Europe Association Steering Group Minutes. Present: Phil Bennion. Neena Gill. Apologies

Transcription

1 Eurpe Assciatin Steering Grup Minutes Present: Steve Harding Clare Lewis Heather Law Abdul Qadir Jnathan Webber Phil Bennin Paul Knbbs Katharine Fuller James Wdcck Jn Blmfield Andy Radnight Gina Rippn Val Birchall Sandy Taylr Pam Waddell Mhammed Zahir Xavier Rdde Ellen McAdam Isla Aguilar Liz Baines Miquel Oyarz Llyd Brad Jennifer Crisp Neena Gill Beverley Nielsen BCU (chair) DanceXchange Birmingham Chamber f Cmmerce MEP Astn University Innvatin Birmingham Ltd Internatinal Synergies Ltd Innvatin Birmingham Ltd University f Warwick Astn University Birmingham Science City University f Birmingham Birmingham Museums BE Festival CBSO BE Festival MEP BCU & Birmingham Made Me Aplgies Keith Stkes-Smith Tim Mansn Peter Layburn Hnrary Cnsul fr Lithuania Marketing Birmingham Internatinal Synergies Ltd 1

2 1. Welcme 1a. Intrductins Jennifer Crisp (Eurpean Affairs Manager, BCC) welcmed everyne t the first meeting and utlined the ratinale behind the assciatin and its purpse. The Eurpean Assciatin was frmed as part f BCC s Distinctly Birmingham Strategy which was launched n the 20 th September t supprt the city and lcal partners in their internatinal wrk. Area based assciatins have been set up in relatin t China and the Far East, Nrth and Suth America, and the Cmmnwealth. The purpse f these Assciatins is t bring tgether city partners t develp ideas, and encurage infrmatin sharing and pprtunities fr jint wrking where apprpriate. Given the ptential fr a very large number f peple being interested in Eurpean wrk (apprx. 90 attended the Eurpe wrkshp at the launch f the Internatinal Strategy in September), in rder t keep discussin manageable this meeting is intended as a Eurpe Assciatin Steering Grup. Steve Harding frm Birmingham City University was intrduced as the interim chair f the Eurpean Assciatin. Rund table intrductins were made. Each rganisatin was asked t share infrmatin abut ne Eurpean prject r initiative they are invlved in. See appendix Rle and purpse f the Eurpean Assciatin Steering Grup It was agreed that the rle f the grup is t: prmte better sharing f infrmatin, as well as imprving jining-up and c-rdinatin f Eurpean activities acrss the city, and t devise an actin plan t this end. It shuld nt duplicate existing structures but utilise them. The grup s fcus will be n maximising (nn-structural) funding pprtunities t supprt Birmingham s pririties, deepening exchange and partnerships, and enhancing Birmingham s reputatin and influence in Eurpe. 3. Jint Eurpean pririties fr 2014 Fur pririty areas that were presented by Jennifer as set ut in the discussin paper n identifying jint pririties and actins. There was supprt fr the pririties and many f the actins. During discussins the fllwing pints were discussed: 2

3 Partners shuld seek t invlve smaller inexperienced rganisatins in accessing EU funding pprtunities, this culd be prvided thrugh briefings and supprt sessins. This shuld als include partner searches and cnsrtia building where apprpriate. Larger rganisatins such as universities are already experienced in accessing EU funding pprtunities and can help shape and direct the Eurpe Assciatin s pririties in terms f large scale funding pprtunities fr instance Hrizn 2020 and KIC, prjects culd be used t help meet sme f the city s pririties. That we shuld cntinue t use existing structures like the RDI (research, develpment and innvatin) and EEN (Enterprise Eurpe Netwrk) grups t supprt and signpst interested parties. That the Distinctly Birmingham website (currently under develpment) shuld be used t signpst and share key infrmatin with lcal partners, prviding a repsitry f dcuments, etc. There wuld be merit in a ptential event shwcasing the wrk f partners already wrking acrss the EU, highlighting the benefits f wrking in Eurpe Need t make cnnectins t key rganisatins wh will have extensive cntacts with sectrs such as RAWM fr the Third Sectr and the Chamber fr SMEs Hw can we better supprt experience exchange? Simple peple and mbility exchange. It was agreed that Jnathan Webber and Jennifer Crisp t discuss hw the EEN can further supprt Eurpean pprtunities in relatin t SMEs and trade, perhaps by setting up a sub-grup n this matter. It was agreed that BCC will set up a series f briefing sessins fr specific sectrs e.g. schls, third sectr etc wishing t access EU Funds. Larger rganisatins already wrking acrss EU funding pprtunities t cntinue t wrk and netwrk with each ther thrugh existing structures (i.e. RDI Grup, etc. ), t share ideas and pprtunities fr cllabrative wrking in accessing EU funds That we shuld all reprt n ur EU successes, this will als infrm the debate n the benefits f EU engagement t Birmingham. It was agreed that BCC wuld develp the discussin paper int an actin plan, taking int accunt the discussins, and fllwing up with clleagues and rganisatins befre the next meeting. See the attached dcument. 4. Infrmatin sharing A website is currently under develpment t prmte infrmatin sharing abut hw Birmingham s Eurpean & Internatinal Strategy, Distinctly Birmingham, is being delivered. Partners are encuraged, n an n-ging basis t submit news articles abut Eurpean initiatives and prjects that they are invlved in. 3

