PIN-SME

Brüssel, 2. March 2010. The European Commission (DG Enterprise – eBSN), CeBIT, PIN-SME, UEAPME and G+F Unternehmensgruppe have the pleasure to invite you to tue “European CeBIT Forum for Competitiveness and Growth in SMEs 2010” on the topic “Harnessing consistent ICTs to foster SMEs’ participation in a global, competitive and connected economy” on Thursday, 4 March 2010, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at CeBIT Studio Mittelstand. The Event will bei transfused via Internet under www.cebit-studio-mittelstand.de
There is no special registration for the Online Forum.

The objective of the Forum will be to launch a debate on SMEs as global business players, and examine which policy measures and activities lead to success, as well as how can the competitiveness of European user SMEs be improved by means of consistent ICT application. Invited are small and medium enterprises, SME federations, organizations, policy makers, chambers of trade and commerce, clusters, interested executive directors from SMEs, scientific institutions and press.

Why is it important for SMEs to engage in international exchange of knowledge? Because it offers helpful suggestions, coins collaboration, bundles interests and paves the way for new business directions. Experts of European interest groups closely related to SMEs will discuss how the competitiveness of SMEs may be increased by means of consistent IT application.

Please follow the link to see the European CeBIT Forum for Competitiveness and Growth in SMEs 2010 on demand. 

Brussels, 11 December 2009. From January 2010 Spain will have the rotating presidency of the European Union. PIN-SME together with its Spanish member ESTIC have decided to request Spain to focus the next semester of the EU on ICT small enterprises. The European association of ICT SMEs has developed a set of recommendations aimed at fostering the competitiveness of ICT small businesses in Europe. The recommendations of PIN-SME concern:
·    Improvement of European Directive on Late Payments
·    Facilitate Internationalisation of ICT small enterprises
·    Foster SMEs’ Innovation and growth
·    Improved access to qualified labor
·    Better exploitation of R&D  

Click under "Press and Positions/Positions Papers" to download the PIN-SME recommendations to the Spanish Presidency of the EU.

Brussels, 29. October 2009. European policy makers consider ICT SMEs are key players for the EU’s competitiveness and growth.  PIN-SME remains on the European institutional frontline to ensure that ICT entrepreneurs get talked to rather than just talked about and November will be a busy month in this respect:

 

On the 18th of November, the European Commission will hold the conference Educating a New Generation of ICT Standards Professionals, a public event to facilitate the communication between ICT standardisation and the different ICT stakeholders. In order to ensure that ICT entrepreneurs are rightfully understood as the main users of ICT standards,  PIN-SME Secretary General Sebastiano Toffaletti will represent ICT SMEs in the discussion panel. PIN-SME expert Martin Prager will also present his views as ICT entrepreneur. Participation is free of charges and registration can be done HERE

 

On the 20th of November,  the European Economic and Social Committee will host the European e-Skills 2009 Conference, jointly organised by the European Commission and the EESC in partnership with the Council of European Professionals and Informatics Societies and other leading stakeholders. The event will bring together experts from governments, academia, ICT industry, ICT professional bodies and more. ICT entrepreneurs will be represented by Mike Sharpe, PIN-SME expert, who will present the viewpoint of ICT entrepreneurs in a session dedicated to ICT professionalism in the innovation agenda. Participation is free of charges and registration can be done HERE

 

On the 23rd of November, PIN-SME will host an open event at the occasion of its official General Assembly. This event will provide an extraordinary opportunity for direct exchange of views among ICT entrepreneurs, policy makers and industry experts. Key speakers include ECIS Legal Counsel, Thomas Vinje, Azlan Europe’s Managing Director, Simon England, and UEAPME Secretary General, Andrea Benassi.

 

The main highlights in the agenda will be about the European Social Dialogue, the developments in the Microsoft antitrust case and standardization opportunities for ICT-SMEs. All interested organizations are welcomed to join; for more information and registration, kindly contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Brussels, 20 October 2009. Commissioner Kroes gave vigorous support to the idea of “ex ante mandatory disclosure”of rates of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in standards during her speech in Brussels on the 15th of October.
The European Commissioner for Competition Policy warned her audience on the dangers of "patent ambush", "when a company taking part in the standard-setting process hides the fact that it holds essential IPRs over the standard being developed, and starts asserting such IPRs only after the standard has been agreed and other companies are “locked in” to using it". Mrs. Kroes then took a strong stance in favour of ex ante disclosure of maximum royalty rates of IPRs in standards:  

"I see no inherent reason why such a mechanism would fall foul of the competition rules, unless it is some kind of smokescreen for a cartel."

 

Brussels, 31 July 2009 - PIN SME announced today that Research In Motion (RIM) accepted its invitation to join its SME Advisory Committee (SME-AC).
The SME-AC of PIN SME is a group of experts whose aim is to provide consulting expertise on issues affecting ICT SMEs in Europe. The members of the SME-AC are invited by PIN-SME and come from a cross-section of academia, public authorities and industry. As the maker of the BlackBerry® solution, RIM is a recognised wireless technology expert and will bring its vast knowledge and perspective to PIN-SME.

Brussels, 18 June 2009. Caribbean and European ICT and Business Associations and Companies decided to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to promote their collaboration and foster the growth of ICT in the regions. Mr. Joaquín Garrido, PIN-SME Vice President, delivered a presentation at the event “Boosting Competitiveness for the ICT Sector in the Dominican Republic” on the 5th of June 2009 in the Dominican Republic, and signed the MoU on behalf of PIN-SME.