European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for smart specialisation investments

Call summary and aims

The approach of this call for proposals builds on the successful experience of establishing European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for going international (ESCP-4i) as part of the Cluster Internationalisation Programme for SMEs under COSME. The focus of this call for proposal, however, is not on supporting SME internationalisation with strategic partners in third countries beyond Europe but on supporting the inter-regional cluster cooperation for the benefit of SMEs, their scale-up and joint investment projects within Europe.

In addition, it follows up on the interest and experience gathered within two pilot projects, which aimed at reinforcing the collaboration among clusters and technology centres entitled “Towards EU Regional Economic Convergence”, for which a call for proposals was launched in 2015 with funding from the European Parliament. However the scope of the current call for proposals is extended, by moving from supporting only the preparation phaseto supporting in particular the implementation phaseof European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for smart specialisation investments.

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is estimated at EUR 2 800 000.

The maximum grant per project will be EUR 350,000.

EASME expects to fund eight proposals.

The grant is limited to a maximum reimbursement rate of 75% of eligible costs.

EASME reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.