Facilitating higher levels of SME participation in innovation and R&D: Recommendations from a large-scale EC FP7 study.

The focus of this paper is to present the emerging recommendations from the MAPEER SME project. These recommendations have been developed from an iterative process that has comprised preliminary findings from the analysis of the MAPEER SME studies and interaction with the European Experts Panel. The European Experts Panel on SMEs (EEP-SME). EEP-SME was created to bring SMEs into the centre of the development processes of European Unionʼs research programmes and initiatives. The Experts Panel gathers policy makers, SMEs representatives and other key stakeholders involved on The key activities of the Panel are: a) think-tank on new policies approach and disruptive ideas on how to stimulate SMEs involvement in R&D&i programmes and initiatives; b) discussion about the key objectives for the development and enhancement of SMEs advanced research; and c) communicate results of such discussions to DG Research; DG Enterprise and Industry; DG INFSO and the SMEsʼ stakeholders at three levels (regional / national / European).Finally, this paper concludes with 23 preliminary recommendations on best practices and rules of R&D&I programmes that will favour increased SME participation. It is anticipated that these findings will be invaluable to policy-makers, SMEs and other key players in the innovation ecosystems, such as universities and technology transfer intermediaries.