SMEs

ECCP News

€20 million grant fund to help SMEs maximise intellectual property

A €20 million grant scheme has been launched to help European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) access their intellectual property rights. Supported by the European Commission and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the Ideas Powered for Business SME Fund is aimed at...
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European Union and France unlock €715 million for small businesses

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in France can now access loans with more flexible terms after the European Investment Fund (EIF) and Bpifrance, the French Public Investment Bank, struck a new deal. The loan guarantees are provided by the digitalisation initiative under the European...
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Agreement reached on €243 billion EU regional and cohesion budget

Agreement has been reached on a €243 billion budget for strengthening the European Union's (EU) economic, social and territorial cohesion over the next seven years. Under the provisional deal agreed by the European Parliament and Council’s negotiators, a significant part of the European Regional...
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European guarantee for Invest-NL to expand financing options to innovative SMEs

Dutch National promotional institution Invest-NL has signed a new guarantee agreement with the European Investment Fund to cover a lending portfolio to innovative Dutch small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The new guarantee enables Invest-NL to further enlarge its financing activities for...
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€5m call aims to help SMEs adopt new technologies

The European Commission has launched a €5 million call for strategic alliances to help the European Union’s small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) maximise their use of new technologies. Two pilot projects will be supported focused on creating collaboration among SMEs, through industrial cluster...
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€700 million raised to support artificial intelligence and blockchain technology

The European Investment Fund (EIF) has signed the first six equity agreements with venture capital funds to support businesses under the EU's InnovFin Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain initiative. New agreements with tech equity funds in Austria, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands...
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€900m finance package to help Spanish SMEs hit by COVID-19 crisis

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is joining forces with Santander to provide financing on favourable terms to Spanish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps affected by the economic impact of COVID-19. The EIB and the European Investment Fund (EIF) will subscribe several tranches...
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Access2Markets portal launched to support SME trade

The European Commission has launched the Access2Markets online portal to help small and medium-sized firms trade beyond the European Union’s (EU) borders. The new portal responds to requests from stakeholders to better explain trade agreements and help companies ensure their products are eligible...
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€10m finance package to help Bulgarian cultural and creative SMEs hit by pandemic

The European Commission has agreed a €10 million finance package to help Bulgarian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small public enterprises in the cultural and creative sectors that have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The European Investment Fund (EIF) and Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria)...
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European Commission launches online guidance tools on trade with Iran

The European Commission has launched two free online platforms to support businesses, particularly Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), who want to trade with Iran. The Due Diligence Helpdesk provides concrete, tailor-made support to European Union (EU) SMEs by checking if specific business...
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€5.7m call for advanced manufacturing assistance and training providers

The European Commission has launched a €5.7 million call for providers of advanced manufacturing assistance and training for SMEs. Small, innovative, companies create the majority of new jobs in the European economy. Technological advances are making it easier and cheaper to start enterprises with...
ECCP News

Survey: SMEs need support to achieve digitalisation and sustainability

A European Commission survey on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has revealed that 62% of European Union (EU) SMEs confront barriers to digitalisation and 70% say they are facing at least one obstacle to becoming sustainable. The survey, commissioned by the Directorate-General for Internal...