Knit e-pedia: about the transnational partnership

Transnational partnership

The EQUAL Programme of the EU is a transnational programme making it possible for individual projects and national authorities to co-operate productively across borders. The Transnational Co-operation Agreement (TCA) aims to add value through the exchange of information and expertise. Partners include:

• Citta Studi Spa in Biella, Italy (Lead partner)
• CITEVE Research and Development, Portugal

The partners have a common interest in the structural crisis in textile companies and SMEs caused by cheap imports from developing countries. K4I’s domestic aims are complementary with the TCA, being to develop and test a methodology whereby Textiles companies and SMEs can adapt successfully to a changing economic environment.

The TCA objectives are to:

• Stimulate complementary actions through the exchange of experiences and information relating to the common issues of crisis in textile manufacturing.
• Share experience and where possible develop innovative models and methodologies to help textile companies and SMEs and their workers to adapt.
• Consider the training and business support services needed to satisfy their needs, including business training networks.
• Review respective national training and employment systems.
• Discuss national labour market issues, including skill demand and issues of qualification and certification in the textile and related sectors.

The TCA has also added value to K4I through the exchange of innovative ideas, expertise and approaches. K4I has learnt about a wider range of methodologies and has increased awareness of different approaches for SME and entrepreneur engagement and different models for delivering business support, training, mentoring and job coaching.