The severe financial and economic crisis, an increasing globalisation, growing emerging markets and an era of ‘hyper-specialisation’ create an environment in which the EU needs to become more competitive for the future.
The key factors for competitiveness in the long run being economic performance, R&D and innovation, clusters can play a huge role in the future. It has been observed that regions with strong clusters have recovered much faster than regions without clusters from the recent economic crisis.1 One clear objective of the Europe 2020 strategy is the move towards world-class clusters.2 However it is clear that one cluster will not reach enough critical mass to attain global competitiveness. By consequence cluster collaboration is essential to overcome regional boundaries and move towards world-class clusters ergo European interclusters.

Based on the results of a survey conducted among 169 actors, cluster collaboration is becoming more common but there are still many barriers in place. A recommendation made to summit many challenges would be the creation of a European Cluster Centre which would not only centralise all European cluster information but also help integrating European and regional policies and initiatives.

So cluster collaboration is certainly a good and right way towards the future even it is impossible to know if it will help to overcome all further challenges of the EU. European companies are the heart of business activity. If they are more competitive, the EU will be more competitive. By consequence clusters and cluster collaboration are a source of prosperity and could stabilise the EU against future crisis.

Download full text