Adeje council, as team leader of the SMART-ECO project, recently organised the IV transnational SMART-ECO mission Project (Interreg MAC 2014-2020 programme), in partnership with the Island of Pico Science and Technology Park (ACIP). The meeting, in the Azores, ran from March 22 – 25 and was, in fact, the first in-person event of the project following the pandemic. The objective of the meeting was to address digitalisation and innovation in micro and small businesses.
“To be able to attend this meeting in person, to be part of an important development that brings together public and private enterprises, is like a breath of fresh air. All of the partners have been able to sit down and discuss and exchange ideas reflecting the reality of the situation facing micro, small and medium enterprises and advances in digitisation, a tool which is becoming increasingly important improving productivity”, commented the Adeje councillor for transition, the ecology, territorial development and job creation, Manuel Luis Méndez Mártin, who represented the council at the event.
During the event there were presentations by local small companies on the positive changes digitisation has meant to their businesses. Delegates were also invited to learn more about local infrastructures that are encouraging job and economic development in the region.
The next meeting, if health conditions permit, will be in June.
Mission objectives
This mission is under the SMART-ECO plan, the objective being to improve digital competitivity in businesses in the MAC zone (Madeira, the Azores, the Canaries). There are 67 projects already approved, with 85% of finance from FEDER, the European Regional Development Funds, with a current budget of €1,309,640.
Interreg V-A - Spain-Portugal (Madeira-Azores-Canarias (MAC))
The cooperation programme Spain-Portugal (Madeira, Canaries and Azores) addresses the most important cross-border challenges linked to the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy in the 3 Archipelagos border regions.
Strategically, within the two axes "Smart Growth", the programme contributes to a strengthened cross-border regional innovation capacity as well as to an increased cooperation of small and medium-sized enterprises and research and development sector across borders.
