Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of EU enterprise and of strategic importance for European innovation and job creation, yet there is still significant untapped potential for further SME technology uptake and improved R&D investment. The relatively low overall SME involvement in the EC 6th Framework Programme (FP6) and related activities has further underscored the need for strengthening SME integration in the European research area, so that boosting SME participation in European research initiatives and projects is now realised to be critical if Europe is to succeed in raising R&D investment to the 2010 3% GDP target as set by the Barcelona European Council. SEE-Innovation is responding to this challenge. SEE-Innovation is a Specific Support Action having as overall goal to assist SMEs from candidate and third South East European countries to actively participate in European R&D activities and programmes on IST research domains. This support will be provided through:   • Mentoring Workshops on Information Society Technologies programme opportunities, procedures and European R&D culture.    • Transnational Know-how Transfer Events for transferring knowledge on specific IST thematic priorities that relate to the current or upcoming calls of the IST and related programmes.   • Facilitating the development of networks between SMEs in the South Eastern Europe region and the EU in order to exchange ideas and pursue joint research collaboration.      The SEE-Innovation focus on the geographic region of South Eastern Europe stems from the acknowledged need to optimise research cooperation between the EU and the Western Balkan and Accession Candidate (ACC) countries in the Information Society Technology sector, and reflects the EU’s steadfast commitment to securing the full integration of associated candidate countries in EU programmes and to promoting cooperation with third countries. In total, the project target area encompasses all three Associated Candidate Countries (Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey) as well as four of the five Western Balkan countries (namely Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia-Montenegro) in a Consortium along with EU Member States Austria, Belgium and Greece. Priority is accorded to IST thematic areas that are of interest to innovative SMEs from this region, for instance eGovernment, eHealth and eLearning. SEE-Innovation is a project funded by the European Commission’s 6th Framework Programme and addressing Area 1.2.6: Stepping up Economic and Technological Intelligence of Research and Innovation activity area. The project commenced on 1st June 2005 and its duration is two years.