Through this bulletin it aims to provide you with information on sustainable energy policy and funding in Europe and in the UK.

For further information contact the helpline at:

EU Energy Focus
T - 0161 874 3636
F - 0161 848 0181
E - energie@enviros.com
www.energiehelpline.co.uk

Enterprise Europe Network organised the event which drew business representatives from around the county.

A selection of companies including manufacturers, those in the construction industry, translators, IT companies, business consultants and solicitors were given a presentation about the potential markets in Europe and how to export their business.

At the event, held at the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce in Ipswich, companies were shown the mechanics of exporting, how to develop an export proposition and an overview of the support and advice available from government agencies.

Workshop presenter Steve Exon, who has been exporting for over 30 years and has worked in some 50 countries said businesses should use the "excellent" opportunities available.

The workshops are intended to help businesses achieve a foothold in overseas markets by sharing the experiences of seasoned professionals with budding new entrants to the world of international trade.

Steve Exon, senior presenter and export consultant said; “The strength of our economy depends on the continued success of companies who seek new opportunities abroad.

“Selecting the right route to market from the beginning is very important. It can be costly to make a mistake and need to change.

“We hope our free workshops will help businesses avoid common mistakes when exporting”.

For companies of up to 500 people this can be worth  up to 200% of eligible expenditure and there is also a scheme for larger companies.

What's more in April this recovery may increase further to 225%. Read more at here, or get touch: enterprise.europe@eeneast.org.uk

The new Catapult will bring together expertise to help the UK’s world-leading digital businesses develop, test and apply new technologies, and create new profitable products and services in this fast-growing area. It will also help businesses which are traditionally less active in the digital market, helping them to exploit profitable new business models by exchanging knowledge and experience with industries which are leading.

Organisations who would like to be kept informed or who would like to be actively involved in the Connected Digital Economy Catapult should become a member of the Special Interest Group by subscribing here

Smart offers funding to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to engage in R&D projects in the strategically important areas of science, engineering and technology, from which successful new products, processes and services could emerge.

Further information about the Smart programme is available here

The translation flashcard publisher has come up with a series of playing-card-sized packs of 52 concertina-style quick-reference cards.

Each card has an English phrase, its translation into another language and a picture depicting the topic.

English-French and English-German Lingo Cards are already available, with translations prepared in an additional 114 languages.

And the company, based in Norfolk Street, is hoping to sell sponsorship and licensing opportunities to Olympic committees throughout Europe – including the London 2012 Organising Committee – the Mayor of London and major brands.

“As a biology and chemistry tutor in Cambridge, I’m always on the lookout for new and innovative educational tools,” said Percy Chikobvu, who set up Lingo Cards along with Sabina Wortley.

“Sabina and I were bouncing ideas around about producing some kind of translation aid ready for all the visitors we’re expecting for London 2012.

“We specifically wanted to ensure the visiting athletes to both the Olympic and Paralympic Games had all the assistance they needed during their visit – and we came up with Lingo Cards.”

The company has received a helping hand from Enterprise Europe Network’s European information service – a one-stop shop for information about everything the European Union can offer businesses.

Adviser Natalie Casey helped the entrepreneurial duo create a European business plan and draw up a ‘hit list’ of potential sponsors and licensors.

“The idea was to fill the reverse side of each Lingo Card with someone’s logo, preferably that of a big brand,” she said.

“What Percy and Sabina needed was a list of potential targets, together with contact details, in a readily accessible format that could be used for mailing samples of the cards to sponsorship and licensing targets.

“I created an information request, which I circulated to my colleagues in the Enterprise Europe Network, asking for sources of contact information.”

Although it is early days since the initial mailing of sample Lingo Cards packs to organisations on the ‘hit list’, Mr Chikobvu says the response has been promising.

“The Mayor of London has sent us a message of support, confirming that we can include the London Underground map on the reverse of one of the cards,” he said.

“We have also received serious expressions of interest from several major financial services brands and a supermarket chain.

“Next on our list are organisations such as the UK’s police services and the NHS. We intend to publish custom decks of Lingo Cards for use in emergencies.”

• Advanced Materials and Nanoscale Technologies
• Biosciences
• Electronics, Photonics and Electrical Systems
• Information and Communications Technology
   

The competition, which is open only to small and micro sized companies, opens on 12 March 2012 and applications must be submitted by 11 April 2012. A briefing day for potential applicants will be held in London on 20 March 2012.
 

Click here for further details about the competition and to access the briefing document.
 

