COS-CLUSINT-2019-3-01: Clusters Go International
By fostering the development of 'European Strategic Cluster Partnerships - Going International' (ESCP-4i), i.e. European meta-clusters helping SMEs find easier access to global value chains and engage in long-term cooperation with strategic partners in third countries, this action contributes to implement the Cluster Internationalisation Programme for SMEs under the COSME Programme.
This action builds upon previous successful editions of the "Clusters Go International" call for proposals that lead to the establishment of a total of 40 co-funded 'European Strategic Cluster Partnerships-Going International' (ESCP-4i) and work concretely together to exploit synergies as well as to develop a joint internationalisation strategy for the benefit of their SMEs.
The present call for proposals is targeting actions for two phases, divided in three Strands.
Preparatory phase
- Strand 1: will support the establishment of European Strategic Cluster Partnership – Going International (ESCP-4i) open to a wide range of European industrial sectors and value chains.
Implementation phase
- Strand 2.a: will support the first implementation, testing and further development of European Strategic Cluster Partnerships – Going International (ESCP-4i) in a wide range of European industrial sectors and value chains, except those targeted in Strands 2.b below.
- Strand 2.b: will support the first implementation, testing and further development of European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for Going International (ESCP-4is) in the Space and Digital sector (use of earth observation data and related applications), specifically for downstream users of earth observation data in the context of Copernicus, the EU's Earth Observation and Monitoring programme.
Applicants must be legal entities forming a consortium. Each legal entity must:
- be established in EU Member States or countries participating in the COSME programme pursuant to Article 6 of the COSME Regulation;
- be registered or have submitted a registration on the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) by the submission deadline of this Call.
The consortium must be composed of:
- a minimum of three (3) different legal entities, and
- established in at least three (3) three different countries participating in the COSME programme (pursuant to Article 6 of the COSME Regulation), among which at least two (2) must be from two (2) different EU Members States.
Applicant consortia can apply for one Strand only.
The deadline for electronic submission is 30 October 2019, 17:00 hours (Brussels time). The Clusters Go International 2019 information webinar is expected to take place in October 2019.
