INTERREG III B CADSES PROJECT BOOK - Infocooperare

B-CROSSBusiness Cooperation One-Stop Shopwww.bcross.grProject DescriptionResults and EffectsThe B-CROSS project developed a business cooperationnetwork which is based on a BusinessCo-operation One-Stop Shop (B-CROSS) to supportand govern business co-operation amongSMEs in the countries involved and links chambersof commerce and industry in the CADSES andother INTERREG III B co-operation areas.The project took advantage of the existing experienceand special know-how on ICT technology,ICT services offered by the chambers of commerceand the business co-operation available in thepartnership.B-CROSS project presentationB-CROSS includes mechanisms for connecting thedifferent chamber ICT systems where the existingbusiness digital content is available. Other specialservices that were developed included services forthe presentation of regional characteristics and offeredopportunities and user-friendly tools to helpSMEs create small product and company profiles,integrated transnational business catalogues andyellow pages, synchronous and asynchronous collaborationtools, and training services.B-CROSS worked as the tool to promote marketopportunities, and match supply and demand forproducts and services to support SMEs with advancingbusiness co-operation.The CCI network that was developed includedexperts from other chambers of commerce or relatedbusiness efforts, so B-CROSS could be easilyexpanded with the entrance of new regions andnew applications. At the close of the project, thelarge investment was analysed in a business planpublished by the B-CROSS CCI network.The creation of a business co-operation networkwas promoted as the business one-stop shop forthe areas involved. Offering valuable informationit soon became established as a business tool forSMEs for offering market opportunities and attractingforeign investors.The co-operation network and the available telematicsservices and content-based services supportedSMEs especially in rural areas in effectivelypromoting their products and using the businessofferings and demand-matching B-CROSS platformto form business partnerships and attractforeign business partners.Through the development of this network and theuse of a modern ICT platform and services, SMEs,especially in rural areas, can develop their businessactivities and business range, directly affecting theeconomic and social development in their regionsand raise awareness of IT applications. Throughthe involvement of the chambers of commerceand SME staff in e-business methods and in e-trainingand e-meeting activities, equal opportunitieswere promoted especially in rural areas. The resultanteconomic and social development contributesto the spatial development.The B-CROSS network and platform may be expandedto cover a wider territory and can easily beexpanded to include Eastern European countrieswhich are not EU Member States.DurationStart ....................................................... 01/2003End ......................................................... 06/2005Budget (EUR)Total Budget ....................................1,845,666.00thereof ERDF ...................................1,041,750.00Members of the B-CROSS project teamEU Regions/Member StatesNon EU Member StatesLead PartnerProject PartnerLead PartnerChambers of CommerceDevelopment Company of Central MacedoniaKentrikis Str. 359100 VeriaGREECEContact PersonMr. Ousoultzoglou ProdromosTel +30 310 426 784Fax +30 310 422 319E-Mail ekemthes@otenet.gr0 200 kmProject PartnersAustriaStyrian Economic Chamber, GrazBulgariaBulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SofiaGreeceUnion of Hellenic Chambers of Commerce, AthensKnowledge S.A., PatrasSystema Informatics S.A., AthensItalyVeneto Union of Chambers of Commerce, VeniceChamber of Commerce of Campobasso, CampobassoRomaniaMinistry for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and Cooperatives,BucharestTRANSPORT & ITMEASURE 2.2INTERREG III B CADSES / PROJECT BOOK81