Based on successful FP5&6 experiences of the POLLOCO and the CENTRAL LOCO projects, the revised and expanded concept of the B2B LOCO project is that local market oriented research units - collaborating in an international network aimed at experience exchange - can substantially increase the participation of small/medium sized enterprises (SME's) in the Framework Programme projects by demonstrating and actively promoting the most business practice-oriented results of past and current RTD projects among the enterprises.

The increased project area covers now 15 countries, including Old and New Member States and 2 Candidate Countries, covering most of the East of the continent and beyond, form Estonia to Israel. B2B LOCO will target Regional Clusters gathering different types of SME's: transport and logistics companies, manufacturing and retail companies, hi-tech companies and green technologies companies that are of a particular focus of this call. Companies from these three groups are often Framework Programme ready, yet they are not realising their potential because the Frameword Programme is best communicated to the research community. Therefore the B2B LOCO consortium, groups research organisations with considerable experience in Framework Programmes and a track record in talking directly to SME's, using their own language and knowing what drives them in everyday operations.