The COMMIT project was approved under the programme priority "Smarter Europe" in the 2nd call for proposals of the Interreg Europe programme (MFF 2021-2027). The project consortium consists of 11 partners from eight EU Member States, in which Energy Agency KSSENA is engaged in the form of a double regional partnership together with the Development Agency of the Savinjsko-Saleško Region. The overall objective of the Interreg Europe programme is to study and amend different policy instruments in force, which, in addition to national strategic frameworks, also include regional and local strategic and sustainable planning. In the framework of the COMMIT project Energy Agency KSSENA and RA SAŠA will tackle the Regional Development Programme of Savinjsko-Šaleška Region 2021-2027.
The industrial transition to a low carbon economy presents major challenges for regions developing or transforming their SME base to low-carbon activities while avoiding ‘carbon leakage’ (i.e. preventing firms from avoiding emissions' rules), ensuring good jobs and not worsening territorial inequalities. As major industries decarbonise, SMEs in supply chains come under pressure to adapt their processes to retain business. However, many SMEs, especially micro-enterprises, have limited resources and lack access to information, finance, technology and skills. The potential for providing effective and efficient SME support to exploit the potential of low carbon activities varies widely across European regions, depending on SME profiles, development paths, and the capacity of public and private sectors. Effective support needs to incorporate a bottom-up approach through partnerships and collaborative working, particularly with SMEs themselves and SME stakeholders.
The overall objective of the project is to support local and regional authorities in developing an SME support ecosystem for the industrial transition. COMMIT will focus on 4 inter-related areas where the mechanisms for SME access need to be improved: information/knowledge, innovation/technology, finance, and skills. Through the identification, analysis, and dissemination of good practices, it will support the development of place-based strategies, instruments, facilities, and governance arrangements that can deliver an integrated and coherent support for low-carbon entrepreneurship, SME development, and competitiveness while giving particular attention to microenterprises and entrepreneurship among underrepresented groups. It will identify effective processes of strategy development, the design and implementation of instruments and facilities, the use of different governance mechanisms to achieve collaboration, and the tools for the monitoring and evaluation of strategies in practice.
COMMIT has commonalities with 4 EU projects: GRESS, SMEPlus, FOUNDATION and SCALE UP and builds on learning in DeCarb (Interreg Europe 2013–2020) but is distinctive in 4 ways: (a) it addresses the entire ecosystem for SME support (information, innovation, finance, and skills) where there are acknowledged policy gaps; (b) it focuses on micro-enterprises, which often have less attention than fast-growing or internationalising SMEs; (c) it examines place-based initiatives to support SMEs at different spatial scales; (d) it seeks to improve policy synergies - via coherent, integrated strategies and policy instruments, with testing of their feasibility and relevance. COMMIT also has a distinctive organisational approach. Alongside conferences and site visits, the project involves online coffee-break workshops and problem-solving meetings to further enrich the exchange of experiences and good practices. Finally, the advisory partner (AP03) will ensure a coordinated, structured management of knowledge events and capture of learning.
General Project Information:
Program: Interreg Europe
Project ID: 02C0599
Program priority: Smarter Europe
Project Specific objective: SME competitivness
Project type: Classic project
Approval date: 12.12.2023
Acronym: COMMIT
Title: Low-Carbon SME Development and Transition
Project duration: 48 mesecev
Project start date: 01.04.2024
Budget: 2.391.412,00 €
Indicative budget of KSSENA: 267.060,00 €
Partnership: 11 partners from 8 EU member states
LP01 (Lead Partner) Zavod Energetska agencija za Savinjsko, Šaleško in Koroško (SI)
PP02 Razvojna Agencija Savinjsko-Šaleške Regije (SI)
AP03 Stichting EPRC DELFT (NL)
PP04 Aalborg Municipality (DK)
PP05 Municipality of Rotterdam (NL)
PP06 Consortium Extremadura Energy Agency (ES)
PP07 Stara Zagora Regional Economic Development Agency (BG)
PP08 Rogaland County Council (NO)
PP09 Energy Transition Norway (NO)
PP10 University of Western Macedonia (GR)
PP11 Municipality of Eordea (GR)
Webpage: https://www.interregeurope.eu/commit