This document provides an introduction to EU support for entrepreneurs. It discusses the Europe 2020 strategy and Small Business Act which aim to promote entrepreneurship and SMEs. The Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan calls for joint action across levels to reignite the entrepreneurial spirit through entrepreneurial education, supportive environments, and role models. The EU provides support through programs like Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, financial loans and funds distributed to member states, and the Enterprise Europe Network which connects over 600 organizations to support over 4000 SME projects annually.

1. EU Support for
Entrepreneurs:
An Introduction
Zagreb, April 2013
DG ENTERPRISE AND INDUSTRY
Stephanie Mitchell
Deputy Head of Unit D/1

2. Context: Why Support Entrepreneurs?
Europe 2020 - strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive
growth: industrial policy for globalisation and measures to
improve the business environment, notably for SMEs.
Small Business Act: a package of 10 key principles with
legislative and non-legislative measures. Includes measures
for SMEs to access globalised markets.
Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP):
contribute to the competitiveness and innovative capacity of
the EU, paying particular attention to the needs of SMEs
=>jobs + growth

3. Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan
• Call to joint action at all levels: re-ignite
entrepreneurial spirit in Europe
• EU + Member States, aim for lasting, deep
impact
• Action at appropriate levels: EU, national,
regional, local
• EU added value

4. Action Pillars of Entrepreneurship2020
• Entrepreneurial education and training
• create new generations of entrepreneurs
• Creating an environment where entrepreneurs can
flourish and grow
• offer effective support or get out of entrepreneurs’ way!
• Role models and reaching out = radical cultural change
• entrepreneurship as 'the new cool’
• involve groups not reached before

5. EU Support: Overview
• Learn from other entrepreneurs:
• ambassadors, mentors & exchanges
• Financial: Loans and guarantees, funds to
MS
• Information  Enterprise Europe
Network

6. Learn from other entrepreneurs
• Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs
• 5000+ accepted entrepreneurs; matched exchanges 1640
• Women
 320 Female Entrepreneurship Ambassadors (est 2009)
 200 members of European Network of Mentors for Women
Entrepreneurs (11/11)
 SME Summit 2012
 E-platform in planning stages
• Education 'labs' and best practice exchanges

7. Financial support
• Regional and structural funds
• Debt & equity instruments under CIP
• New generation 2014-2020 proposal (COSME)
• €1.4 billion envelope
• Loan guarantees proposed up to €150 000
• Equity Facility for Growth risk capital funds
• Microfinance (managed by EIF)
• Information: Access2Finance
• http://www.access2finance.eu/

8. Enterprise Europe Network
• 600 organisations involved
(chambers of commerce, business organisations, technology and innovation
agencies, sector associations, regional development agencies, research
organisations and universities)
• In all EU Member States & 27 countries worldwide
• 3000+ experienced staff
• 4000 local events annually on SME-related topics
• €380 million EU contribution for supported projects
until 2014, to be continued in future
• Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka, Split, Varaždin: www.een.hr

9. Hvala!
Thank you for your attention!

10. Hvala!
Thank you for your attention!