More innovation for SMEs Outlining best practices in research and innovation using peer reviews has helped small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) advance, fostering joint projects and encouraging economic growth. Climate Change and Environment © Hagen Ettner In Europe's ongoing drive to upgrade research and development (R&D), SMEs are getting to benefit from several projects that the European Commission has undertaken to support them. One of these initiatives is the project 'Best practices to bring research and innovation in European SME through the peer review method' (Europeer SME) which helped promote innovation within SMEs. The project brought together experts and policymakers to map the most ideal instruments for promoting innovation and encouraging joint projects. Europeer SME rendered R&D policies geared to SMEs more effective in order to encourage economic growth. It promoted mutual learning, outlined best practices and encouraged the proliferation of related mechanisms and instruments among SMEs to address common challenges and overcome them. The project improved transfer schemes and transferability of information through the exchange of best practices. It identified legal factors that support transferability and investigated regional R&D policies that favour innovation within SMEs. In addition, the project's peer review approach produced important recommendations and valuable insight on strengthening the top 10 best practice instruments in this regard. Europeer SME also successfully encouraged regional research and innovation with respect to SMEs and created an online platform to exchange knowledge regarding the promotion of research and innovation. Lastly, many new ideas emerged from the project concerning long-term continuation of its efforts, not least of which is the website. All of these have proven very useful to promote innovation beyond the project's mandate.
