The action is coherent with the 1.2.2 of the Programme Agreement (support to the realization of complex projects of research and development activities on few thematic and relevant areas and to the application of technological solutions functional to the realization of the strategy of S3), in which the following examples of activities are planned:

• promotion of research-intensive clusters to stimulate innovative activity by furthering the sharing of structures and the exchange of knowledge and skills and to contribute effectively to knowledge transfer, networking, dissemination of information and collaboration between enterprises and other organisations in the cluster, and support for their connections at national and European level;
• support for synergies between the various direct Community programmes (H2020, etc.) and the ESI funds:
  a) in the case of individual SMEs, measures may be implemented to support feasibility studies aimed at participating in European declines, provided that the latter are submitted and accepted, even if not funded; one-stop-shop measures verifying the eligibility for regional funding of proposals submitted to European declines that have obtained a positive assessment but are not eligible for funding; ect;
  b) in the case of industrial research proposals, including cooperative ones, which also involve trans-regional partnerships, funding may be provided for projects eligible for funding and not eligible for direct funding under European programmes (Article 2(2)(a) and (b) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999); c) in the case of proposals for industrial research, including cooperative research, which also involve trans-regional partnerships, funding may be provided for projects eligible for funding and not eligible for direct funding under European programmes (Article 70 of the ESIF Regulations) and participation in ERANET schemes where there is no overlap of funding.

The action considers as main beneficiaries research infrastructures, public and private research laboratories, enterprises, research organizations and public-private aggregations.