The conference “EU Support for the Development of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises” was held in Bar and organized by the Ministry of European Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Development, and the Municipality of Bar. The conference showcased the financial support opportunities provided by the EU to enhance entrepreneurship.

Opening the conference, Yngve Engstrom, Head of the Cooperation in the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, emphasized that micro- small and medium sized companies are the backbone of the economy. Growth of the economy requires good conditions for these companies and fair and equal treatment.

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“Barriers faced by the business community needs to be eliminated and the EU will provide strong support and financing from the EU Western Balkans Growth Facility,” Engstrom stated.

Support for micro, small, and medium enterprises is also coming from the Municipality of Bar. Ana Živanović, Head of the EU Projects Department in Bar, stated that they are ready to provide full support to the local economy in improving knowledge and competencies, making it easier for future applicants to receive EU support.

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“Projects funded by EU funds are concrete support instruments that align our standards with European ones. When we become an EU member, we will have greater opportunities for funding, as we will then have access to structural funds,” Živanović said.

About 30 entrepreneurs attended the conference, where they had the opportunity to learn more specific information about EU funds available to this target group. Dragan Đurišić, Project Manager at the Ministry of European Affairs, presented the EU Interreg IPA Program Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro, which announced its first call for micro and small enterprises, worth 3 million euros. In this call, micro and small enterprises operating in Herceg Novi, Kotor, Tivat, Budva, Bar, Ulcinj, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Nikšić, Podgorica, Tuzi, and Zeta can participate.

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“Financial support is granted for the development and adaptation of business models, products, services, and processes, encouraging the development of local micro and small enterprises, with a strong emphasis on introducing new products or processes, developing pilot actions and new business solutions, while simultaneously enhancing their cross-border business cooperation. Up to 85% of the total project value can be co-financed with European funds, with the maximum grant amount being 200 thousand euros,” Đurišić said.

Rosanda Jocović, Head of the Directorate for Programming and Implementation of EU Funds at the Ministry of Economic Development, explained during her presentation that the EU allocated 24.3 million euros for the Competitiveness and Innovation sector in the IPA I and IPA II perspective (2007-2020) through programs of financial and advisory support to the economy, as well as activities to strengthen the administrative capacities of institutions responsible for creating and implementing policies for the development of SMEs and innovation.

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“The EU supported the establishment of the portal www.biznis.gov.me and the establishment of a Single Contact Point for services coordinated by the Ministry of Economic Development, which provides information on available financial and non-financial support for the private sector, as well as useful information on regulatory conditions for business registration and access and provision of services,” Jocović stated.

The conference “EU Support for the Development of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises” was organized ahead of the Entrepreneurship Fair, which the Municipality of Bar is organizing for the fourth consecutive year. The fair, which lasts until Sunday, will feature the work and products of about 30 local entrepreneurs.

Article source: EU4ME