www.neac.eu.com
Lead partner / Chef de File
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry
75, Harborne Road
B15 3DH
UNITED KINGDOM
Contact person / Personne à contacter
Kishor Pala
Tel: 0044 121 607 1832
Fax: 44 121 605 6848
Email: kpala@neac.eu.com
Duration / Durée
February 2005 - December 2007
Total budget / Budget total (EUR): 1.725.000
ERDF contribution / Contribution FEDER (EUR): 995.000
NEAC - Network of European Automotive Competence

Programme zone / Zone de programme :
West / Ouest

Type of operation / Type d'opération
Network / Réseau

Topic for co-operation / Thème de coopération éligibles
Other appropriate subjects

Background
In an increasingly global and competitive market, the automotive industry faces an ongoing battle to adapt its technology to changing needs. This applies to suppliers as well as to system and vehicle producers. Regional SMEs (small to medium-sized enterprises) belonging to the auto-supply chain have looked for ways to overcome these challenges. For many regions, the establishment of clusters focusing on specific fields of competence have proven to be a useful tool, providing an interface between regional development strategies and key economic players. Until now these efforts have been mostly region specific. There has been little in the way of an interregional strategy at the European level which could help European automotive regions to work together to increase their global competitivity.
Overall objective / Objectif général
The project intends to provide a platform to help automotive regions understand the competences and excellence of their own supply base within the context of the EU. By creating joint approaches and instruments, NEAC wants to improve regional and European competitivity of the automotive supply industry.
Expected results / Résultats attendus
The partnership brings together local and regional actors in a network which is recognised as a stakeholder at the European level. NEAC is creating a standard methodology which all the partners can use to self-monitor their own competences and competitivity. The NEAC framework enables regions to work together to have a full understanding of the diversity and distribution of automotive competence. Furthermore, NEAC encourages the joint development of new tools and new approaches.

The network keeps beneficiaries informed and raises awareness of the potential of European automotive regions. For the regions themselves, being part of a network allows them better access to European programmes, improved knowledge of regional support policies and the opportunity to influence the next generation of EU Structural Fund programmes.
Partnership / Partenaires
Name of Institution, Town / Titre de l'institution, Ville Country / Pays Region / Région Contact information / Détails de contact
Welsh Automotive Forum, Bridgend UNITED KINGDOM WALES Tel.: 44 1656 658855
Email: tim@waf.ws
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Ljubljana SLOVENIA SLOVENIJA Tel.: 386 1 4771510
Email: Matjia.fajdiga@fs.uni-lj.si
Economic Region of Chemnitz-Zwickau, District Office of Chemnitz County, Glauchau GERMANY SACHSEN Tel.: 49 3763 45-864 or -878
Email: heidi.kube@lra-cl.de
WARR Wroclaw Regional Development Agency, Wroclaw POLAND DOLNOSLASKIE Tel.: 48 71 3445841
Email: warr@warr.pl
IMPIVA - Institute for Small and Medium Sized industry of Valencia, Valencia SPAIN COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA Tel.: 34 96 3986230
Email: francisco.ferrando@impiva.gva.es
Research Centre Julich, Jülich GERMANY NORDRHEIN-WESTFALEN Tel.: 0049 2461 690694
Email: j.von.reis@fz-juelich.de
., . other other Tel.: .
Email: .
Regional Council of Lorraine, Metz FRANCE LORRAINE Tel.: 33 387 336065
Email: pierre.bourgogne@cr-lorraine.fr
Ministry of Business and Labour of the State Saxony Anhalt, Magdeburg GERMANY SACHSEN-ANHALT Tel.: 49 392 0382530
Email: info@mahreg.de
., . other other Tel.: .
Email: .
Province of Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia ITALY EMILIA-ROMAGNA Tel.: 0039 0522 444174
Email: c.manicardi@mbox.provincia.re.it
Ministry of Economic Development Investment and Trade of Samara Oblast, Samara Russian Federation other Tel.: 78462 332198
Email: kovshova@economy.vis.ru
Bacs Kiskun County Foundation for Enterprise Promotion, Kecskemét HUNGARY DEL-ALFOLD Tel.: 36 76 485505
Email: info@bacs-lea.hu
Regional Support Intermediation Non-profit Company, Budapest HUNGARY KOZEP-MAGYARORSZAG Tel.: 36 1 4863110
Email: info@rtk.hu
Achievements so far
NEAC started in Jan 05 and completed Dec 07 and it has achieved specific results and strategy recommendations for the European Automotive Sector. The three content related components have been completed. By mid 2006 component 2 'Competence Assesment' was completed and by 30th. June 2007 component 3 'Competitiveness Assessment' was finished. The results of C2 and C3 have been the input indicators for component 4 'Competitiveness Agendas'. Component 4 was finalised on target in Nov 07. NEAC has drawn conclusions, formulated recommendations, strategy and policies which will enhance the strength and competitivess of the automotive supply base in Europe. A system has been developed to assure the sustainablility of the results of C4. In this system also the need to find solutions for 'future skills' and 'alternative fuels', two hot issues for the automotive industry, are included. All partners have recognised the value in participating in the project and that this is a1st step towards future collaboration through the pan-European network, EASN. The need for collaboration has been recognised, not only by the NEAC partners but also by the other identified automotive related EU projects (Belcar, TCAS, Automotive Regions and ICARO). The work towards EASN has started and in the future, the partners will work within this framework on collaborative initiatives. Even though NEAC has completed its planned activity, through the final report and the website, which will be maintained in 2008, the link between NEAC and EASN will be elaborated and strengthened. The results of the final report will be used as a foundation for developing on-going activity to support the NEAC partners, other EASN project partners and those regions not involved so far.