It sparked much debate but put in a drawer

Allow a hundred of small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in European collaborative projects, it is the objective of the program of European technological partnership launched by Bercy last year and which follows that of 2007. "This is reflected in coaching with consultants who are familiar with the evaluation criteria and helped us to formalise the presentation of our project," summarizes Angelo Corsaro, one of the founders of the young company Ile-de-France Prismtech, who had been selected and is now involved in the project Blend Box (European Eurostars programme).

This time, the ambition of the General Directorate of competitiveness, industry and services (DGCIS) is all the more important that it is select only companies primo-accédantes, i.e. having never participated in a European project. A laudable ambition, because the France is in fact poorly placed in the European competition of research. In March 2009, a report of the General Inspection of finance thus emphasized "the low involvement of French SMEs" in the framework programme for research and development (FPRD). The rapporteurs were raised a number of good French characteristics.

Lack of global vision

une faiblesse chronique de la culture partenariale, du mais du aides à UN Europe. in a partnership culture chronic weakness, à une faiblesse chronique de la culture partenariale, du mais du aides à un Europe of du mais du aides à un Europe mais du aides à un Europe but du aid à a à un Europe Europe Europe Europe. " And even if French SMEs pointed to the third rank of participants (with 630 SMEs, all just in front of the Italy, but far behind the Germany and 914 companies), it remained low economic weight of our country, important contributor to the 7th FPRD (2007-2013) with 53 billion euros of credit. Therefore, a shortfall of EUR 400 million and which may reach EUR 2.2 billion in 2013, pointing the report. It sparked much debate, but put in a drawer. The main measure of entrusting to a single player, in this case the ANRT (National Association for research and technology), the responsibility of the national contact point (NCP) (today dispersed in research organizations) has been ignored.

The complexity of European programmes is that they are collaborative and require therefore partnerships between companies and research centres from different Community countries. "The interest is access to skills that an SME is not and markets", summarizes Véronique Desbleds, responsible for the Europe of Innovalis, a structure financed by the Aquitaine region Office. So Breton society Marinelec, which enjoyed the support of the program by Bercy, is also supported on the local technopole of Quimper on aspects relating to industrial property. In a large project called Poseidon, she is involved today in a collaborative subproject to replace wired networks by wireless on board vessels. "This is heavy for an SME." Even if one is accustomed to the international and we speak English. "It would be fairly complicated for us without such support," confirms Pascal Citeau, Manager of the company.

New wave

To find a new wave of SME candidates for participation in projects, Bercy has retained a dozen projects totalling 30 poles of competitiveness but also other organizations as the technical Centre of mechanical or OSEO. Some projects are led by a pole, for example, Lyonbiopôle, Mer Paca, or Systématic. Others such as the Southwest are multi-sectoral and include several. Because French SMEs are little aware European projects that need a lot of ground. Thus in 2007, 1.900 SMEs had been approached, among which a third party (640) gave rise to a diagnosis. One-third of these (271) had been accompanied to finally see funded 99. Some experts fear as a political"sales" focusing on the number of cases filed over quality. The image of Alain Quévreux, head of the ANRT European activities: "the framework becomes more competitive and therefore help SMEs build strong technology partnerships. And it is even longer if it addresses companies primo-accédantes. "A view shared by Michel Carton, Member of the Cetim (Technical Centre of mechanical), participating in the project within a consortium mounted with poles of competitiveness and the Carnot institutes:"Before boarding of European projects, we want first to enter our SMEs in existing projects." Need to do things in order and step. It is very difficult to raise a European project by a company without European experience prior and unrealistic.