The International Conference on Territorial Development
Organised on the 28, 29 and 30th of January 2002 in Paris, this international conference will develop the clusters theme. Throughout the conference, the French Club of Industrial Districts (direction.sme@wanadoo.fr), with the sectorial clubs it gathers, will present at a exhibit its main networking activities. Thus, you will be able to meet the representatives of the Textile (annie@favrie.com), the Metalworking (almatec@wanadoo.fr) and the Communication(sbenchaba@yuko.fr) clubs, as well as local clusters managers. Don't delay to register to the conference ! The detailed programme on www.datar.gouv.fr. Registration : marchal.braun@wanadoo.fr.

To know better the Local Food processing industry Systems (SYAL)
A focus group, composed of French and international researchers, was created in order to know better the Local Food processing Systems (SYAL). These SYAL are clusters specialised in food processing industry. It is a local development process based on the concentration of food processing firms and farms that have the same activities. From the 16th to the 18th of October 2002, a scientific congress will be organised in order to present the results of different agricultural research programmes. For more info, contact the French scientific organisation specialising in agricultural research for the tropics and subtropics of the world: pascale.lajous-causse@cirad.fr. A website will be updated at the end of January :http://syal2002.cirad.fr.

R&D fosters the development of the Optic Valley - Arizona (USA)
Emerging in the 1940s, the Optic Valley in Tucson gradually developed its activities around about ten firms. The technical support of the Optic Sciences Centre (OSC) of the Arizona University helps structuring the optic network, favouring spin-off and the implementation of various high technology firms. Nowadays, the Arizona Optic Industry Association (AIOA) gathers almost 180 firms. Collaboration between research - training - industry allowed the Optic Valley to become a world famous optic pole. To get more details, click on www.aoia.org. Last October, Tucson welcomed the 4th annual conference of the Competitiveness Institute on " Clusters and the new economy ". For more information : www.competitiveness.org.

The Parisian cluster on e-economy develop is partnership with Lebanon
During the French-speaking community Days and the "Information and Communication Technologies" show in Betroth, the e-economy cluster of Le Sentier (Paris) has met Lebanese firms working in the same sector. The Association NET, instigator of the Parisian cluster, answered to the call for proposal on transnational partnerships inter-clusters, launched by the Datar. It took advantage of this programme to reinforce the links with the Lebanese firms, to help them structuring their network and to engage inter-clusters partnerships in the computer science sector. To get more details, contact NET : 32.com@espacecoach.com.

Emergence of a numerical pole in the Poitou-Charentes region (France)
Near Poitiers, the numerical sector has grown up. In 2001, 12 firms worked together to create the association " Seuil du Poitou Numérique " so as to reinforce their complementary activities in a cluster logic. These first actions in progress strengthen the inter-entreprises links : website, organising meetings to exchange, gathering new partners (research and training centers). Their aim is to share means to develop technological research, competencies management, opening to international markets… For more info : contact@spn.asso.fr.

ERDF-funded Innovative Actions (period 2000-2006) foster inter-firms co-operation
Within the framework of ERDF-funded innovative actions in the period 2000-2006, the DG REGIO launches annually a call for proposals to European regions regardless of status under Objective 1 or 2. This programme can support the creation / strengthening of Local Productive Systems or "clustering" networks as knowledge and innovation management projects. It seems that a few French regions answered the call for proposal in 2001. For the 2002 programme, propositions of regional programmes must be sent to the European Commission at the latest 31st of May. To get more details, contact Jean-Marie.Rousseau@cec.eu.int or Jean-Pierre.Berg@cec.eu.int (DG REGIO) and let's meet the European Commission representatives on their stand throughout the International Conference on Territorial Development (28/29/30th of January, Paris). For more information : http://inforegio.cec.eu.int/innovating/

Very Small Enterprises looking forward competitivity… are the networks and the clusters a solution ? - 18th of January 2002 - Saint André de Sangonis (Hérault - France). Entrepreneurs, local development players and public authorities representatives are expected to the seminar so as to debate on the role of enterprises' networks and on their impact on the territories. Some French clusters experiences will be presented. This meeting is organised by the Enterprises Association of Saint-André de Sangonis and the IDEE network (Initiative for the development of the enterprise spirit). For more info and to register : mde@mde.asso.fr.

Clusters in transition countries - 18th of February - Slovakia. The OECD, the Central European Initiative (CEI) and the European Bank of Reconstitruction and Development (EBRD) organise, on the 18th of February 2002, in Slovakia, a second seminar to know better local clusters in transition countries. The first seminar, held in Slovenia, shown that this country is already advanced with clustering support forming an important part of its industrial policy. A cluster-mapping exercise has already been undertaken, identifying three sectors of industry (machine tools, transport and automotive sector). To get more details : dina.ionescu@oecd.org or johanna.moehring@oecd.org.

Etude sur les conditions de développement des systèmes productifs localisés au Maroc (Claude Courlet, IREPD, July 2001).
Within the framework of the decentralisation process, the Moroccan government fosters the development of local clusters. The Economic Research on Production and Development Institute has worked on the pre-identification of local clusters in Morocco. This report present the first results of this exploratory mission and shows the interest of developing inter-enterprises networks in Morocco. Contact : claude.courlet@upmf-grenoble.fr
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Etude sur les SPL artisanaux (ISM - January 2002). The Jobs High Institute (ISM) will publish at the beginning of 2002 a report on local clusters working in the craft industry. This report, based on the local experiences, analyse the characteristics of craft enterprises compared to craft clusters. Contact : Annie Becquet a.becquet@ism.asso.fr.

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