RTD needs and opinions of European food SMEs

The needs and opinions of European food SMEs (small to medium sized enterprises) in relation to RTD (research and technological development) was obtained in 1994 via two questionnaires issued in 16 European countries. This survey was part of the ongoing 17-country FLAIR-FLOW EUROPE project which was conceived at The National Food Centre and is co-ordinated from there. Food SMEs, and especially then very small companies,are key players in the industrial fabric of Europe and their voice must be heard in relation to their RTD needs, and also their opinions on the content of current and future EU food research programmes. European research his shown that SMEs are the 'engines' of Europe's changing economy (European Commission, DGXII, RTD-Info, April 1995, No. 9, p. 2). SMEs, and especially micro-firms are the main source of new jobs while high-tech SMEs create twice as many innovations per employee than large companies. It is stressed that the findings presented from this survey must not be interpreted rigidly but in a broad and general way.