Towards Better Support for EU SMEs in Asia

Regional Experience Exchange and Benchmarking Workshop

EU Business Support Centres in Asia

(Tokyo, 17 October 2014)

Draft Agenda

09:30-10:00 Welcome and short self-introduction of participants, by Christos Kyriatzis, European Commission, DG ENTR (TBC)

10:00-10:20 Opening Speech: EU priorities and business support instruments for European SMEs in Asia, Moderator: Fabrizio Mura

10:20-11:20 Business Support Services 1 – Training, missions, cluster support

• The executive training programs/curricula of the EU-Japan Centre
• Business support missions, Missions for Growth
• Cluster support and missions

11:20-11:30 Coffee break, Chairs/Moderators: Chris Cheung and Simon Cheetham

11:30-12:30 Business support services 2 – info, IPR, logistic support

• General info support schemes and experiences (helpdesks, “ask the expert”)
• IPR Helpdesks
• Logistics support schemes (“hot desks”-meeting, seminar facilities)
• Market and Policy Analysis Services

12:30 -13:30 Lunch Break, Chairs/Moderators: Freddie Hoeglund and Alison Murray

13:30 -14:10 Advocacy and Policy Advise (strategies, practices, instruments, challenges), Chair/Moderator: Fabrizio Mura

• Lobbying Recommendations to Governments
• Market and Policy Analysis/Recommendations activities

14:10-14:50 “Enterprise Europe Network” business partnership service in Asia (experiences, challenges, the way ahead), Chairs/Moderators: Leonidas Karapiperis and Paul V Jansen

14:50-15:30 Support for Cooperation in Innovation and R&D (access to Horizon2020 projects and funding)

• Example: J-BILAT, National Contact Points for H2020 (presented by Tochiatsu Itchioka)
• Working together in Asian regional projects (ex: GNSS.Asia)

15:30-15:40 Coffee Break, Chairs/Moderators: John Svengren and Chris Chang

15:40-16:20 Institution building, EU project/grant management, post-grant sustainability, Chairs/Moderators: Christoph Heider and Silviu Jora

• Human resources, building in house expertise, EU Grant management aspects/issues, alternative funding options

16:20-16:40 Enhancing the Visibility and Promotion in Europe & the new ”SME Internationalization Portal” – how to use it and improve it, Chiar/Moderator: Silviu Jora ( TBC)

16:40-17:00 Summary of potential ideas for Cooperation and Synergies and roadmap for future joint initiatives

17:00 Conclusions

17:30 -19:30 Networking Reception