In accordance with Decision No 1639/2006/EC, the
Commission presents a report setting out the interim and final
evaluations of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework
Programme 2007-2013 (CIP) and its sub- programmes. It formulates
the Commission's response to the evaluations' recommendations and
sets out follow-up measures.
The report recalls that the CIP is divided into three
operational programmes: (i) the Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Programme (EIP); (ii) the Information Communication Technologies
Policy Support Programme (ICT-PSP); (iii) the Intelligent Energy
Europe Programme (IEE).
The evaluations of EIP came to five main
conclusions:
- the Programme was performing well and was on track to
achieve the expected impacts;
- in most instances, the Programme was gathering
momentum, as it was building on existing achievements;
- survey evidence demonstrated the ‘utility’
of the Programme, by confirming that it directly meets SME
needs;
- evaluators found that interviews and other evidence
point to a clear European value-added;
- the monitoring system is a valuable contribution to
assessing the performance of the Programme on an on-going basis,
but this system was still being developed in some areas and the
data on indicators needed to be presented more
consistently.
The report goes on to state that the Financial
Instruments achieved the objectives of facilitating access to
finance for the start-up and growth of SMEs. The evaluators found
the Enterprise Europe Network to be well focused on its main
objectives of promoting innovation, business co-operation and
cross- border trading, and added that there is a high level of
client satisfaction with the Network’s services.
Lastly, the approach used for EIP eco-innovation
related activities is found to be relevant in addressing existing
market failures that restrict the sector, targeting both the demand
and supply side of the market, as well as strengthening the
operational environment. The evaluators found also that the scheme
was likely to be significantly over-subscribed.
Recommendations: the
evaluations made some recommendations on how to improve the
implementation of the CIP and design a possible successor programme
which have been taken into consideration when preparing the
Commission proposals for successor programmes to the CIP, COSME programme and parts of
Horizon 2020.
- The CIP final evaluation report stated that further
synergies between the three sub- programmes could be created by
articulating new positions on central themes of the framework
programme, for example on innovation policies. The report details
actions to be taken in this regard.
- The CIP’s overall lack of visibility was
identified as one of its main shortcomings. However, it was
also stressed that well-known brands such as the Enterprise Europe
Network, Intelligent Energy Europe, and SME Week should not be
renamed. Furthermore, better dissemination of information on
successful activities supported by the Programme was recommended.
The Commission actively uses the Enterprise Europe Network, which
is funded by CIP, to distribute information on EU policies and
services available under all programmes such as FP7 or Structural
Funds. It details here a number of actions that have been
undertaken to reach the broadest number of potential
participants.
- It was recommended that a stable set of output,
result and impact indicators be devised to help monitor the
programme effectiveness and the achievement of its objectives.
The Commission’s proposals on COSME and parts of Horizon 2020
are addressing most of these recommendations, introducing in the
legal text general and specific objectives linked to result and
impact indicators.
- The EIP final evaluation recommended that further
developments in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme need
to take care to build on current achievements and avoid the risks
of disruption inherent in any new departures. In the EIP annual
work programme 2013 the Commission will propose a continuation of
successful actions from previous years or new actions based on past
experiences, while at the same time ensuring consistence with
political priorities and economic developments.
- The evaluation recommends keeping under review the
extent to which European value-added is evident in the Financial
Instruments. The Commission has taken this into account
in the preparation of the next generation of financial instruments.
European added value will be a key element of the new debt and
equity platforms, on whose principles all future financial
instruments in the MFF for 2014-2020 will be based. The main
purpose of the financial instruments under the COSME programme will
be to improve access to finance for SMEs in market segments which
are not covered by Member States’ measures, which are
restricted to investments and support within each country. The
focus will be on financing expansion of growth-oriented enterprises
that are aiming at international expansion and developing a
cross-border SME finance market. Only an EU-level programme can
fulfil this role. Similarly, in the proposal on Horizon 2020, the
Equity facility for Research & Innovation will complement
national schemes that cannot cater for cross-border investments in
R&I.
- With regard to eco-innovation the evaluation notes
that the scheme is likely to be significantly over-subscribed. The
Commission has proposed to include eco-innovation as one of the
priorities in the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation -
Horizon 2020, and to expand EU intervention both in terms of budget
and range of instruments.
The Commission invites the Council and the Parliament
to make full use of these recommendations when amending the
Commission's proposals in view of the final adoption of the
programmes.