4 5. Gvernance and rganisatinal issues It was agreed by the grup that Steve Harding will chair the Eurpe Assciatin thrughut It was agreed t hld 3 Eurpean Assciatin Steering Grup meetings a year, which wuld be rganised by. The next meeting will be in May and the prpsed date will be circulated with the minutes. It was agreed that a 4 th meeting wuld be held twards the end f the year but that this wuld be pen t the much larger grup f stakehlders and wuld be a netwrking pprtunity and an chance t take stck f prgress made t date. Next meeting Time: 13:00-14:30 Date: Venue: Friday 9 May Innvatin Birmingham Ltd Hlt Street Birmingham Science Park Astn, B7 4BB Agenda t fllw. Will include a fcus the Climate KIC (Knwledge and Innvatin Cmmunity) and ther KIC develpments. 4

5 Appendix 1 Rundtable update n key Eurpean prjects and initiatives partners are invlved in: BCU is part f a new Eurpean Design and Innvatin Platfrm bringing tgether SMEs and regins acrss the EU. Last year s BE Festival tur f Madrid sld ut. CBSO has 15 Eurpean cncerts in 17 days planned this year. BMAG has an internatinal lans prgramme which the current phtrealism exhibitin is part f. University f Birmingham is wrking with the Eurpean Cmmissin n issues relating t the delivery f a new chemical Directive. Identifying Hrizn 2020 pprtunities. s business enterprise and innvatin team is currently invlved in tw Interreg prjects, COGITA which lks at crprate scial respnsibility and SMEs and Creative SPIN which is n creative spill-ver pprtunities. Birmingham Science City and University f Warwick are c-rdinating a West Midlands cnsrtium f partners wh will frm part f a much brader Eurpean cnsrtium that is bidding t becme the new Active and Healthy Ageing KIC (Knwledge and Innvatin Cmmunity). s Climate Change and Envirnment team is c-rdinating a jint meeting f the EUROCITIES Envirnment Frum and Mbility Frum n the theme f sustainable mbility. Birmingham is currently Chair f the EUROCITIES Envirnment Frum. s Culture team is active in the EUROCITIES Culture Frum and its Access t Culture Wrking Grup. Astn University s Brain Centre has signed a memrandum f understanding with a brain research rganisatin in Lyn. Identifying Hrizn 2020 pprtunities. Als wrking n a EU Researcher Night prject with the Library f Birmingham. University f Warwick is interested in the Advance Manufacturing KIC the call fr which is expected in 2016 given their cnnectins t the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. Identifying Hrizn 2020 pprtunities. Innvatin Birmingham Ltd cntinues t lead fr the West Midlands n the Climate KIC which brings tgether a large Eurpean cnsrtium f academic, public and private partners. The Climate KICs Pineers int Practice prgramme ffers funded 2 x 1 mnth placements fr prfessinals frm all sectrs whse rle relates t climate change. Innvatin Birmingham is als lking fr experts in a range f areas such as industrial symbisis and the built envirnment, travel csts will be cvered. 5

6 Internatinal Synergies Ltd is currently active in the Climate KIC and is delivering industrial symbisis prgrammes in several EU cuntries. Phil Bennin MEP sits n the Eurpean Parliament s Emplyment and Transprt Cmmittees. He highlighted the fact that HS2 was part f the TEN-T Cnnecting Eurpe prgramme, and the pprtunities fr SMEs. Birmingham Chamber f Cmmerce is respnsible fr part f the Eurpe Enterprise Netwrk service and Eurpe Direct. It is currently invlved in EurpeAid and Erasmus fr Entrepreneurs. DanceXchange will have perfrmers frm Eurpe taking part in this year s Internatinal Dance Festival. 6