The TSB expect to invest between £250k and £500k in each project, although projects outside this range will be considered. They are primarily looking to fund applied research projects attracting up to 50% public funding.
This is a two-stage competition. It opens on 16 January 2012 and the deadline for registration is at noon on 22 February 2012. The second stage for invited applicants opens on 19 March 2012 and the deadline for completed applications is at noon on 25 April 2012. A briefing event will be held in London on 25 January 2012.

To apply for this competition you must first register with the Technology Strategy Board. You can do this by going to the web page for this competition at www.innovateuk.org under Competitions. When you register you will get access to all the supporting information you need to read before you apply, including the Guidance for Applicants and the application form.

To ease the hassle and extra cost for businesses, the European Commission is proposing a One Stop Shop for all electronically delivered services from 1st January 2015.

As set out in last December's Commission Communication on the future of VAT, the One Stop Shop for all cross-border trade in the EU will initially apply to e-commerce, broadcasting and telecom services, and then gradually be extended to other goods and services.

The proposal relates to aspects such as the scope of the scheme, reporting obligations, VAT returns, currency, payments and records for which common rules are necessary.

The One Stop Shop will allow businesses to declare and pay the VAT in the Member State where they are established rather than where their customer is based.

Click here for full details of the proposed new regulation

Inventors in the EU will save up to 80% on the cost of patent applications, bringing down costs and making the EU more internationally competitive.

Industrial inventions in the EU are currently 10 times more expensive than in the US due to language issues, and the fact that inventors have to apply individually for patents within each member state.

Applications for EU wide patents will now be conducted in English, German and French.

The agreement took 30 years, with ministers unable to agree a common language for international applications and opposition from Spain and Italy delaying implementation.

Click here for more information.

The proposed reform aims to thoroughly modernise the existing tools and instruments on public tendering and there will also be strong incentives to divide tenders into lots and limit the financial capacity requirements for tenders.

Each year, the public authorities spend 18% of GDP on goods, services and works.  Given the current budgetary restrictions and economic difficulties in most Member States, public procurement policy must, more than ever, ensure the optimal use of funds in order foster growth and job creation and thereby help to achieve the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy.

 Details of the reform proposals can be found here

The second programme is between the UK’s Medical Research Council and the NSFC to develop stem cell joint partnerships.  The UK’s Medical Research Council will invest up to £400,000 (c. 4 million RMB) of funding with NSFC providing up to RMB3.6 million (c. £360,000).  Stem cells hold great promise as a means of treating human diseases and disorders.  This initiative is intended to provide opportunities for up to 12 partnerships of UK and Chinese scientists to assess ways in which joint research can progress the development of stem cell therapies.  It will provide a foundation for the development of more substantive long-term collaborative projects in the future.

The UK and China are key research partners.  The UK is China’s largest research partner within Europe and the third largest overall.  Joint papers with China have been increasing more quickly for the UK than for Japan, Germany or France.  China is already our top two or three research partner in engineering, materials, mathematics and computer science, with our overall collaboration quadrupling in a decade.

Chancellor George Osborne said: 

‘The UK has ambitious plans to engage with China on a range of research projects. Our research partnership recognises the priorities and strengths of the two countries, our capacity to deliver excellent research and the potential for co-investment to deliver cutting-edge innovations. I consider the programmes that I announced today as key in fostering closer scientific, technological and engineering links with China.  The UK is a strong believer that excellence and openness are vital for success in international innovation.’

Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik said: "We need to see waste as a resource – and to bury that resource in the ground is worse than short-sighted. This report shows that waste management and recycling can make a big contribution to economic growth and job creation. If the existing legislation was implemented properly, we could avoid costly clean-up operations, pollution and health problems. And let's not forget that recycled materials are cheaper than virgin ones – and that they reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on imports."

Improved implementation leads to significant benefits

The study gives an in-depth analysis of the effects of better implementation and enforcement and shows that benefits would be significant. It analysed a number of case studies in Cyprus, Germany, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands to demonstrate economic, financial and social benefits to Member States.

The EU's waste management and recycling sector is very dynamic, but still offers economic opportunities with vast potential for expansion. In 2008, its €145 billion turnover represented around 1% of the EU's GDP and 2 million jobs. Compliance with EU policy would help create a sector with 2.4 million jobs and a total annual turnover of €187 billion.

The underlying problem is that too many prices do not reflect the true cost of disposal of goods – if they did, this would help prevent waste in the first place. In addition, many Member States still lack adequate infrastructure for separate collection, recycling and recovery. An absence of systematic control and enforcement mechanisms is another hindrance, coupled with a lack of reliable data on waste management.

Four key conclusions

The study concludes that we need to know more about waste. Better data and systematic monitoring of how the laws work in practice must be made available. There is progress here, with a specific Data Centre on Waste recently set up by Eurostat.

