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Artemis aims to tackle the research and structural challenges faced by the industrial sector. The objective is to define and implement a Research Agenda for Embedded Computing Systems. The Artemis JU will manage and co-ordinate research activities through open calls for proposals through a 10-year €2.5 billion research programme on Embedded Computing Systems. The programme is open to organisations in European Union Member States and Associated Countries. Selected projects will be co-financed by the Joint Undertaking and the Member States that have joined Artemis (hyperlink: https://www.artemis-ju.eu )

The new EEN has a strong regional foundation, made up of professional business support organisations with extensive experience in dealing with SMEs. Beyond promoting entrepreneurship, its primary mission is to provide an array of customised services to SMEs throughout Europe and beyond via its more that 554 host organisations and even more contact points. (Read more- hyperlink to EEN: http://www.enterprise-europe-network.ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm )

The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) is designed to support a wide range of participants, including SMEs. The second progress report on SME participation in FP7, with its primary focus on the Cooperation Programme, supports the initial findings of the first progress report that increasing numbers of SMEs are participating in the various themes of FP7 compared to FP6. In addition, SMEs in FP7 receive increased financial support for their participation versus those in FP6. The Cooperation programme is that part of FP7 containing the themes, which are strategic areas for ongoing European research and development initiatives. In fact high research performing SMEs are particularly welcomed and to this end a target of 15 per cent of the overall Cooperation budget (worth EUR 32.29 billion) is being made available to SME participants. (Read more: hyperlink to SME Techweb: http://ec.europa.eu/research/sme-techweb/newsletter/issue4/facts-figures_en.html

The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) aims to encourage the competitiveness of European enterprises. With small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as its main target, the programme will support innovation activities (including eco-innovation), provide better access to finance and deliver business support services in the regions. It will encourage a better take-up and use of information and communications technologies (ICT) and help to develop the information society. It will also promote the increased use of renewable energies and energy efficiency. The programme will run from 2007 to 2013. (Read more : hyperlink to CIP website:http://ec.europa.eu/cip/index_en.htm )

RSFF is based on an innovative idea of leveraging Community Budget funds available under the Seventh Community Framework Programme (FP7) through European Investment Bank (EIB) financing. The European Community will allocate up to EUR 1bn of funds available under the Seventh Framework Programme (2007-2013) to RSFF. In parallel, the EIB is contributing up to EUR 1bn from its own resources. The RSFF represents the result of a joint vision and common effort of the EC and the EIB to develop new financial instruments for the knowledge economy. The RSFF is a risk-bearing instrument by which the EIB covers, through capital allocations and provisions, the risks it bears when lending directly or when guaranteeing loans made by intermediaries. RSFF is managed by the EIB. The RSFF targets European research-intensive entities including SMEs and research infrastructures, irrespective of size and ownership, which contribute to the objectives of FP7. The financing may be provided either to entities active in the field of research and innovation or to individual research-related projects, often at a demonstration stage(hyperlinks:http://ec.europa.eu/invest-in-research/funding/funding02_en.htm &http://www.eib.org/products/loans/special/rsff/how-rsff-works/index.htm?lang=-en ).

The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) for research and technological development is the European Union's main instrument for funding research in Europe. FP7, which applies to the years 2007-2013, is the natural successor to the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), and is the result of years of consultation with the scientific community, research and policy making institutions, and other interested parties.Since their launch in 1984, the Framework Programmes have played a leadrole in multidisciplinary research and cooperative activities in Europe and beyond. FP7 continues that task, and is both larger and more comprehensive than earlier Framework Programmes. Running from 2007 to 2013, the programme has a budget of 53.2 billion euros over its seven-year lifespan, the largest funding allocation yet for such programmes. Read more … link to page 'FP7 in numbers'(hyperlink: http://ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/index_en.cfm)

The Eurostars programme is the first European funding and supportprogramme to be specifically dedicated to SMEs. It aims to stimulate them tolead international collaborative research and innovation projects by easingaccess to support and funding. Thirty-one countries currently participate inthe Eurostars Programme through the EUREKA network of national offices.The EUREKA secretariat (ESE) is the dedicated implementing agency forEurostars. In June 2008 the Council of Ministers agreed to provide EUR 100million from the EU's 7th Framework Programme (FP7) budget to Eurostarsto boost research capacities of Small and Medium-Sized companies (SMEs) in Europe. The EUR 100 million from FP7 will leverage at least EUR 300 million in public funding from the participating countries, resulting in a package of EUR 400 million for financing transnational research partnerships driven research-performing SMEs in Europe.(hyperlink:http://www.eurostars-eureka.eu/home.do).

ENIAC is a large scale, application-driven initiative mobilising all European efforts in the innovation- and technology-intensive nanoelectronics sector. The main goal of the nanoelectronics JTI will be to carry out pre-competitivecollaborative research and development (R&D) addressing two objectiveswhich are a substantial part of the Strategic Research Agenda of the ENIACTechnology Platform: enhancing the further integration and miniaturisation ofdevices and increasing their functionalities. It may also realize other activitiesrelated to industrial strategies, including encouraging innovation,standardisation, international cooperation, education and training, andpromoting SMEs. http://www.eniac.eu/