WHAT IS COLLECTIVE RESEARCH? Collective Research is a type of research carried out by RTD performers (for example, research centres, universities, etc.) on behalf of industrial associations or groupings in order to expand the knowledge base and improve the overall competitiveness of large communities of SMEs. Collective Research projects are usually large-scale, Europe-wide initiatives set up to: Reinforce the technological basis of particular sector(s); Develop “technological tools” Perform pre-normative research to provide a scientific base for setting European norms and standards; Address common problems and challenges (for example, to meet regulatory requirements, such as health and safety in the workplace, environmental performance, etc.) Each Collective Research project includes a “core group” of SMEs who are involved in all aspects of the project, from the definition of the research to the dissemination of the final results. The intellectual property rights belong exclusively to the industrial associations/groupings, however, the SME core group and RTD performers may benefit from the exploitation of the results. ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED BY COLLECTIVE RESEARCH Collective Research projects can include the following type of activities: Research and innovation-related activities: based on well-defined and sharply focused research objectives; Consortium management activities: includes the overall coordination of the project by one of the industrial partners, groupings or RTD performers; Training activities: particularly the training of SME managers and technical staff on the use of the knowledge produced by the project.