1. Regional ICT Clusters Cooperation Novi Sad, 30.05.2014

2. Europe 2020 The Europe 2020 strategy is about delivering growth that is: - smart, through more effective investments in education, research and innovation; -sustainable, thanks to a decisive move towards a low- carbon economy; - inclusive, with a strong emphasis on job creation and poverty reduction;

3. Europe 2020 targets Employment – 75% of the 20-64 year-olds to be employed R&D – 3% of the EU's GDP to be invested in R&D Climate change and energy sustainability – greenhouse gas emissions 20% (or even 30%, if the conditions are right)lower than 1990 – 20% of energy from renewables – 20% increase in energy efficiency Education – Reducing the rates of early school leaving below 10% – at least 40% of 30-34–year-olds completing third level education Fighting poverty and social exclusion – at least 20 million fewer people in or at risk of poverty and social exclusion

4. SME Support  Cooperation  Cross-sector cooperation  R&D and innovation growth  Access to finance  Framework for competitiveness growth  Support of entrepreneurship and e-skills

5. COSME – SME TOOL THE PLANNED BUDGET IS : €2.3bn Regulation 1287/2103 for establishment of a program for competitiveness of enterprises and small and medium sized enterprises 2014-2020 The program is paying particular attention to SME established in EU and third countries : European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries which are members of the European Economic Area, acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidates, countries falling within the scope of the European neighborhood policies.

6. COSME – SME TOOL The general objectives: strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of the Union's enterprises, particularly SMEs in order to rise their competitiveness on a global markets and rise the export outside EU encouraging entrepreneurial culture and promoting the creation and growth of SMEs, for creating sustainable entrepreneurial framework and changes in unnecessary administrative and regulatory burdens on both new and existing SME

7. Clusters and COSME The cluster strategy objectives of EU for the next program period are:  assisting regions and member states in developing more world-class clusters for the benefit of SMEs  promoting cluster cooperation at EU level to facilitate SME internationalization and growth and support the development of new competencies and innovative and emerging industries.

8. Clusters and COSME COS - WP2014-3-03: Clusters Internationalization program for SME Objective of the program are : - to intensify cluster and business network collaboration across borders ans sectoral boundaries - to promote the pan - European Strategic Cluster Partnership to lead international cluster cooperation in new areas - to better support SME in global competition The action to be financed : - creation and support of cluster and business cooperation for development of joint international strategy and support SME internationalization beyond Europe. The Action 1: Cluster Go International

9. Clusters and COSME COS - WP2014-03-04: Cluster Excellence Program Objective :  Promote cluster excellence across EU member states and across countries participating in the COSME program.  The call will assist cluster organizations, business networks and their managers to provide high quality services to SMEs in different areas including notably internationalization. The interested consortia should be engaged into strategic collaboration on a joint industrial project with specific challenges and are willing to:  Improve their management practices as well as their market/competitive advantages and value chain analytics capacities  Provide top quality services for SME, especially on partnering, integration of creativity into their business, internationalization, exploitation of key enabling technologies, IPRs protection and resource - efficiency.

10. Clusters and COSME Who could apply: - consortia that are composed of minimum one independent legal entity representation a cluster or a business network organization established in minimum 3 EU member states or countries eligible for COSME. Each cluster or business network organization would have to demonstrate that it is involved in offering or channeling cluster or network support service to businesses in compliance with Community Framework for State Aid for Research and Development and Innovations and should be registered on the European Cluster Collaboration Platform. Max. rate of co-financing will be 95 %

11. HORIZON 2020 Three priorities Excellent science Social Challenges Industrial Leadership Excellent science

12. Excellent Science HORIZON 2020 Excellent Science funding (€ million, 2014-2020) funding (€ million, 2014-2020) European Research Council (ERC) Frontier research by the best individual teams13 095 Future and Emerging Technologies Collaborative research to open new fields of innovation 2 696 Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) Opportunities for training and career development6 162 Research infrastructures (including e-infrastructure) Ensuring access to world-class facilities2 488

13. INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP HORIZON 2020 INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies (LEITs) (ICT, nanotechnologies, materials, biotechnology, manufacturing, space) 13 557 Access to risk finance Leveraging private finance and venture capital for research and innovation 2 842 Innovation in SMEs Fostering all forms of innovation in all types of SMEs 616 + complemented by expected 20% of budget of societal challenges + LEITs and 'Access to risk finance' with strong SME focus funding (€ million, 2014-2020)

14. Social Challenges HORIZON 2020 Social Challenges Health, demographic change and wellbeing 7 472 Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the Bioeconomy 3 851 Secure, clean and efficient energy * 5 931 Smart, green and integrated transport 6 339 Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials 3 081 Inclusive, innovative and reflective societies 1 309 Secure societies 1 695 Science with and for society 462 Spreading excellence and widening participation 816 funding (€ million, 2014-2020)

15. International cooperation HORIZON 2020 International cooperation  International cooperation is crucial to address many Horizon 2020 objectives  Principle of general openness: the programme will remain to be the most open funding programme in the world  Need to join forces globally to tackle global challenges

16. Cluster support HORIZON 2020 Cluster support Cluster firms …  are more innovative than non-cluster firms  register more trademarks and apply for more patents  cooperate more

17. Cluster support HORIZON 2020 Cluster support  Supporting cross-sector collaboration to unlock innovation and growth potential  Using cluster organizations (and regional policies) to facilitate structural change and innovation

18. Regional Cooperation

19. Danube Program  will include the following countries: Austria; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; Germany (Baden- Württemberg and Bavaria) not whole territory; Hungary; Romania; Slovakia; Slovenia) and 5 non-EU countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina; the Republic of Moldova; Montenegro; Serbia; Ukraine (not whole territory), having the same geographical scope than the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. The objective of the Danube program will be in line with priorities of the Danube Strategy.

20. Balkan - Mediterranean program  shall promote economic, social, environmental and institutional cohesion and development in the wider area by improving socio-economic competitiveness and institutional capacity in the regions. Its thematic priorities will be connectivity, environment and entrepreneu rship. The territorial scope of the program will include : Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Macedonia, Greece

21. PLEASURE TO MEET YOU ! www.ictcluster.bg e-mail: anna_naydenova@ictalent.organna_naydenova@ictalent.org Tel: 02/4899744