9.11.2006 Official Journal of the European Union L 310/15 DECISION No 1639/2006/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 24 October 2006 establishing a Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (2007 to 2013) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu- nity, and in particular Article 156, Article 157(3) and Article 175 (1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (%), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), Whereas: 1 O ¢ ) The Lisbon European Council of 23 and 24 March 2000 set the objective of making the European Union the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world. It emphasised the importance of creating a climate favourable to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and considered it important to disseminate best practice and ensure greater convergence between Member States. The Gothenburg European Council of 15 and 16 June 2001 agreed the Union’s Strategy for Sustainable Development to ensure that economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection go hand in hand. Enterprises’ production patterns play an important role in sustainable development. In order to contribute to the enhancement of competitive- ness and innovation capacity in the Community, the advancement of the knowledge society, and sustainable development based on balanced economic growth, a Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (hereinafter referred to as the Framework Programme) should be established. This is in line with the Commission Communication of 2 February 2005 to the Spring European Council entitled ‘Working together for growth and jobs — a new start for the Lisbon Strategy’, which calls for action to deliver growth and competitiveness and to make Europe a more attractive place in which to invest and work, recalling that entrepreneurial initiative must be stimulated, sufficient risk capital attracted to start up businesses, and a strong European industrial base sustained whilst innovation, O] C 65, 17.3.2006, p. 22. OJ C 115, 16.5.2006, p. 17. Opinion of the European Parliament of 1 June 2006 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Council Decision of 12 October 2006. notably eco-innovation, the uptake of information and communication technologies (ICT), and the sustainable use of resources should be promoted. Whilst competitiveness is to a large measure driven by vibrant businesses operating in open and competitive markets and supported by the right framework conditions, in particular by a regulatory frame- work conducive to innovation, Community financing has a role to play in leveraging support and providing comple- mentary funding in order to tackle situations of market failure. The European Charter for Small Enterprises (hereinafter referred to as the Charter), endorsed by the European Council in Santa Maria de Feira of 19 and 20 June 2000, describes small enterprises as the backbone of the European economy. The specific nature, requirements and expecta- tions of small and craft enterprises should be taken into account more effectively in national and European policies. Community measures to promote SMEs, such as the Commission Communication of 10 November 2005 entitled Tmplementing the Community Lisbon Programme — Modern SME Policy for Growth and Employment’, should take account of the objectives set out in the Charter, and the Framework Programme should be used as a means of progressing towards the objectives set by it. The Framework Programme should particularly address SMEs, as defined in Commission Recommendation 2003/ 361/EC of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (). It should pay particular attention to the specific characteristics and requirements of ‘gazelles’ as well as of micro and craft enterprises, and specific target groups, including female entrepreneurs. The Framework Programme should bring together those specific Community measures in the field of entrepreneur- ship, SMEs, industrial competitiveness, innovation, ICT, environmental technologies and intelligent energy that, until now, have been regulated by Council Decision 96413/ EC of 25 June 1996 on the implementation of a Community action programme to strengthen the competi- tiveness of European industry (°), Decision No 1336/97[EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 1997 on a series of guidelines for trans-European telecommunications  networks (),  Regulation  (EC) No 1655/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000 concerning the Financial Instrument for the Environment (LIFE) (7), Council Decision OJ L 124, 20.5.2003, p. 36. OJ L 167, 6.7.1996, p. 55. O] L 183, 11.7.1997, p. 12. Decision as amended by Decision No 1376/2002/EC (O] L 200, 30.7.2002, p. 1). OJ L 192, 28.7.2000, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1682/2004 (O] L 308, 5.10.2004, p. 1).