy Makers: - OECD Country: 5,000 – 10,000 euro - non-OECD Country: 3,000 – 6,000 euro - International Organisations with availability of financial resources for operational activities: 4,000 – 5,000 euro (no matter where their headquarters is located) International Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs): 500 – 1,500 euro (no matter where their headquarters is located) Networks of Intermediaries (at international, regional, national, sub-national level): 1,500 - 3,000 euro (no matter where their headquarters is located) Membership Fee proposal (a) Full Member typology Policy Makers; International NGOs; Networks of intermediaries (Art. 13.1 of the INSME Statute) The membership fee depends on the membership typology and on the country GDP for certain membership typologies. It is determined every 2 years by the INSME Board 21

22. INSME – International Network for SMEs Policy Makers: - OECD Country: 2,000 - 5,000 euro - non-OECD Country: 1,500 - 3,000 euro - International Organisations: 2,000 - 2,500 euro (no matter where their headquarters is located) International Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs): 250 - 750 euro (no matter where their headquarters is located) Networks of Intermediaries (at international, regional, national, sub- national level): 750 - 1,500 euro (no matter where their headquarters is located) Individual intermediaries: 300 - 600 euro (no matter where their headquarters is located) Policy Makers; International NGOs; Networks of intermediaries, Individual intermediaries (Art. 13.2 of the INSME Statute) 22 Associate Member typology Membership Fee proposal (b)

23. INSME – International Network for SMEs Policy Makers, International NGOs, Networks of intermediaries: 250 - 500 euro Individual Intermediaries: 150 euro Policy Makers; NGOs; Networks of intermediaries, Individual intermediaries. (Art. 13.3 of the INSME Statute) 23 Observer typology Membership Fee proposal (c) Observers have no right to vote and are not eligible for the governing bodies The annual cost of the INSME Association is estimated to be 1,5 Meuro

24. INSME – International Network for SMEs Q1 2 nd OECD Ministerial Conference on SMEs (Istanbul 2004) – INSME Association Kick-off Q2Q4Q3Q2Q1Q3Q4 20032004 Consensus Building Technical Activities INSME Community Model Set-Up Follow up to the 3 rd INSME Steering Group Meeting Fine-tuning of the INSME Business Plan Drafting of the INSME Association’s Statute Creation of the INSME Observatory Implementation of the new INSME Portal Identification and Launch of Pilot Projects 24 INSME Road Map 2003-2004 Promotion and political sensitisation Launch of the INSME Association Set up of the INSME Promoting Committee

25. INSME – International Network for SMEs INSME Secretariat’s Activities 2003-2004 25  Launching the INSME portal (www.insme.info) so as to encourage Community building among INSME Members  Consensus building at international level for transforming the informal networking activities of the INSME Steering Group into a formal Network as a legally recognised non profit Association (by 2004)  Drafting of the INSME Statute and Inner Rules  Identifying the INSME core services The INSME Secretariat’s work in 2003-2004 is concentrated on:

26. INSME – International Network for SMEs 26 INSME SERVICES GENERAL INFORMATION SERVICES (for free) Platform for Exchange www.insme.info TAILORED SERVICES (for a fee) Technical support for INSME Members INSME Services

27. INSME – International Network for SMEs INSME SERVICES Discussion Group INSME Meetings INSME Award INSME Network Information and Tools 27 Online Partner Search (non moderated) Platform for Exchange www.insme.info GENERAL INFORMATION SERVICES (for free) “INSMEnews” Newsletter Thematic Working Groups (TWG) INSME Think Tank Knowledge Sharing INSME Observatory Catalogue of Projects and Initiative on Innovation and Technology Transfer Database of Intermediaries and their Networks Library Catalogue of Policies on Innovation and Technology Transfer INSME Member Directory Other Glossary Calendar of Events Catalogue of Financing Opportunities, Call for Tenders and Calls for Proposal Links

28. INSME – International Network for SMEs INSME Member Directory (full contact details) TAILORED SERVICES (for a fee) Technical support for INSME Members GENERAL INFORMATION SERVICES (for free) INSME PORTAL SERVICES For Members Only Members Area of the INSME Platform for Exchange www.insme.info Knowledge Sharing Discussion Group Thematic Working Groups (TWG) Selected INSME Meetings INSME Award Online Partner Search (non moderated) INSME Network Information and Tools 28

29. INSME – International Network for SMEs Knowledge Sharing This section of the INSME Platform for Exchange could include:  the INSME Observatory  the Member’s Discussion Group  the Thematic Working Groups (TWG)  the INSME Think Tank Most of the information contained in this section of the INSME platform for exchange is focussed on the geographical areas covered by the Members of the INSME Promoting Committee and Steering Group. Their assistance for the provision of up to date information and documentation from the Members is therefore crucial for the quality of the knowledge to be shared. 29

30. INSME – International Network for SMEs www.insme.info secretariat@insme.it 30