CARE4BIO and EEN Thematic Group Sustainability sign Memorandum of Understanding

The European Commission launched the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) in 2008. The Network is now active in more than 60 countries worldwide, bringing together 3,000 experts from more than 600 member organisations. The EEN network targets SMEs and is specialised in facilitating partnering for business collaborations, as well as research and innovation. There are therefore many synergies with NCPs, especially for the most R&D intensive SMEs and research centres, to offer more opportunities to clients.

EEN is structured in Sector Groups (SGs) and Thematic Groups (TGs), gathering EEN advisors with specific expertise and interests. Notably relevant for Cluster 6 NCPs are SG Agrifood (focusing on the agriculture and food industry sectors) and TG Sustainability (fostering debates on cross-cutting aspects of sustainability beyond a sectorial focus: circular economy, social sustainability, green innovation).

In order to foster synergies between NCPs and EEN on the most relevant CARE4BIO activities (trainings for NCPs and for applicants, brokerage events, communication), CARE4BIO took the initiative to present a draft framework for collaboration to the EEN SG and TG leaders. Following negotiations between both networks, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CARE4BIO and EEN TG Sustainability was signed on 14 March 2023 in Brussels, during the annual meeting of the TG.

This MoU aims to set a framework for NCP-EEN collaboration and will be concretely implemented by Yearly Action Plans piloted by an EEN-NCP Task Force. During this meeting, Cluster 5 NCP network GREENET also signed a similar MoU with EEN TG Sustainability.

CARE4BIO also signed a similar MoU with EEN Sector Group (SG) Agrifood and will present it to the network members during the next SG meeting in Croatia on 15 May 2023.