Better use of the polluter pays principle, and wider use of economic instruments like raising the costs of disposal, could help ensure compliance and provide the necessary financial resources for waste management.

Inspection and monitoring capabilities need to be strengthened in Member States. This could mean establishing an auditing capacity at EU level and, possibly, common inspection standards.

One relatively cost-effective option to strengthen implementation monitoring at EU level could be to draw on the expertise and capabilities of the European Environment Agency (EEA). This option would carry lower administrative costs than creating a new agency dedicated to waste.

Next Steps

The study's conclusions will be discussed and analysed by the Commission. They will serve as grounds for developing a balanced mix of legal and economic instruments as suggested in the Roadmap for a Resource Efficient Europe and the Thematic Strategy on Waste Prevention. These strategies encourage economic and legal incentives such as landfill taxes or bans, extending "producer responsibility" schemes and introducing "pay as you throw" schemes.

Background

The EU's economy uses 16 tonnes of materials per person per year, of which 6 tonnes becomes waste, half of it going to landfill. Many Member States rely mainly on landfill as the preferred waste management option. This situation persists in spite of existing EU waste legislation and is unsustainable.

The Commission's Roadmap for Resource Efficiency sets out milestones for ensuring that waste is managed as a resource by 2020 including through the revision of prevention, re-use, recycling, recovery and landfill-diversion targets, and through the development of markets for secondary and recycled materials.

Further information

Implementing EU waste legislation for green growth (study)

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/index.htm

Comparative statistics on waste management operations in EU Member States:

http://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/synthesis/synthesis/chapter4.xhtml

2011 Report on the Thematic Strategy on progress in waste prevention and recycling: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/strategy.htm

The IEE Programme aims to tackle non-technological barriers to the uptake of energy efficiency measures and renewables. The programme cannot fund technological research and demonstration activity.  A factsheet that sets out the key requirements for IEE proposals is attached. More information on the Programme including examples of funded projects can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/index_en.html  

The UK Information Day on the IEE Programme 2012 Call for Proposals will take place in London on Wednesday 1st February 2012.  The event will start at 10am and will finish by 2.30pm.

The presentations at the UK Information Day will cover topics including:

• the 2012 Call priorities
• the administrative and financial arrangements
• tips on how to prepare a successful proposal

The UK Information Day is free to attend, is funded by DECC and organised by the EU Energy Focus team.  You can register now by visiting http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/IEEInfoDay2012

The competition is not limited to new or emerging technology and proposals using innovative, but existing, technology will be welcomed.  Specific challenges to which solutions are sort are:

• Heat Management
• Platform Propulsion
• Novel Platform Efficiency & Sustainability

This call will launched at a one day seminar, hosted by CDE and DSTL, in Southampton on Thursday 26th January 2012. The event will provide an overview on maritime research priorities (morning session) and further details of the CDE call for research proposals (afternoon session).  This event provides an opportunity for suppliers from across industry and academia to develop their understanding of MOD requirements and submit proposals that will develop and enhance capabilities.

More detail on the challenge is listed on the Technology Strategy Board website: http://www.innovateuk.org/content/competition/maritime-platform-efficiency-sustainability.ashx

Almost 100 businesses attended an export briefing delivered by Enterprise Europe East of England last week.

The event, hosted by Herts Chamber of Commerce, drew representatives from the world of business looking to turn their export dreams into a reality.

Trade experts from Enterprise Europe Network presented the knowledge and skills needed to export effectively.

Mathilde Murphy, Enterprise Europe East of England manager said, “at a time of small domestic growth, we hope our advice and information service can help businesses in Hertfordshire decide whether exporting is for them”.

Topics covered on the day included a case study of new EU entrant Croatia, an introduction to exporting, the different stages of exporting, the mechanics, and a final overview of the free help and support on offer from government agencies.

You can view and download the presentation by clicking on the link below this article.

Anyone interested in exporting should call Enterprise Europe Network on 0845 641 99 55 or email enterprise.europe@eeneast.org.uk.

The funding – from the Technology Strategy Board, Scottish Enterprise and the Natural Environment Research Council – will support the successful deployment and operation of the first series of wave and tidal arrays while complementing other public funding initiatives such as the Department for Energy and Climate Change's (DECC) Marine Energy Array Deployment capital grant scheme, the Energy Technologies Institute’s (ETI) wave and tidal energy system demonstrator programmes and the Scottish Government's Saltire Prize.

