Information and Communication Technologies Policy Support Programme (ICT PSP) ιν the CIP is one of the main financial instruments of the i2010 initiative.

The ICT PSP aims at stimulating innovation and competitiveness through the wider uptake and best use of ICT by citizens, governments and businesses, particularly Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. The approach is based on leveraging innovation in response to growing societal demands.

Despite progress in the uptake of ICT in Europe, Europe can and must exploit these technologies better. Businesses, in particular SMEs, can make more and better use of ICT to innovate in products, services and processes. Public organisations can take further advantage of advances in ICT to provide more efficient and higher quality services. Disparities across Europe are also wide. The ICT policy support programme will help overcome the hurdles hindering the wider and better use of ICT in high growth sectors of public interest like health, inclusion or public administrations. Hurdles include the unavailability of innovative ICT-based services, the lack of interoperability of solutions across the Member States, as well as the fragmentation of relevant ICT-based products and services markets.

The programme will facilitate the development of lead markets for innovative ICT-based solutions notably in areas of public interest and will open a wide range of new business opportunities in particular for innovative SMEs.

It does so by creating wider market opportunities and better services for SMEs rather than providing them with direct subsidies. The aim is to optimise the use of the resources available for the programme and to build on and complement national, regional and other EU initiatives.

Its support is one of the key enablers to develop cross border interoperable high impact service through the implementation of large scale pilots (LSPs).

For more information click here http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/ict_psp/index_en.htm