A Vibrant Platform At The Service Of Cluster Organisations
The European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) is an action of the Cluster Internationalisation Programme for SMEs funded under COSME launched by DG GROW of the European Commission in 2016.
The ECCP provides networking and information support for clusters and their members aiming to improve their performance and increase their competitiveness through trans-national and international cooperation.
This is the stage on which cluster organisations present themselves - their structures, services, experiences and above all, their interest in cooperation with peers. We invite you to explore this diverse cluster community, identify your potential cooperation partner and show the world what you are good at - by profiling your organisation !
ECCP organises inter-European matchmaking events, as well as opportunities for you to meet your peers from other countries – either in EU or abroad. Find also additional international matchmaking opportunities promoted here.
The European Strategic Cluster Partnerships – Going International (ESCPs-4i) are transnational cluster partnerships that develop and implement a joint internationalination strategy and support SME internationalisation towards third countries beyond Europe.
The European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for smart specialisation investments (ESCP-S3) are transnational cluster partnerships that support cluster cooperation in thematic areas related to regional smart specialisation strategies and to increase the involvement of the industry in the context of the Smart Specialisation Platform for Industrial Modernisation.
The European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for Excellence (ESCP-4x) aim to support the development of cluster management excellence and strengthen strategic cross-regional collaboration between industrial clusters across Europe.
What are ESCPs ?
The European Strategic Cluster Partnerships have been launched by the European Commission as effective means of supporting cross-border collaboration for the benefit of SMEs with the ultimate goal of boosting economic growth and competitiveness in Europe.
In a globalised world, SMEs need to be able to confront increasing competition from developed and emerging economies and to plug into the new market opportunities these countries will provide.
As an information hub, ECCP collects and structures a wide variety of information relevant for cluster organisations from various European programmes and initiatives like the ones below.
These are supporting in different ways the interaction between clusters and for driving the competitiveness of European businesses. We offer you here the unique opportunity to find out more about the most relevant cluster-related projects and what you can learn from them. Or, why not, cooperate with them!
The European cluster approach for growth is based on three main pillars: emerging industries and interregional cooperation, cluster internationalisation and cluster excellence. On a horizontal level, through the European Observatory for Clusters and Industrial Change (EOCIC), the European Commission provides statistical and trend analysis of clusters (including value chains, gazelles, start-ups and scale-ups), cluster policy advice and learning, as well as support for strategic interregional cluster partnerships. This policy approach is implemented through concrete EU initiatives launched under EU's financial programmes, mainly COSME (and its predecessor CIP) and Horizon2020.
Due to the importance of clusters for economic policy, they are also included in other European programmes. As a cluster information hub, ECCP gathers relevant examples of cluster collaboration developed in projects funded by various EU programmes.
We invite you to explore the profiles of various cluster projects and learn about the themes they address, their partnerships and their achievements.
Emerging industries and interregional cooperation related to new or existing industrial sectors and value chains that are evolving into new industries can benefit from the collaborative opportunities of clustering
The Cluster Internationalisation programme supports international cluster cooperation through matchmaking events and promotes transnational Cluster Partnerships to
support SME internationalisation towards third countries beyond Europe.
The programme helps cluster organisations improve their management practices, their market/competitive advantages or value-chain capacities and provide better services for SMEs
The single access point for statistical information, analysis and mapping of clusters and cluster policy in Europe for policy-makers and cluster managers and SME intermediaries