The competition will seek proposals for research and development projects that address themes such as: tidal array cabling; subsea electrical hubs; installation and maintenance vessels for tidal arrays; navigation and collision avoidance and anti-fouling & corrosion.

The results of this competition are expected to help UK businesses to build sustainable economic growth by exploiting new innovative technologies in a growing market and by removing barriers to successful array deployment.

The Technology Strategy Board (www.innovateuk.org) will invest up to £6.5 million in the research and development projects, while Scottish Enterprise (www.scottish-enterprise.com) will invest up to £3 million and NERC (www.nerc.ac.uk) up to £1 million.

The competition opens on 5 March 2012 and a briefing event to provide more information to prospective applicants will be held in London on 14 March 2012.  The deadline for registration is 10 April 2012 and expressions of interest must be submitted by 17 April 2012. 

HRTP is targeted at SMEs, more specifically at managers who:

•  have a major role in defining and implementing their companies’ policies vis-à-vis Japan, or
•  are to be transferred to Japan, or
•  come from companies intending to supply Japanese companies at home or abroad, or
•  wish to learn about management practices and technological developments in Japan

The Programme runs from 15th May to 8/15th June 2012 and the application deadline is 16th February 2012.

For more information on the Programme contact Céline Godart at: c.godart@eu-japan.eu

The TSB aim to encourage innovation in manufacturing steps that improve economic performance, benefit the environment and have a positive social impact. Up to £4.6m is available for collaborative R&D projects, which must be business-led and include an end user. Up to £400k is available for feasibility projects, which must be business-led and may be collaborative or led by single companies. Collaborative R&D projects should last one to three years and will attract up to 50% public funding. Feasibility projects should last six to nine months and will attract up to 75% public funding.

The competition opens on 27 February 2012. The deadline for applications for feasibility funding is at noon on 25 April 2012. There is a two-stage process for collaborative R&D funding.

Expressions of interest must be submitted by noon on 25 April 2012 and the second stage for invited applicants opens on 21 May 2012. The deadline for final applications is at noon on 4 July 2012. A briefing day for potential applicants for feasibility and collaborative R&D funding will be held on 8 March 2012.
 

The new agreement will apply to goods traded between EU member states and the Western Balkan countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo.

It is hoped the reactivation of the previously agreed 2000 deal, which lapsed at the end of 2010, will foster political and economic stability within the region, and help facilitate further enlargement of the European Union.

All exporters who had paid trade duties in 2011 will now be able to seek compensation as a result of this ruling.

Click here for more information

•    the 2012 Call priorities
•    the administrative and financial arrangements
•    tips on how to prepare a successful proposal

The UK Information Day is free to attend, is funded by DECC and organised by the EU Energy Focus team.  You can register now by visiting http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/IEEInfoDay2012
Places are limited, so in order to ensure that as many key market actors (the European Commission’s target audience for the IEE Programme) as possible can attend we will review the registration requests on 20th January prior to sending out confirmations the following week.  
 

Small EU businesses will now only have to comply with national accountancy rules within their own respective countries, freeing up resources and time.

Liz Lynne, First Vice President of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee said: “The battle to scrap red tape is crucial for small firms at this time when bank credit is tight and trading conditions difficult”.

MEPs had spent two years debating the terms of the new deal.

It becomes the first African country to sign the EU’s “Generalised System of Preferences”, with around a dozen other West African nations waiting to follow their lead.

Under the EU’s rules nations wishing to trade within EU markets have to abide by 27 core international conventions regarding the respect for human and labour rights, good governance and the environment.

Cape Verde, home to the largest hotel resort in West Africa, will now enjoy preferential access to EU markets.

Building on the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP), the new Programme for the Competitiveness of enterprises and SMEs (COSME) will focus on:

• Support for international industrial cooperation, particularly to reduce differences in regulatory and business environments between the EU and its main trading partners.
• Promote entrepreneurship: activities will include developing entrepreneurial skills and attitudes, especially among new entrepreneurs, young people and women.
• Improve access to finance for SMEs in the form of equity and debt
• An equity facility for growth-phase investment will provide SMEs with venture capital through financial intermediaries
• A loan facility will provide SMEs with direct or other risk-sharing arrangements with financial intermediaries to cover loans
• Improve access to markets inside the Union and globally: Growth-oriented business support services will be provided via the Enterprise Europe Network to facilitate business expansion in the Single Market and outside the EU.

European Commission Vice President Antonio Tajani, responsible for enterprises and industry, said: "Easing SMEs access to finance, markets and entrepreneurship policies, is key to overcome the crisis. This programme will help to unlock the growth potential of enterprises focusing on boosting the real industry".

