1.0Blog iSciencehttps://iscience.blogactiv.euiSciencehttps://iscience.blogactiv.eu/author/iscience/<a href="http://www.euractiv.com/en/opinion/french-presidency-seeks-strong-small-business-act/article-172989" title="Direct link to file"><img src="http://iscience.blogactiv.eu/files/2008/06/innovation2.thumbnail.jpg" alt="innovation2.jpg" align="left" height="128" width="128" /></a>84% of European SMEs think that the education system and in particular school curricula do not focus enough on entrepreneurship, calling for a stronger link between the SME community and schools. 66% supported setting up EU programmes for cross-border mobility and e-skills. France wants to promote its "pôles de competitivité" system to the Commission as an example to be followed across Europe. This model brings small and larger businesses together as part of a cluster to address particular technologies. <strong>Limited innovative capacities and limited R&D expenditure</strong> This aspect was also a central focus of the Stoléru group, which concluded that small, innovative businesses – similar to the US system - should be awarded a 15% quota of the research and development market in Europe. The proposal is based on the experience with the French SME pact, put in place in 2005, which represents a voluntary commitment made by large public or private entities. <a href="http://www.euractiv.com/en/opinion/french-presidency-seeks-strong-small-business-act/article-172989">Read complete article on EurActiv.com</a>.rich