To promote and defend the interests of RTOs in Europe by reinforcing their profile and position as a key player in the minds of EU decision-makers and by seeking to ensure that European R&D and innovation programmes are best attuned to their interests; to provide added-value services to EARTO members to help them to improve their operational practices and business performance as well as to provide them with information and advice to help them make the best use of European R&D and innovation programme funding opportunities.