The actions implemented by Hitech Federation are organised around three main topics

reinforcing business relationships between innovative SMEs and large customers,
improving European R&D support schemes for SMEs
lobbying the European Commission in support of a European Small Business Act

The SME Pact programme

The goal of the SME Pact is to reinforce the business relationships of large-scale enterprises and public procurement agencies with innovative European SMEs in order to foster the development of the best SMEs into new international market leaders.

The SME Pact is based on a voluntary commitment of three parties: SME clusters, innovation agencies, large companies and its goal is to establish between them a win-win relationship. The SME Pact is connected is large national or European RTD programmes.

Three programmes are currently implemented:

[met] for Business (development of new relationships between high tech SMEs and buyers from large entities)
Feedback Forums (exchange of experience between a large entity and its suppliers)
SMEWatch (visibility on the share of procurement awarded to SMEs)

The SME Pact is being implemented in four European countries by OSEO and Comité Richelieu (France), FSi (Norway), OMFL (Netherlands) and Torino Wireless (Italy).

SME Pact Presentation

European R&D support schemes for SMEs

ECARE+ http://www.ecare-sme.org
Following the successful ECARE Project (2003-2006), HTFED is in charge of the coordination of this follow-up project focussing on the coordination of regional Aeronautics bodies at the European level with a view to support SME participation in Level 1 & 2 projects of the 7th Framework Programme.
ECARE+ abstract
ARTEMIS http://www.cordis.lu/ist/artemis
Following the EMTECH project, HTFED has represented the interests of the SME community within the ARTEMIS European Technology Platform. HTFED has participated at the Steering Board level and was involved in the Innovation Environment Working Group in the preparatory phase of the ARTEMISIA Association. Through its Spanish member GAIA, HTFED now chairs the ARTEMIS SME Involvement Working Group, with a mission to build the ARTEMISIA SME College and implement the ARTEMISIA SME Pact.
EMTECH http://www.emtech-sme.org
HTFED has coordinated from 2004 to 2006 the EMTECH Project, funded by the EC (INFSO/Embedded Systems Unit). The project focussed on supporting involvement of SMEs in European-funded research, and included brokerage events organised in cooperation with the ARTEMIS European Technology Platform.
EMTECH fact sheet
SUN&SUP http://www.sunsup.org
HTFED has coordinated from 2003 to 2006 the SUN&SUP project, part of the PAXIS programme funded by the Innovation Policies Unit of the EC. The project focussed on the creation of a European network of high tech start ups, working together with a European network of service providers in order to propose novel services for the creation and development of start ups. The project was the opportunity to test a SME Pact pilot action, later to be developed as a full-scale project.
SUN&SUP abstract
ITEA/ITEA2 http://www.itea2.org
Since 1999 HTFED is member of the ITEA2 Board alongside with large companies including Airbus, Alcatel, Barco, Bosch, Bull, DaimlerChrysler, Italtel, Nokia, Philips, Siemens and Thomson. HTFED carries out the voice of European high tech SMEs and sends a technical expert to the Proposal evaluation / Project review meetings.

European Small Business Act

The exemption of European SMEs from the scope of the World Trade Organisation’s Government Procurement Agreement would give them access to 1500 Billions euros of Public procurement in Europe.

Access to public procurement for European SMEs, a vital commitment - 19 October 2006, Brussels