Further information

For further information contact the helpline at:

EU Energy Focus
T - 0161 874 3636
F - 0161 848 0181
E - energie@enviros.com
www.energiehelpline.co.uk 

Presenting Horizon 2020, Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said: "We need a new vision for European research and innovation in a dramatically changed economic environment. Horizon 2020 provides direct stimulus to the economy and secures our science and technology base and industrial competitiveness for the future, promising a smarter, more sustainable and more inclusive society."

For the first time, Horizon 2020 brings together all EU research and innovation funding under a single programme. It focuses more than ever on turning scientific breakthroughs into innovative products and services that provide business opportunities and change people’s lives for the better. At the same time it drastically cuts red tape, with simplification of rules and procedures to attract more top researchers and a broader range of innovative businesses.

Horizon 2020 will focus funds on three key objectives. It will support the EU’s position as a world leader in science with a dedicated budget of €24.6 billion, including an increase in funding of 77% for the very successful European Research Council (ERC). It will help secure industrial leadership in innovation with a budget of €17.9 billion. This includes a major investment of €13.7 billion in key technologies, as well as greater access to capital and support for SMEs. Finally, €31.7 billion will go towards addressing major concerns shared by all Europeans, across six key themes: Health, demographic change and well-being; Food security, sustainable agriculture, marine and maritime research and the bio-economy; Secure, clean and efficient energy; Smart, green and integrated transport; Climate action, resource efficiency and raw materials; and Inclusive, innovative and secure societies.

Read more....

Headquartered in Cambridge, with additional research facilities in the UK and international branches throughout the world, TWI operates across all industry sectors and is expert at all aspects of manufacturing, fabrication and whole-life integrity management technologies. As such, it has a huge amount to offer as an FP7 research partner.

It was a colleague who introduced Estefania to the Enterprise Europe Network, as she explains: “A new colleague joined TWI from another research organisation and he explained that he had previously used a number of the network’s services. He recommended that I contact the network to find out about its partnering services.” Estefania did, and was quickly put in touch with Enterprise Europe Network Technology Adviser Chris Woodward.

“Our first step towards enabling organisations like TWI to find partners for FP7 projects is to work with the client to generate a partnership profile for the network’s database,” explains Chris. “This stage is crucial to future success, so I worked with Estefania to understand TWI’s requirements in details and to create a profile that effectively communicates both TWI’s needs and what it can offer to other users of the network.

The Enterprise Europe Network, which is delivered alongside UK Trade & Investment and Business Link in the East of England, has close to 600 partner organisations in 49 countries. A partnering request reaches this vast network via a combination of alerts direct to research organisations, businesses and small business clients throughout the European Union and to the many countries outside the EU that participate in the network, such as South Korea and the United States of America.

“We have completed twelve partner searches for TWI since I first met with Estefania in March 2011,” continues Chris. “Between them, the partner searches have generated 73 expressions of interest from potential partners. Estefania and her colleagues have whittled these down to nine actual partners, which in turn have become part of consortia for FP7 research projects submitted to the EC by TWI.”

Given their complexity and scope, the application and decision-making process for FP7 research proposals is lengthy, and Estefania has yet to hear the results of all the projects submitted with partners located by the Enterprise Europe Network. But she is optimistic, and pleased to have access to an additional tool that can help her find research partners.

“Our Technology Adviser Chris has proved to be incredibly helpful in finding FP7 partners outside of our existing contact networks,” says Estefania. “As a result, we have submitted a further six FP7 proposals with partners located via the Enterprise Europe Network.”

The mentors will give these new entrepreneurs concrete advice on how to run and grow their enterprises in this early, critical phase of the businesses as well as help them to develop the necessary soft skills and coach them.

The network will cover 17 European countries: Albania, Belgium, Cyprus, FYROM, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom with 170 mentors participating in it.

Further details of the network can be found here

Why Poland? The potential gains for investors in Poland includes -  low costs of running R&D activities in Poland, great development potential, large numbers of young well qualified personnel with a knowledge of foreign languages and an excellent location at the centre of Europe. This is a great opportunity for your business to link up with companies operating in this large Eastern Europe country.

The Mission will focus on the following industries, but ALL companies are welcome:
- ICT - Electronics, IT hardware, software & computer services & communications
- Advanced Engineering - Aerospace, automotive, mechanical, electrical & process engineering, metallurgical process plant, metals, minerals & materials & mining

A tailored visit programme will be organised for UK delegates by the Midlands Enterprise Europe Network together with the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber.  Companies from the East of England are welcome to participate.

To book or for more information please contact : info@een-midlands.org.uk or call 0115 957 8746.

