Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for smart specialisation investments & other cluster initiatives Dr Ulla Engelmann Head of Unit Clusters, Social Economy & Entrepreneurship Unit, DG GROW Steering Committee of the Thematic Smart Specialisation Platform for Industrial Modernisation Valencia, 8 November 2017

Strategic cross-regional collaboration http://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/industrial-modernisation www.clustercollaboration.eu/news/call-expression-interest-towards-european-strategic-cluster-partnerships

Objectives 1. to boost strategic cross-regional cluster cooperation in thematic areas related to regional smart specialisation strategies in the context of the Smart Specialisation Platform for Industrial Modernisation 2. to create value chain linkages and mobilise joint business cooperation projects and investments, especially of SMEs & linkages with technology centres 3. to provide input to interregional RIS3 partnerships (e.g. feed-back gathered from SMEs on barriers to innovation, skills, cooperation and investments) or nudge for new RIS3 partnerships

Scope 1. Budget of € 2.8 mio to support 8 cluster partnerships (others to receive ESCP-S3 label) 2. Targetting cluster organisations, business network organisations, technology centres and science parks 3. All ESCP-S3 labelled cluster partnerships will receive additional advisory support services from the Eur. Observatory for Clusters and Industrial Change 4. At least one organisation from a less developed or transition region 5. Award criteria (Relevance) emphasise link to Smart Specialisation Platform for Industrial Modern. and alignment with smart specialisation strategies

European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for smart specialisation investments Preparatory Phase Implementation Phase Investment Phase Partnership building Joint strategy formulation Implementation roadmap SME surveys Value chain mapping Matchmaking Joint activities, demonstration projects, pilots, preparation of bankable proposals Additional private/public financing Acceleration support Showcasing results Joint activities to strengthen cluster cooperation across the partnership Gathering feed-back from SMEs on their barriers to innovation, skills, cooperation and investment Building linkages with other European, national and regional initiatives and networks http://www.clustercollaboration.eu/news/call-expression-interest-towards-european-strategic-cluster-partnerships

Next steps to enhance the European Cluster Policy (1): ● Call for proposals for European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for smart specialisation investments (ESCP-S3) ● Advisory support services to test regions on modern cluster policy (2 calls for the expression of interests): 1. Pilot action with 5 test regions on industrial transition (deadline 31/10) http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/newsroom/funding-opportunities/calls-for-expressions-of-interest/ 2. Further 7 test regions of the European Observatory for Clusters and Industrial Change (call for expression of interest planned for early Nov.)

Next steps to enhance the European Cluster Policy (2): ● Launch of European Cluster Policy Forum at the next EU Industry Day on 22/23 Feb. 2018 in Brussels ● Set up of High-Level Expert Group on Clusters in 2018

Outlook for European Cluster Policy High-Level Expert Group on Clusters to be set-up in 2018 New European Cluster Policy Forum supported by the European Observatory for Clusters and Industrial Change European Cluster Week 2018 or 2019 Stronger use of thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms Moving towards Joint Cluster Initiatives (value chains, innovation, internationalisation, skills, enterpreneurship)

For more see http://ec. europa or the Smart Guide to Cluster Policy, available at http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/business-friendly-environment/regional-policies/ 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