The Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) has released a call for proposals for CIP ‘Eco-innovation pilot and market replication projects’. The call has been earmarked 28 million euros will be aimed at supporting innovation and small and medium-sized enterprises.

CIP Eco-Innovation is part of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP) which seeks to support innovation and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU. The EIP, is part of the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP), which aims at encouraging the competitiveness of European enterprises. With SMEs as its main target, CIP also comprises actions encouraging a better take-up and use of information and communications technologies (ICT) and promotes the increased use of renewable energies and energy efficiency.

Types of actions to be supported:

• Cleaner production processes with preference for those sectors having an important environmental impact, such as construction, food and drink industry and waste recycling.
• Innovative environmentally friendly products and services, including innovative approaches to the eco-design of products or eco-labelling.
• Support to enterprises (especially SMEs) in greening their business, products and management methods - especially innovative approaches to environmental management systems or increased eco-efficiency.

The dealine for submitting proposals to the call is the 11th September 2008.

All information concering conditions and prereqiusits for presenting proposals can be found on the official website of the DG for environment.

The official text has also been made available on the official website of the European Union.