1. Lisbon, 13 th November 2007 Panel 1 – Transnational Cooperation in e-Business Initiatives Conference “ICT Uptake for SMEs Competitiveness”

2. Action ENT/MAP/06/1.3 “Reinforcing synergies between public policies in support of e-business for SMEs” Speakers: Ms Claudia Poles Mr Maurizio Mancini From Confartigianato – The Association of Crafts and SMEs of San Donà di Piave, Venice, ITALY EU co-financed project “Service Network to support SMEs”

3. Coordinator: Partner: The Association of Crafts and SMEs of San Donà di Piave (ITALY) The Chamber of Crafts and Trades of the Istrian Region in Pula (CROATIA)

4. DURATION “Service Network to support SMEs” DURATION 6 months

5. OBJECTIVES “Service Network to support SMEs” OBJECTIVES The project aims at carrying out a study to transfer the System of Integrated Services of the Confartigianato Association of the Eastern Veneto to the Istrian Region, analyzing its adaptability to its territory through benchmarking actions. The final goal is to network the Croatian and the Italian enterprises as well as the professional associations through the realization of a Web portal. 15.000 companies in Veneto, associate members of Confartigianato 9.000 companies in Istria, associate members of the Istrian Chamber

6. TARGET “Service Network to support SMEs” TARGET The project is in support of enterprises since there is the need to assist in particular the SMEs to identify e-Business opportunities and to implement successfully their transformation towards e- Business

7. EXPECTED RESULTS “Service Network to support SMEs” EXPECTED RESULTS THE REALIZATION OF A NETWORK will draw enterprises closer to e-business will allow them to expand their company limits, thus broadening the traditional market and allowing them to explore new markets at low cost and in real time will permit them to have new marketing and communication chances, new customers and suppliers

8. PROJECT ACTIVITIES “Service Network to support SMEs” PROJECT ACTIVITIES 1.Best practices exchange from Confartigianato’s system of integrated services to the Chamber of Crafts and Trades of the Istrian region

9. PROJECT ACTIVITIES “Service Network to support SMEs” PROJECT ACTIVITIES 2.Study and analysis of the “territorial economic systems” of the Eastern Veneto and the Istrian Region through direct contacts, telephone surveys and questionnaires addressed to enterprises

10. PROJECT ACTIVITIES “Service Network to support SMEs” PROJECT ACTIVITIES www.partenariato.it 3.Realization of a communication portal for enterprises, so that they are enabled to receive integrated services ( www.partenariato.it )

11. PROJECT ACTIVITIES “Service Network to support SMEs” PROJECT ACTIVITIES 4.Vocational and information courses to draw the companies closer to the use of the computer network and to the state of the art ICT by best adapting the use of the technology to their needs and development requirements

12. PROJECT ACTIVITIES “Service Network to support SMEs” PROJECT ACTIVITIES 5.Dissemination activities for the whole project, in order to diffuse and promote results both in Italy and in the beneficiary country, as well as to transfer it in other geographical areas

13. International Partnership Agreement PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT FOR THE REALIZATION OF A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING TO SUPPORT SMALL ENTERPRISES, COMPETITIVENESS, INNOVATION AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT

14. At the moment there are 45 partners from 10 European Countries: universities, technologic parks, public authorities, development agencies, chambers of commerce, professional associationsand credit institutions At the moment there are 45 partners from 10 European Countries: universities, technologic parks, public authorities, development agencies, chambers of commerce, professional associations and credit institutions Open to other organisations!

15. International Partnership Agreement OBJECTIVE: THE CREATION OF CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE “WORLD OF KNOWLEDGE ” AND THE “WORLD OF ECONOMY” Knowledge is the heart of the Lisbon Strategy: economic activities operate and expand through the creation, the dissemination and the use of knowledge

16. CZECH REPUBLIC University of Pardubice CROATIA University of Split Entrepreneurs Association of Rovinj Chamber of Crafts and Trades of Istrian Region in Pula City of Rovinj University of Rijeka CROATIA University of Split Entrepreneurs Association of Rovinj Chamber of Crafts and Trades of Istrian Region in Pula City of Rovinj University of Rijeka SLOVENIA Regional Development Agency of Nova Gorica Technological Park of Nova Gorica University of Nova Gorica University Incubator of Koper Koper Bank SLOVENIA Regional Development Agency of Nova Gorica Technological Park of Nova Gorica University of Nova Gorica University Incubator of Koper Koper Bank SERBIA Association of Entrepreneurs and Industrialist of Serbia International Entrepreneurship Academy of Belgrade SERBIA Association of Entrepreneurs and Industrialist of Serbia International Entrepreneurship Academy of Belgrade POLAND Technical University of Lodz POLAND Technical University of Lodz ITALY Confartigianato of San Donà di Piave Chamber of Commerce of Venice “Ca’ Foscari” University of Venice Veneto Innovazione S.p.A. CRACA - Regional Centre for the Crafts Assistance and Cooperation UPA - Provincial Crafts Union CO.FIDI Veneziano CGIA - Jesolo Confartigianato Services Centre of the Eastern Veneto Cassa Risparmio di Venezia - Group Intesa/San Paolo Banca Popolare Friuladria - Group Credit Agricole Banca S. Biagio of the Eastern Veneto CISL - Italian Confederation of Workers Union of the Eastern Veneto ITIS “Volterra”, Technical High School of San Donà di Piave ITIS “Luzzatto”, Technical High School of Portogruaro Confartigianato of Portogruaro Confartigianato of Riviera del Brenta Footwear Polytechnic Institute of Strà ITALY Confartigianato of San Donà di Piave Chamber of Commerce of Venice “Ca’ Foscari” University of Venice Veneto Innovazione S.p.A. CRACA - Regional Centre for the Crafts Assistance and Cooperation UPA - Provincial Crafts Union CO.FIDI Veneziano CGIA - Jesolo Confartigianato Services Centre of the Eastern Veneto Cassa Risparmio di Venezia - Group Intesa/San Paolo Banca Popolare Friuladria - Group Credit Agricole Banca S. Biagio of the Eastern Veneto CISL - Italian Confederation of Workers Union of the Eastern Veneto ITIS “Volterra”, Technical High School of San Donà di Piave ITIS “Luzzatto”, Technical High School of Portogruaro Confartigianato of Portogruaro Confartigianato of Riviera del Brenta Footwear Polytechnic Institute of Strà GERMANY International Graduate School Zittau GERMANY International Graduate School Zittau SLOVAKIA University of Kosice ROMANIA Mehedinti County Council University “Transilvania” of Brasov University of Craiova ROMANIA Mehedinti County Council University “Transilvania” of Brasov University of Craiova BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA University of Banja Luka University of Zenica ZEDA - Regional Development Agency of Zenica City of Zenica

17. T H E N E W W E B S I T E www.partenariato.it

18. WEB PORTAL – www.partenariato.it “Service Network to support SMEs” WEB PORTAL – www.partenariato.it To search business partners and to internationalize the enterprises’ activity, to build stable business partnerships and to share e-business practices Search engine for enterprises

20. WEB PORTAL – www.partenariato.it “Service Network to support SMEs” WEB PORTAL – www.partenariato.it To provide information concerning the EU Programmes, initiatives and instruments to face the process connected with the enterprises internationalization Services and information

21. WEB PORTAL – www.partenariato.it “Service Network to support SMEs” WEB PORTAL – www.partenariato.it To carry out “Business audits” through direct contacts with entrepreneurs with the aim at understanding how the firms produce their competitive knowledge, at drawing enterprises closer to innovation and research, at favoring the interaction among different realities Business audits

22. RESULTS “Service Network to support SMEs” PROJECT RESULTS FROM THE PROJECT END ONWARDS The use of the website The request from enterprises for direct or on-line assistance in the field of e- business or internationalization Cooperation with Croatian/Italian firms Creation of synergies between enterprises of the 2 countries The use of the information technologies and Internet by enterprises for e-business and internationalization activities

23. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION Slides created by MS CLAUDIA POLES and MR MAURIZIO MANCINI