The MaPEeR SME project is delighted to announce the final presentation of study results on over 200 national and regional research, technological development and innovation (RTDI) programmes in the 27 EU Member States plus Bosnia Herzegovina, as well as the presentation of conclusions regarding the needs and expectations of over 800 SMEs concerning Making Progress and Economic Enhancement a Reality for SMEs.

These will be held over two days on 5-6 Ocotber 2011 in Brussels, and include the MaPEeR European Experts’ Panel on Research by SMEs (EEP-SME) as well as a conference on Making Progress and Economic Enhancement a Reality for SMEs: New Approaches Towards RTDI Programmes. The events are hosted at the Committee of Regions (101 Rue Belliard, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium).

Day 1: MaPEeR European Experts' Panel on Research by SMEs

The MaPEeR European Experts’ Panel on Research by SMEs (EEP-SME) was launched by the MaPEeR SME project in order to produce recommendations to enhance the participation of SMEs in European, national and regional RTDI programmes and thereby increase the level of research activities carried out by the SMEs.

The EEP-SME recommendations will be further reviewed and new issues will be discussed by a selected group of European experts on RTDI and on SMEs who will interact with and receive feedback from the actors at whom the recommendations are ultimately directed. The debate will result in a revised set of recommendations which will provide discussion materials for Day 2 of the conference.

Day 2: Making Progress and Economic Enhancement a Reality for SMEs: New Approaches Towards RTDI Programmes

The conference on 6 October will present the main findings and conclusions of studies on more than 200 national and regional RTDI programmes from across Europe and the related views of over 800 SMEs. It will then provide an opportunity for European SME programme managers, policy-makers, representatives and other SME stakeholders, to discuss how to improve the participation of SMEs in the RTDI arena and how to enhance the regional, national and European RTDI programmes which specifically target SMEs in order to make those programmes more attractive to potential participants.