CAVIRC.net - 20 million Euros for the development of digital clusters

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<div><div>The Italian Ministry for Productive Activities published the PIA NETWORKING call for tenders: 60 million Euro will be made available to SMEs for their integration within clusters; 20 million Euros will be the fund destined to projects for the development of digital clusters aimed at integrating companies functions, in order to foster companies system’s creation.</div>In order to meet the needs arising from the strengthening both of the productive environment and the integrated development, the National Operative Program (PON) Enterpreneurial Local Development 2000-2006 introduced the Facilities Integrated Package (PIA).   The Measure 2.1.c, called “PIA Networking”, for whose application the Ministry of Productive Activities issued a call for proposals, aims at favouring the economic systems’ productivity by supporting complex and organic investments in order to foster SMEs’ aggregation. The term Networking was introduces explicitly for emphasizing that such a tool aims at supporting the creation of “enterprises systems” by fostering the aggregation of companies operating within evolved value chains, and by promoting innovative investments as to the Information Society. Furthermore, combining other existing concessions regimes, such a measure also finances composite projects made of single initiatives integrated each others. That is to say that companies, by presenting one single demand, can obtain financial support for several investments necessary for the project implementation, such as:   <ul><li>tangibile and intangibile investments (ex L. 488/92 – Industry and Tourism); </li><li>investments aimed at pre-competition development (ex L. 46/82); </li><li>acquiring consulting services (ex Reg. (CE) n.70/2001 as modified by Reg. (CE) n. 364/2004).   </li></ul>Companies can also access to the Guarantee Fund as for Law no. 266/97. Amongst the eligible investments projects, besides the Type A projects (aimed at valorising the tourism offer) and those Type C (for improving environment performances of companies), the Type B projects aiming at increasing SMEs competitivity thanks to ICT must be highlighted.   That is to say integrated projects for the digital clusters development, proposed by consortia or consortial enterprises amongst minimum 5 companies that have been operating for at least 2 years, and aimed at increasing communication, as well as at sharing information and tools for marketing, communication and internationalisation through the digital technologies.   Eligibility criteria comprises the integration, thanks to the digital technologies, of at least two activities apt to ameliorate companies competitiveness, through synergies and scale economies. These activities are: <ul><li>support to communication within the cluster; </li><li>logistics; </li><li>support to the communication between production and distribution; </li><li>support to purchases </li><li>collaborative design; </li><li>organizational consultancy towards companies; </li></ul><div> </div>Beneficiaries SMEs’ Consortia as well as consortial enterprises, already set up or to be set up after the project presentation. Facility’s terms Forms and measures of  facility’s terms are defined by the contract signed. When acquiring consulting services, ex R. (EC) no.70/2001 modified by R.no.364/2004, the gross amount is 50% of the services costs. Endowment fund Total endowment fund number 60 million Euro and is to be split into 3 equal quotas, that is 20 million Euro each to be destined to the 3 different project types. As to Type B projects the minimum investment threshold is 3 million euro. Deadline for application is <date w:st="on" year="2005" day="21" month="11">21st November 2005</date>. All the projects have to be completed by <date w:st="on" year="2007" day="31" month="12">31st December 2007</date>.   For more information: Ministero delle attività produttive (Italian Ministry for productive activities) Direzione generale coordinamento degli incentivi alle imprese Centro coordinamento intese istituzionali e selezione contratti programma via Molise n. 2 - 00187 Roma; Phone +39 06.4705.2631 - Fax: +39 06.4705.2544; e-mail:<a href="mailto:pia.networking@attivitaproduttive.gov.it" target="_blank">pia.networking@attivitaproduttive.gov.it</a></div></PRE>