By Giacomo Mattinò, Head of Unit, DG for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEsUnit H2 Enterprise Europe Network and Internationalisation of SMEs. Launch of the SME policy index for the Western Balkans and Turkey Paris - 28 April, 2016

1. Opportunities deriving from
the Enterprise Europe Network
Launch of the SME policy index for
the Western Balkans and Turkey
Paris - 28 April, 2016
Giacomo Mattinò, Head of Unit
DG for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
Unit H2 Enterprise Europe Network and Internationalisation of SMEs
GROW-H2@ec.europa.eu

2. Enterprise Europe Network
The world's largest support network for SMEs, created in
2008 and renewed under the EU's Competitiveness of
Enterprises & SMEs Program (COSME)
Helps European businesses:
 to innovate
 to increase their competitiveness
 to expand their business internationally inside
Europe and in growth markets beyond the EU

3. EEN in the EU and in COSME countries (receiving an EU contribution of max. 60%)
International Partnership Services
• Business cooperation, technology transfer, innovation and research
projects – and related activities: matchmaking events, technology
brokerage and company missions;
• Partnership Opportunities Database with 10 000 cooperation demands
and offers.
Information & Advisory Services
• EU policies, legislation and programs;
• Innovation support services, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR);
• Access to international markets;
• Access to finance;
• Horizon 2020 participation, SME Instrument;
• Resource efficiency.
Feedback from SMEs concerning EU initiatives, EU legislation
Network services for SMEs (1)

4. Network services for SMEs (2)
EEN in 3rd countries (no EC funding):
International Partnership Services
• Business cooperation, technology transfer, innovation and
research projects (matchmaking events, technology brokerage
and company missions).
• Also using the Cooperation Database with 10 000 cooperation
demands and offers.
International Market Access information
• Market knowledge for European SMEs wishing to expand their
business to the target country

5. EEN global presence
Buss. Cooperation
Russia
New Zealand
Japan
China
Switzerland
Brazil
Norway
Egypt
Israel
Singapore
Taiwan
Bosnia-Herz.
Paraguay
Ukraine
*not funded by EU
Centres*
Indonesia
Canada
Argentina
S-Korea
United States
Peru
India
Mexico
Tunisia
Belarus
Chile
Georgia
Jordan
Albania
Iceland
Armenia
FYROM
Montenegro
Turkey
Moldova
Serbia
(receive EU funding)
EU Member States
625 partner organisations
63 countries
4.500 professional advisers
full list on: http://een.ec.europa.eu

6. EEN presence in W-Balkans & Turkey
• AL: 5 partners coordinated by Albanian Investment Development Agency
• ME: 4 partners coordinated by the Ministry of Economy
• FYROM: 6 partners coordinated by Ss. Cyril and Methodius University
• RS: 7 partners coordinated by the National Agency for Regional Development
• TK:47 partners with overall country coordination by KOSGEB
• BiH: 3 partners coordinated by Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina
(changes expected due to planned participation in COSME)
Receiving an EC contribution of € 6.2 mln for WP 2015-2016 (up to 60%
of the eligible costs)
Achievements from the region since 1/1/2015
• 13.000 SME participating in regional/local events
• 2.000 SME involved in technology brokerage events and company missions
• 7.500 matchmaking meetings

7. How the Enterprise Europe Network can help
Local SMEs:
 Business focused in the Balkan region
 Small scale production facilities
 Low innovation culture
 Limited access to finance
The Network:
 Business internationalisation enhancement
 Entrepreneurial and innovation capacity boost
 Facilitate access to finance

8. Recommendation
• Commitment, at regional/national political level
to define a dedicated "action plan" on SME
support involving existing SME support schemes
in the process
• Using EU support initiatives:
• COSME (EEN, financial instruments)
• IPA: help local SMEs to scale up and internationalise
• Horizon 2020 (i.e. SME Instrument)
• Macro-regional strategies for W. Balkans

9. Contact the Network
Contact points: een.ec.europa.eu
EEN policy development:
European Commission, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry,
Entrepreneurship and SMEs
GROW-H2@ec.europa.eu
Operational management:
Executive Agency for SMEs (EASME)
https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/contact
Website:
http://een.ec.europa.eu/