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b>The European Parliament has adopted the first "Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme" (CIP). Between 2007 and 2013, some 350,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will receive € 3.6 billion in EU support to invest in all forms of innovation and growth. The new programme will support actions to help enterprises and industry to innovate. It will also boost energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, environmental technologies and a better use of information and communication technology (ICT).

CIP is composed of three specific programmes:
(1) Start up and growth of SMEs: the “Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme” with a budget of € 2.17 billion including € 430 million to promote eco-innovation.

(2) Information and communication technologies: the “ICT Policy Support Programme”, with a budget of € 730 million, will contribute to competitiveness, growth and jobs through stimulating a wider adoption and more efficient take up and better use of ICT.

(3) Increased use of renewable energy and reduced energy consumption the “Intelligent Energy-Europe Programme” with a budget of € 730 million will support energy efficiency, new and renewable energy sources, and technological solution to reduce greenhouse gas emission cause by the transport sector.

Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme

The Swedish EMS provider Note has signed a letter of intent to acquire Nordic-Printdesign, which offers PCB design know-how. Nordic-Printdesign currently has 8 employees at offices in Oslo and Stockholm. This acquisition marks the first step in Note’s initiative to increase its market share in Norway.

UK distributor Anglia has signed a UK and Ireland distribution agreement with Japanese connector manufacturer Hirose. Hirose manufactures a wide range of connectors for applications that include automotive, digital cameras and digital video cameras, mobile phones and PDAs, notebook PCs, DVD recorders, plasma display panels, as well as a range of RF and microwave components.

Previously, Anglia announced that it has signed a UK and Ireland distribution agreement with specialist connector manufacturer Bulgin. The Bulgin product range includes connectors, as well as a range of battery and fuse holders, EMI filters, indicators and security switches.

Acal Semiconductors has signed a franchise agreement to sell Microchip Technology's complete range of microcontroller and analog semiconductors in the UK and Ireland.

Harting has signed a distribution agreement for electronics connector products with Futura Electronics. Futura, based in Balbriggan near Dublin, will distribute Harting products throughout Ireland. Futura Electronics is an Irish company established in 1983 as component agents and distributors.

Swiss EMS supplier Enics has completed the third extension of its Elva Business Unit in Estonia. Enics has been operating in Elva since the year 2004. The main role of Enics Elva is to provide cost competitive alternative for customers inside Europe. This means manufacturing products which do not require close customer proximity and having higher and medium volumes for industrial and medical electronics customers. "We will grow significantly and double our capacity within the next couple of months. This growth requires new workforce, at the moment we employ 450 people, but by the end of this year the amount will be over 500", states Mr. Kalle Kuusik, General Manager, Enics Eesti.