The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP) is one of the 3 operational programmes under the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP). With a budget of around €2.17 billion for the overall period of 2007-2013, the EIP has several objectives aimed at directly and indirectly supporting entrepreneurial activity and innovation among businesses across Europe. These include support to cross-border co-operation through Europe-wide business and innovation support services delivered through a network of regional centres, better access to finance for SMEs through venture capital investment and loan guarantee instruments, and support for policy-making that encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.
The programme aims to achieve its objectives through the following actions:
