Corallia Clusters Initiative

European Cluster Alliance

Corallia has been working continuously in transferring its operating model both within Greece as well as within Europe via its participation in the European Cluster Alliance.

"What is the European Cluster Alliance?
The European Cluster Alliance is an open platform that was established to maintain a permanent policy dialogue at EU level among national and regional public authorities responsible for developing cluster policies and managing cluster programmes in their countries. This policy dialogue aims at raising the level of excellence and efficiency of cluster policies in Europe which will result in the creation of more competitive world-class clusters in Europe, as recently proposed by the Commission Communication on clusters. The European Cluster Alliance was founded in September 2006 by the partners involved in 4 cluster policy projects funded under the PRO INNO Europe initiative of the European Commission. It has been welcomed by the Competitiveness Council as in important European initiative to foster cluster cooperation. The European Cluster Alliance is much more than just another cluster networking project. Since January 2008, it is open to external public cluster-relevant organisations in Europe willing to share experiences and to develop joint activities with the other partners of the Alliance. The European Cluster Alliance aims at becoming the single place at EU level for elaborating new ideas and practical tools for improving cluster policy in Europe and for fostering European cooperation at policy level that will facilitate the further development of more competitive world-class clusters in Europe."

European Cluster Memorandum

Corallia also participated in the establishement of "The European Cluster Memorandum".

"The European Cluster Memorandum is addressed to all cluster policy stakeholders working at regional, national and EU level and calls them to reinforce their efforts and cooperation to better and faster respond to the new challenges that clusters are facing today in Europe. It presents arguments why Europe needs stronger clusters and trans-national cluster cooperation and provides 'an agenda for policy action' to promote European Innovation through Clusters. The European Cluster Memorandum was prepared by a High Level Advisory Group of experts on clusters chaired by Senator Pierre Laffitte and established under the Europe INNOVA initiative of the European Commission. It is currently being sent to regional governments and cluster-relevant agencies across Europe for signature in preparation of a European Cluster Strategy to be developed in 2008". Read the texte.

Sophia-Antipolis Foundation & Open Days 2008

 There is active cooperation with other centers of excellence and cluster initiatives in Europe, such as the Sophia-Antipolis Foundation with which opportunities for joint projects between Greek and European companies are evaluated. The signature of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sophia-Antipolis Foundation has resulted in the participation in several networking events in Europe and the setting up of a Working Group for the exchange of ideas and know-how towards further advancement of European clusters.

A notable example of this co-operation was the organization of a session during the Open Days 2008 (p.46), hosted by the Directorate-General for Regional Policy (DG REGIO) in October 2008, where the initiative for a greater Mediterranean Cohesion Policy was jointly presented by the Sophia-Antipolis Foundation and Corallia. Similar business relationships were also established with selected clusters and cluster initiatives from all over the world, as in the case of the first EU-Japan Cluster Forum (Yokohama, Dec 2008), where Corallia's participation resulted to cooperation with several industrial Japanese partners.

European-Japan Cluster Collaboration

Similar business relationships were also established with selected clusters and cluster initiatives from all over the world, as in the case of the first EU-Japan Cluster Forum (Yokohama, Dec 2008), where Corallia's participation resulted to cooperation with several industrial Japanese partners.