Several business missions are planned in 2012 in the following sectors: ICT, Environment and Energy-related technologies, Fashion Design, Healthcare and Medical technologies, Construction and Building technologies in Japan; and Environment and Energy-related technologies and Healthcare and Medical technologies in Korea.

More information on these business missions can be found here

11th November: A look at perennial energy crops – Harpenden
12th December: Straw for energy – Norwich

 InCrops Enterprise Hub and partner organisations are co-hosting a series of seminars on feedstocks for bioenergy to highlight opportunities in the sector and support supply chain development. The events are for energy producers, consultants, farmers, land owners, technology suppliers and other businesses in the supply chain. Registration is FREE.

‘A look at perennial energy crops’ - 11th November - 09:45 to 13:00 - Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, AL5 2JQ

InCrops, Anglia Farmers and Rothamsted Research host a seminar on perennial energy crops aimed at promoting opportunities in the bioenergy sector. The demand for biomass in the UK is expected to increase from the end of this year when the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme will become operational. Perennial energy crops, including willow, will be a major part of the solution to help meet the targets for renewable heat production.

At this half-day event:

• Learn about the agronomy of perennial energy crops;
• Find out about supply chain opportunities;
• Visit the research plots and the National Willow Collection hosted by Rothamsted Research;
• Network with fellow businesses and leading academic experts;
• Find out about FREE consultancy from the InCrops Enterprise Hub.

Straw for energy - 12th December - Late afternoon - Honingham Thorpe, Norwich, NR9 5BZ

The value of straw for bioenergy production and increasing competition for agricultural residues could have an impact on soil quality and structure, requiring complex decisions as to the best use for biomass resources. InCrops and Anglia Farmers hosts the second in a series of bioenergy seminars.

At this twilight event:

• Find out about the demand for straw in bioenergy production; 
• Learn about soil carbon & nutrient management and structure, with special reference to the removal of straw as an energy crop.
• Network with fellow businesses;
• Find out about FREE consultancy from the InCrops Enterprise Hub.
   

Registration: to register for either or both events please contact Julia O’Rourke, InCrops Events Co-ordinator, on 01603 591 765 or email j.orourke@uea.ac.uk. These events are free to attend, places are limited.

The Agency has organised this awareness campaign to promote the best practice in fulfilling the obligations and also to publicise the various services and tools that can help you comply with the REACH registration requirements including links to all the steps of the registration process: from the formation of the Substance Information Exchange Fora (SIEFs) to data sharing, dossier preparation and online submission.   On ECHA's website there is also an agenda for the events that ECHA is rolling out in relation to the REACH 2013 deadline.

For full details of the support ECHA is offering click here

Exporting to the EU?
This guide from the European Commission explains the Export Helpdesk - a free and user-friendly database  that provides companies with information on EU import requirements, such as import duties and taxes. 

Please contact us if you would like to receive this bulletin.

The 5-day World Class Manufacturing training mission (WCM) provides an in-depth analysis of Japanese manufacturing methodology and is aimed exclusively at EU Executives and Managers with knowledge of WCM and an engineering background.  It assists the participants to acquire a better understanding of TQC (Total Quality Control), TQM (Total Quality Management), TPM (Total Productive Maintenance), JIT (Just In Time), TIE (Total Industrial Engineering) practices and the current KAIZEN manufacturing methods (continuous improvement).

The training course consists of lectures and workshops and the chance to visit some of the world’s most advanced Japanese factories to understand the real "Gemba" (the production site), to talk directly with their production managers, and to observe the effective implementation of manufacturing methods.

Applications are now open for training courses for June and October 2012 with the deadline to join the June programme 22rd March 2012 and the October programme 7th June 2012.

For more information on the programme click here

For further details of the story click here

FP7- Is it for me?  Derek MacLeod from TUV NEL provides an overview of FP7, funding programmes available through the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and the support available through EEDA’s EU and Innovation Funding Support Service.

National programmes - Alex Smeets from Cambridge Funding Solutions expands on the TSB programmes explain the support available under EEDA’s Understanding Finance for Business Programme

Growth Business Funding from EEDA- Trevor Overall guides delegates on the loans available from Finance East for established, growing businesses that have been unable to meet bank lending criteria.

UK Trade & Investment- Martin Keepfer describes the services available to SMEs from UKTI, including the Passport to Export and R&D Programme.

Enterprise Europe Network- Chris Woodward provides an introduction to the Enterprise Europe Network’s partnering service including a demonstration of the Network’s technology and R&D partnering database.

St John's Innovation Centre Ltd-  David Moir explains the Soft Landing Programme- aimed at incubator-based SMEs looking to internationalise their activities.
 

