This document discusses clusters and economic competitiveness. It makes three key points: 1. Clusters refer to geographic concentrations of interconnected companies and institutions in a particular field. Being located within a cluster provides companies with advantages in terms of access to specialized suppliers, skills, information, and opportunities for collaboration. 2. Successful clusters are an important factor in regional prosperity and economic growth. Statistical analysis shows a strong correlation between the percentage of employees working in strong clusters and GDP per capita across European regions. 3. Cluster-based economic development policies focus on enhancing competitiveness through collaboration between firms, educational institutions, and regional authorities within individual clusters. This "bottom-up" approach contrasts with traditional top-down economic planning