DEFINITION:
A European Business and Innovation Centre (E.C.BIC) is a centre that operates with the goal to contribute to the progress of the economy of the region. An E.C. BIC centre is an additional factor that helps the development of those E.C. regions that are behind, or experience significant industrial problems.

GOALS:
A European Business and Innovation Centre is a public and private partnership offering and ensuring, within an area having sufficient entrepreneurial potential, a complete and integrated range of excellent services and activities to small and medium sized enterprises with the intention of creating and developing innovative and independent activities.
Parallel to the main goal, in the spectrum of strengthening the local economy, the goal of the E.C. BICs is the optimum use of the European incentives/programs in collaboration with the local bodies and authorities.

LEGAL STATUS:
E.C. BICs, all over Europe, operate as non-profit organizations, using the principles of the contemporary management. The public and the private sector, according to the E.C. model of "local sponsors", support every BIC locally.
In the Epirus BIC, sponsors are: the General Secretary of Epirus, the Prefectures of Epirus, the Chambers of Commence, the municipalities, some banks, and other private companies. The Ioannina Chamber of Commerce has signed the contract with DGXVI, on behalf of all sponsors.

SERVICES OFFERED BY THE BIC TO SMEs
In practice, BIC of Epirus is capable to advise and mentor the entrepreneurs or persons who are trying to establish and create a new company on matters of:

• Promotion of the entrepreneurial spirit and detection of innovative business projects and prospective entrepreneurs.
• Development of management skills.
• Advice/support in project development.
• Support beyond the start-up phase
• Business development (business plan)
• Market research (marketing plan),
• Orientation and implementation of E.U. funding programs related to the promotion of innovative ideas,
• Tracing the potential for new markets.
• Support in project development related to technology, patents, technology transfer etc.

THE EUROPEAN DIMENSION OF THE EPIRUS BIC:
The BIC of Epirus plays a key role for the region of Epirus toward the effort of the region to come closer to the E.C. functions (understanding the decision-making mechanisms, pushing forward the potentials, and the problems of our region, communicating better with the officials of the commission etc., participating more ''aggressively'' in the community's competitive grant etc.)
In that general framework, BIC of Epirus, in order to increase the environmental awareness of enterprises, is focused on the promotion of actions, which encourage entrepreneurs to enhance their environmental performance. One of these actions is mainly support the establishment of environmental management system, which constitutes, for many companies and organizations, a great strategic tool and a vital component for a rational and cost effective environmental work.
The BIC of Epirus is currently implementing or is involved with the following E.U programs:

• LEONARDO Da VINCI I
• ADAPT
• ECIP
• Jop Phare
• RIS OF EPIRUS
• RECITE II - Finestra Project
• EQUAL - Ministry of Athletics
• EQUAL - REGION OF EPIRUS
• ΚΕΤΑ OF EPIRUS
• Innovative Actions Under the ERDF 2000-2006
• LEONARDO DA VINCI II