Czech Republic

Germany

Click here for a full list of country guides we have available

For further details of the programme click here

This fact sheet can be downloaded below and found also on the European IPR Helpdesk website:  http://www.iprhelpdesk.eu/

For details please contact the programme management team on 0845 196 4310/3176, email lowcarbon@anglia.ac.uk or visit www.anglia.ac.uk/lowcarbon OR if you are already in discussions with a university or college please ask your contact there to get in touch with the team.
 

The fifth LIFE+ call for proposals was published on 26 February 2011, with up to €267 million available for co-financing of projects under three headings:

• nature and biodiversity;
• environment policy and governance;
• information and communication.

Project proposals should be sent to the relevant national authority no later than 18 July, 2011. National authorities will then send them to the European Commission by 9 September, 2011.

For more information on the call, click here.

Information Sessions for Potential Applicants
To coincide with this call, the European Commission is organising Information Sessions in each Member State, to inform potential applicants about the LIFE+ Programme and the requirements for submitting a proposal.

For more information, click here.

£2.8m supports transfer of low carbon expertise to SMEs

First announced June 2010

A unique new initiative, designed specifically to help businesses in the region reduce their carbon emissions, has been launched in the East of England with the help of over £2.8 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Called Low Carbon sKTP, the initiative is the first of its kind in the UK, and has been designed to support the region’s carbon reduction objectives, by offering businesses easy access to the low carbon expertise held in the region’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

Project director, Dr Tony West, from Anglia Ruskin University, one of the partners delivering the project, said: “The Low Carbon sKTP has been designed specifically for those small and medium-sized enterprises looking to achieve a significant reduction in their carbon footprint by changing the way they operate. 

This could be through developing new, or improving old, products and services, and helping businesses to adapt and adjust their processes. This will have direct impact on regional business and their carbon footprints as the project plans to help 331 individual businesses.”

Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is a national scheme designed to bring together HEIs and businesses to help them improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance. Recently a Shorter KTP (sKTP) has been designed to make them even more accessible to businesses, hence the project name Low Carbon sKTP.

Universities from across the East of England will handle the delivery of the Low Carbon sKTPs, with each project having an ‘associate’ from the university who will be responsible for transferring the knowledge into the SME over a period of between 10 and 40 weeks. 

Projects eligible for help from the Low Carbon sKTP will be in one of the following areas: Technology development or adoption; process improvement, for example the reduction of energy consumption; change in behaviour, such as waste reduction and recycling; and the reuse or extension of a component or products life.

David Morrall, International Director for the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), which manages the ERDF in the region, commented: “Innovation is essential if businesses are to move efficiently and effectively towards a low carbon existence. The key to this is bringing together businesses, who ultimately make and market the products, with universities who have the expertise to help them innovate. This is the first time that this kind of programme has been designed to specifically support a low carbon agenda and is a fantastic opportunity for SMEs to gain access to knowledge  that would otherwise be unavailable.”

The Low Carbon sKTP is being managed and funded by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), which funds and manages KTPs on behalf of 19 other government organisations across the UK.  There are around 1,300 projects running across the UK at any one time and full details of these and the Low Carbon sKTP can be found at www.ktponline.org.uk.
 
Pete Munday, programme manager for TSB, said: “KTPs are helping businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK Knowledge Base.  Now, with this new Low Carbon sKTP businesses are also being helped to reduce their carbon footprint which is an essential if they are to remain competitive in a low-carbon future.”

The project will be available over a two and a half year period at a total value of £7,106,898 with £2,842,759 funding from the ERDF.

To find out more information about KTPs and if your business is eligible for support from the Low Carbon sKTP visit www.ktponline.org.uk.

Business support experts in 17 key industry sectors have teamed up to provide companies with customised support in their field. They are part of the Enterprise Europe Network, which links 3 000 experts working through 600 local organisations in 48 countries.

The Network helps small- and medium-sized enterprises to find business, technology and research partners, as well as advising on how to make the most of European and international marketplaces and funding opportunities.

In order to customise its support further and make sure it meets the needs of specific sectors, the Enterprise Europe Network pools its expertise in key industries in 17 sector groups (see box), ranging from agri-food and the environment to intelligent energy and information and communication technologies.

Mapping the tourism sector
The tourism and cultural heritage sector group seeks to enhance the competitiveness of European tourism and promote innovation within the sector. Moreover, it provides support to the cultural heritage sector, a key asset for European tourism. The EU is the world’s leading tourist destination and its tourism sector is made up of some 1.8 million companies, many of them SMEs, accounting for about 5% of the Union’s GDP and employment.

