SenterNovem participation in European programmes
SenterNovem participation in European programmes
R.J. Lindeman MA
This position paper shows the dilemmas facing the Dutch government and especially its agency on participating in European research and energy efficiency programmes. We will use the case of SenterNovem, the innovation agency of the Dutch ministry of Economic affairs to illustrate this.
SenterNovem often want to participate in European research and energy efficiency programs. This allows it to increase the effect of the tools developed in national programs and gain information due to corporation about the tools other countries have developed. As SenterNovem is one of the main agencies for carrying out the national research agenda, it has to be involved in the European research programmes to properly carry out that specific task.
The two main issues when deciding on participating in a project are.
• Is SenterNovem allowed to participate in the project?
SenterNovem is bound by the rules the internal market has laid down for participating. The agency cannot enter while competing with commercial enterprises. Still there are situations where it can still participate. It has to perform a specific governmental role, that a commercial cannot to, like facilitating, coordinating or creating synergy.
Furthermore, the situation of SenterNovem is extra peculiar when one realises that SenterNovem’s EG-Liaison department is responsible for giving information about research and energy efficiency proposals. To the outside world, it might look as if SenterNovem has a head start.
• Is it worth for SenterNovem to participate?
As SenterNovem is involved in many pan-European networks it is often asked to participate in European project. As lot of employees are both flattered by the question and find the idea of cooperation intriguing, they often try to make it work. This has led to many small project, were the investment in man-hours on bureaucracy has outweighed the actual hours for the total project as donated by the European Union.
Examples
The Dutch mobility management programme, as carried out by SenterNovem has supported many travel information initiative. Many of those have done partly the same research. In all EU countries similar initiatives have found a way of developing. SenterNovem is now participating in a forum to allow enterprises to share information. Clearly, this strengthens the national programme and SenterNovem fulfils a specific government role. Still, there are also commercial parties in this proposal as there were in competing proposal.
Solutions
Since the forming of SenterNovem three years ago, it has worked on a few solutions. It now has a proper system for checking the legality of participating. Still, in practice this is quite flexible.
Still not many departments of SenterNovem have a proper strategy of defining their European targets. This leads to an ad hoc structure for deciding on participating.
A solution therefore might be find in integrating such a strategy when creating (“programming” new national programs. Furthermore department assign European contact persons which compare the national programmes with the chances the European research programmes are offering. He also should confer with the international department of the central ministry on how SenterNovem should be involved in carrying out the European strategy of the department. This might not be the same strategy the direct contact for the national programme has.
R.J. Lindeman MA
This position paper shows the dilemmas facing the Dutch government and especially its agency on participating in European research and energy efficiency programmes. We will use the case of SenterNovem, the innovation agency of the Dutch ministry of Economic affairs to illustrate this.
SenterNovem often want to participate in European research and energy efficiency programs. This allows it to increase the effect of the tools developed in national programs and gain information due to corporation about the tools other countries have developed. As SenterNovem is one of the main agencies for carrying out the national research agenda, it has to be involved in the European research programmes to properly carry out that specific task.
The two main issues when deciding on participating in a project are.
• Is SenterNovem allowed to participate in the project?
SenterNovem is bound by the rules the internal market has laid down for participating. The agency cannot enter while competing with commercial enterprises. Still there are situations where it can still participate. It has to perform a specific governmental role, that a commercial cannot to, like facilitating, coordinating or creating synergy.
Furthermore, the situation of SenterNovem is extra peculiar when one realises that SenterNovem’s EG-Liaison department is responsible for giving information about research and energy efficiency proposals. To the outside world, it might look as if SenterNovem has a head start.
• Is it worth for SenterNovem to participate?
As SenterNovem is involved in many pan-European networks it is often asked to participate in European project. As lot of employees are both flattered by the question and find the idea of cooperation intriguing, they often try to make it work. This has led to many small project, were the investment in man-hours on bureaucracy has outweighed the actual hours for the total project as donated by the European Union.
Examples
The Dutch mobility management programme, as carried out by SenterNovem has supported many travel information initiative. Many of those have done partly the same research. In all EU countries similar initiatives have found a way of developing. SenterNovem is now participating in a forum to allow enterprises to share information. Clearly, this strengthens the national programme and SenterNovem fulfils a specific government role. Still, there are also commercial parties in this proposal as there were in competing proposal.
Solutions
Since the forming of SenterNovem three years ago, it has worked on a few solutions. It now has a proper system for checking the legality of participating. Still, in practice this is quite flexible.
Still not many departments of SenterNovem have a proper strategy of defining their European targets. This leads to an ad hoc structure for deciding on participating.
A solution therefore might be find in integrating such a strategy when creating (“programming” new national programs. Furthermore department assign European contact persons which compare the national programmes with the chances the European research programmes are offering. He also should confer with the international department of the central ministry on how SenterNovem should be involved in carrying out the European strategy of the department. This might not be the same strategy the direct contact for the national programme has.