Eco-tone

The ASEM Working Group on “Eco-Innovation Competence of SMEs” (the Working Group) is a group where ASEM member states’ governments or their affiliated organizations in charge of eco-friendly innovations assemble to discuss multilateral cooperation of promoting eco-innovation between Asia and Europe.

Endorsed at the ASEM Summit in 2014 (October, Milan), the Working Group has discussed several cooperation projects.
The Working group has been held seven times in Seoul (Korea), Vejle (Denmark), Bratislava (Slovakia), and Luxembourg (Luxembourg) in which more than 20 member states have participated.

Government officers and Experts from ASEM member states partaking in the Working Group proposed below themes to support SMEs’ eco-innovation and implemented pilot cooperation projects:

· Enhanced competence of government support;
· Consultation programs for SMEs;
· Development of an eco-innovation training program for SMEs; and
· Joint researches in the ASEM region.