“Our main objectives are to promote innovation within tourism and to foster the sustainable use of natural and cultural heritage resources, through support to the EU’s new political framework for tourism,” says Sabrina Montaguti of Florence-based Network member Promofirenze, who chairs the sector group. “We also want to promote business co-operation and sustainable partnerships.”

The sector group is made up of business experts from 13 countries. It carries out a number of activities, including drafting guidelines for starting up a tourism business, mapping national, European and international tourism events, disseminating good practice, and maintaining a constant dialogue with policy-makers. The sector group has also conducted benchmarking analysis on tourism promotion strategies at the national, regional and local levels.

To date, the brokerage events organised by the tourism and cultural heritage sector group have resulted in partnership agreements between European SMEs. For a German travel agency organising holidays for individuals with reduced mobility, a meeting with a Greek hotel company yielded fast results.

Small is bountiful
Less traditional industries are also supported. Micro-technology, especially in the field of computing, electronics and machinery, has revolutionised the way we work and play. “For the past quarter of a century, micro-technology has been extremely important and its importance is growing every year,” says Rim Stroeks, a consultant with the Enterprise Europe Network based at Syntens in the Netherlands. “The industry used to be focused in a handful of countries, but the geographical distribution has spread in recent years as new players have emerged.”

The next technological revolution looks set to occur at the nano scale (a billionth of a metre). Nanotechnology has been attracting considerable attention, both from scientists and the business world. At the miniscule nano-scale, the properties of materials are very different. By harnessing these properties, scientists hope to develop stronger, more lightweight and more resilient materials and devices in a range of different fields, from computing, semiconductors and nanoelectronics to medicine. Possible applications include super-strong, lightweight fabrics, diodes that emit light and not heat, and a computer chip so small that you could fit 400 on to the head of a pin.

To help SMEs keep up with the high pace of innovation and technological change in this rapidly changing field, the Enterprise Europe Network has established a nano- and microtechnologies sector group. “Nanotechnology is a very important emerging sector and that is why we need a sector group to connect industry with academia,” explains Stroeks, who chairs the group.

The group provides more specific assistance to both industry and research bodies; promotes business, technological and research collaborations; assists in addressing market barriers which can be high in cutting-edge technologies; helps deal with related ethical issues; maps the situation in the United States and Japan; and builds understanding of new EU policies and regulations.
“Because nanotechnology is such a young and fresh sector, it raises a number of safety, health and ethical issues,” notes Stroeks. “The sector group can help raise public awareness and facilitate a public debate grounded in fact.”

Finding the perfect match
Sector groups organise regular brokerage and matchmaking events, as well as company visits. The nano- and microtechnologies sector group organised a brokerage event, the seventh of its kind, at last year’s Micronora, the biennial French micro- and nanotechnology trade fair which attracts hundreds of exhibitors and some 15000 visitors.

Spread over one and a half days, the brokerage event brought together companies and institutes from France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Based on preferences they had expressed prior to the event, the participants were able to meet representatives from companies and institutes of interest to them in a series of half-hour-long ‘speed dating’ slots.

As an example of company visits, the nano- and microtechnologies sector group introduced businesses from a Dutch precision engineering and mechatronics cluster based in Eindhoven to a German cluster in Thuringia which specialises in a number of areas, including direct-drive technologies, power electronics and sensors. In June, a Dutch delegation visited Thuringia while, in December, a German delegation visited Eindhoven. The visits resulted in four partnership agreements between the Dutch and German companies.

The Network’s sector groups

• Agri-food
• Automotive, Transport and Logistics
• Biotech, Pharma and Cosmetics
• Chemicals
• Creative industries
• Environment
• Healthcare
• ICT Industry and Services
• Intelligent Energy
• Maritime Industry and Services
• Materials
• Nano- and Microtechnologies
• Services and Retail
• Space and Aerospace
• Sustainable Construction
• Textiles
• Tourism and Cultural Heritage

National Contact Point Events

The UK National Contact Point (NCP) are holding a series of free events open to all during September
which will give information on applying to the IAPP and ITN schemes. These will be held in:

Belfast – 10 September 2010
Birmingham – 17 September 2010
Edinburgh – 20 September 2010
London – 28 September 2010

Further information and registration is available at: http://www.ukro.ac.uk/mariecurie/events/index.htm

Further information

Further information on both schemes is available from the UK NCP website at: http://www.ukro.ac.uk/mariecurie/organisations_schemes/index.htm.

Queries can be directed to the NCP helpdesk by e-mail at mariecurie-uk@bbsrc.ac.uk or by telephone on +32 2 230 5275.