THE SURFACE NET PROJECT

Project acronym: SURFACE NET

Project full title: Supporting surface transport SMEs in Candidate Countries preparing RTD projects for FP7

Proposal/Contract no.: FP6–044672

Start date of contract: 1st November 2006

End date of the contract: 30th April 2008

SURFACE NET project is an innovative action that builds on proven methodologies and tools for the development of a new approach to support the participation of SMEs from Candidate Countries (Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey) in European Research activities in the field of Surface Transport.

The multidisciplinary and multi-national consortium of this specific support action is made of the Portuguese innovation agency INOVA+ with large experience in involving SMEs on EC RTD activities and Industrial Associations on the Surface Transport field with a strong experience in the sector. These Associations are used to provide market analysis and support to SMEs in order to assess innovative programmes on economic and financial standpoints. Three Associations were chosen to put into practice the proposed action in Romania through URTP, in Bulgaria through NSBS and in Turkey through UND.

TARGET ENTITIES

Surface Transport SMEs from Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey.

MAIN OBJECTIVES

Identify the main needs of the Surface Transport SMEs from Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey, through Technology Assessments and the company profile;

Facilitate the involvement of Surface Transport SMEs in a local workshop organized in Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey performing training on “How to perform an internal Technology Assessment?”, “How to write a competitive proposal?” and “FP7 stepping into EU funding for innovation and competitiveness in Surface Transport”;

Identify ideas from the Surface Transport SMEs from Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey to submit proposals for the 7th Framework Programme under the theme 7 “Transport”, sub-theme Surface Transport and integrate these SMEs in successful projects consortia;

Promote the involvement of Surface Transport SMEs in the ‘57th UITP World Congress and Mobility & City Transport Exhibition’ under special participation conditions in order to promote the contact with the most relevant European key players and to stimulate synergies and partnerships with those entities.

Promote the participation of Surface Transport SMEs in the following specific Technological platforms:

- The European Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Platform;

- European Road Transport Research Advisory Council;

- The European Rail Research Advisory Council;

- The Technology Platform on Future Manufacturing Technologies – MANUFUTURE.

WORK METHODOLOGY

THE CONSORTIUM

COORDINATOR

PT INOVA+ – Serviços de Consultadoria em Inovação Tecnológica, SA

www.inovamais.pt

PARTNERS

RO URTP – Romanian Union of Public Transport

www.urtp.ro

BG NSBS – Bulgarian National Forwarders Association

www.nsbs.bg

TR UND – Uluslararasi Nakliyeciler Dernegi

www.und.org.tr