Working closely with the Pôle Mer PACA, the Pôle Mer Bretagne is pursuing ambitious international objectives:

• Compiling a list of the capabilities and skills required and possessed by players listed within the Pôle and by partners identified in Europe and internationally.

• Organising international missions to raise awareness of opportunities among those involved.

• Facilitating partnerships based on innovative collaborative projects within the context of tendering for European project or bilateral funding.

• Enhancing the visibility of players through the work of the Pôle and making the region increasingly attractivene.

• Bringing about synergy between European regions.

ExAmples OF action TAKEN

• Mission to Trondheim in Norway in 2009, co-organised by the Pôle Mer and SINTEF and co-financed by the Franco-Norwegian Foundation on the subject of marine biological resources.

• Organisation of two parallel workshops in 2009 on the subject of maritime safety/security and the 'ship of the future' with the German Schleswig-Holstein cluster.

• Joint session organised in 2007 and 2008 with the Quebec marine cluster on the subject of marine biotechnology, fishing and aquaculture and Coastal Operational Oceanography.

TAKING PART IN EUROPEAN programmes

The creation in 2009 of the European project EMSAC (EUROPEAN MARINE SCIENCE APPLICATIONS CONSORTIUM), a European network of regional centres of innovation that brings together players from the southeast of England, the regions of Brittany and PACA in France and the Gothenburg region of Sweden and that focuses on managing principally coastal and estuarine marine resources, will add significant impetus to already existing synergies and will create the right conditions for further innovative projects. The project runs for three years and is funded by the European Commission as part of the FP7- Regions - 2009 programme.

SUPPORTING SMEs in securing funding

Taking part in the Medarmor programme: This programme is aimed at helping the Pôle's SMEs obtain European and bilateral funding. Medarmor is managed by the Brest Iroise and Quimper technopoles and by the Pôle Mer PACA and is financed by central government (Direction générale de la compétitivité, de l'industrie et des services).

COMPLEMENTARY INITIATIVES

Both Pôles Mer are also engaged in international activities that complement existing agreements, such as:

• Working with the French Navy to promote the Pôle MER Bretagne and Pôle Mer PACA when naval vessels call into ports abroad

• Taking part in international exhibitions and symposiums: Oceanology International in London, Biomarine, Euronaval, European Offshore Wind in Stockholm, etc.

• Conducting exploratory missions to Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, China, Vietnam, Korea, Quebec, Brazil, etc.