At this year’s IST conference in the Hague it was already the tenth time when the European Prizes were awarded for innovative products in the field of Information Society Technologies - the European IST Prize. The competition supported by the European Commission is open for any organisation developing products with a high market potential and evidently applicable in industry and society. It is expected that practical application of R&D results on the market will have also a positive impact on society (employment, creation of new markets, increase of global competitiveness, etc.). Continue reading ‘IST Prize: ten years after’
Monthly Archive for December, 2004
Cordis published yesterday the profiles of the first FP6 projects in support and SMEs. These are listed as Integrated Projects (IPs) or Specific Targeted Research, Projects (STREPs). Collective Research projects and Economic and Technological Intelligence (ETI) actions, under the FP5, have also been extended to the FP6.
The objective of ETI actions is to use existing sources and networks in order to identify SMEs’ needs and anticipate market and technology new trends. The projects promote innovation in SMEs, compile and analyse information on scientific developments and identify and disseminate best practice. Continue reading ‘Publication by CORDIS of profiles of the first FP6 projects in support of SMEs’
The European Commission will launch disciplinary proceedings against Slovakia over inadequate implementation of EU laws in the electronic communications field, EC spokesman Martin Selmayr told the TASR news agency December 6. The Commission has found several shortcomings in the implementation of electronic communication laws in Slovakia, despite the fact that the country adopted the legislation into its national legal framework one year before joining the European Union. Similar proceedings will also be launched against other new European Union members, the European Commissioner for Information Society, Vivian Reding, confirmed. These include the Czech Republic and Estonia, which have not yet even adopted the regulatory framework, as well as Cyprus, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia, which are encountering similar problems as Slovakia.
Source: The Slovak Spectator
I’m not sure why people bother “reporting” “surveys” of - gasp - 150 people, but - in a shock finding from which we’re all reeling - it appears that SMEs in the UK expect to increase their online revenues by 25%.
Here’s Netimperative’s uncritical take on the press release - oops, I mean ‘research’.
The shock conclusion is that 100,000 SMEs may not have websites. Shouldn’t we look at this in more detail? There are good reasons for SMEs to have a web presence - whether in a directory, their own site, or otherwise. Continue reading ‘Yet another “survey” shows growth in SME web use…’
Technology platforms have been an innovation in EU research policy. They bring together all interested parties in a particular sector, or areas. These areas are chosen for their strategic importance or their potential contribution to the European Union’s goals of knowledge-based growth, competitiveness and employment. Continue reading ‘What are technology platforms? Questions and answers by The European Commission’
In order to implement the FP6’s priority research schemes, two new instruments have been put in place: Integrated Projects and Networks of Excellence. The new instruments have been designed to be applicable throughout the priority themes and to all participants and are both targeting SMEs. Continue reading ‘Integrated projects and the networks of excellence: two instruments of the Sixth Framework programme targeting SMEs’
“A new comparison between the countries in East and Central Europe shows just how well economic reforms work. The data show that those that abandoned central planning the fastest are the best off today. In many of the more successful countries, the prospect of EU membership has been a decisive factor for enacting the reforms.”
The author goes on to compare a recent EBRD report, that shows quick reformers are faring better economically, with a UN report that shows citizens of these countries are living better lives according to a Human Development Index.
The 12th edition of the European Tech Investment Forum and the accompanying Venture Academy were organised by Europe Unlimited in the Hague in mid November. Meanwhile the European Commission published a report summarizing findings and recommendations from 430 European ICT companies seeking venture capital funding in the past 5 years.
The data presented is based on a number surveys that were performed immediately after each of the 10 events. The impact report includes the complete list of 430 companies from 29 countries and recommendations from investors, consultants and successful entrepreneurs.
It can be downloaded from our Virtual Innovation Park. Disclosure: Our company VIP park was involved in organizing five editions (2002-2004) and in coordinating the project activities in the Eastern and Central Europe.
In this post I noted that yet another Indian company is setting up operations in Hungary and asked why this is happening. Indian wages are cheaper, geography shouldn’t matter in IT outsourcing, and I can’t imagine India is running out of programmers.
This article offers some of those answers, and it’s written from an Indian perspective. The answer is that Europeans are not used to long-distance outsourcing, and so the Indians are coming to them. The see Central Europe as a gateway into Western Europe.
The issues of “thinking and acting locally” have taken a back seat in the UK Government’s drive for regional democracy and representation in England. While London and a handful of other cities have opted for directly-elected Mayors, there’s been little appetite elsewhere for measures that are widely-perceived to constitute increased bureaucracy rather than increased service and accountability.
It’s interesting and refreshing then to see businesses voting at a local level to increase the taxes they pay ( a 1% increase on their business rates - a method by which local authorities levy an ‘open for business’ tax upon businesses in their area) - in return for increased services. Continue reading ‘Businesses vote to pay more tax for services: local issues’
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