The COPIE Toolkit provides resources to help regions develop inclusive entrepreneurship policies and support structures. It includes diagnostic tools to assess strengths and weaknesses, as well as guides and modules focused on priority areas like entrepreneurship education, business advising, and access to finance. The toolkit has been applied in over 18 European locations since 2007. It is meant to help member states and regions better utilize EU funding programs to promote entrepreneurship and social inclusion.

1. This action is running under ‘Learning for Change – Setting up Learning Networks under the
ESF 2007-2013’ and receives funding by the European Commission.
THE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE ON
INCLUSIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
COPIE’S ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF REGIONAL ENTERPRISE PLANS –
THE COPIE TOOLKIT
“A network of people actively involved in opening up
entrepreneurship to all parts of society”

2. This action is running under ‘Learning for Change – Setting up Learning Networks under the
ESF 2007-2013’ and receives funding by the European Commission.
Key facts about COPIE
– ESF Learning Network; approved by DG Employment, Social Affairs
and Inclusion in April 2009; running till May 2012
– Common goal: Transformation of the policy environment so that
entrepreneurship becomes a natural choice for people from all
walks of life
– Builds upon experience of the EU Community Initiative EQUAL and
the results of a COPIE pilot initiative from 2006 – 2008
– 10 national and regional partners across Europe

3. This action is running under ‘Learning for Change – Setting up Learning Networks under the
ESF 2007-2013’ and receives funding by the European Commission.
The COPIE partners
Lead partner: Germany, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
Core partners: Asturias (Spain) Regional Ministry of Industry and Employment,
since May 2011: Regional Ministry of Economy and Employment
Czech Republic Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
Flanders (Belgium) ESF Agency of Flanders
Spain Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
Partners: Andalucía (Spain) Regional Ministry of Employment
Extremadura (Spain) Regional Ministry of Equality and Employment
Galicia (Spain), Regional Ministry of Economy and Industry (BIC Galicia),
Regional Ministry of Labour, Regional Ministry of Treasure
Lithuania, Ministry of Social Security and Labour
Wallonia (Belgium), ESF Agency French-Speaking Belgium

4. This action is running under ‘Learning for Change – Setting up Learning Networks under the
ESF 2007-2013’ and receives funding by the European Commission.
The objectives of COPIE
Transformation of the policy environment so that entrepreneurship is a natural choice
for people from all walks of life
Create a supportive
environment for
entrepreneurship
education
° Map strength and
weaknesses of support
structures
° Improve governance
through integrated action
plans
° Ensure high-quality
systems and set up
appropriate standards
° Provide template for
linked up regional /
national support
Increase the
capacity of core
support structures
to deliver a truly
inclusive finance
system.

5. This action is running under ‘Learning for Change – Setting up Learning Networks under the
ESF 2007-2013’ and receives funding by the European Commission.
Way of working
– Sequence of exchange events for members of the working
groups
– Design of action plans in participating regions
– Testing of action plans in participating regions and implanting
the lessons of the transnational exchange process
– Communication and dissemination of learning

6. This action is running under ‘Learning for Change – Setting up Learning Networks under the
ESF 2007-2013’ and receives funding by the European Commission.
The result:
A COPIE Toolkit for Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Stage 1: Application of diagnostic tool to map the strengths and weaknesses of
existing regional or national entrepreneurship structures.
Stage 2: Design of inclusive entrepreneurship policies by using a joint action
planning methodology which promotes active stakeholder engagement.
Stage 3: Implementation of effective support interventions in key priority areas of
entrepreneurship support. These include:
• entrepreneurship education;
• quality management for start-up and business advice;
• integrated business support;
• access to finance.

7. This action is running under ‘Learning for Change – Setting up Learning Networks under the
ESF 2007-2013’ and receives funding by the European Commission.
The COPIE Toolkit in detail
DEVELOP AN INCLUSIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
REGIONAL/NATIONAL POLICY FRAMEWORK
• map strength/weaknesses
• develop concrete action plans
IMPROVE THE CURRENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
COPIE Tool: COPIE Diagnosis Tool
COPIE Tool: Entrepreneurship
Education Diagnosis Tool
Priority Area:
Entrepreneurship Education
COPIE Tool: Finland ESF
Entrepreneurship Case Study
Priority Area: Quality Management / Integrated
Business Support
COPIE Tool: COPIE
Resources map
COPIE Tool: COPIE skills
requirements survey for
business advisor
COPIE Tool: COPIE
Business Advisor
Profiling
COPIE Tool: COPIE
Business Advisor Self-
help guide
COPIE Tool:
Business Advisor
Training Modules
Priority Area: Access to Finance
COPIE Tool: Manual on
Access to Finance for ESF
Managing Authorities
ENGAGE WITH STAKEHOLDERS
COPIE Tool: Action planning: How
to create a common vision
COPIE Tool: Action planning: How
to agree an evaluation strategy
COPIE Tool: Action planning: How
to build an integrated campaign
COPIE Tool: Action planning: How
to plan for a legacy
COPIE Tool: COPIE
Business Advisor Passport

8. This action is running under ‘Learning for Change – Setting up Learning Networks under the
ESF 2007-2013’ and receives funding by the European Commission.
Areas of implementation / further interest
Action PlanningAction Planning
COPIE European Tool
Quality ManagementQuality Management
Access to FinanceAccess to Finance
Enterprise EducationEnterprise Education
Integrated Business
Support
Integrated Business
Support
18 geographic locations across Europe since 2007
Flanders, Wallonia, Asturias and the Czech Republic; additional
member: Germany
Germany, Galicia, Extremadura, Andalusia, Spain; additional
partners: Rhineland-Palatinate, Region of Brandenburg
Czech Republic, Germany, Flanders, Lithuania and Spain; additional
partners: European Microfinance Network (EMN), Calabria, Latvia,
Lombardy, Sardinia, Greece, Basilicata
Spain and Flanders; additional partners: Finland, Lower Saxony
Asturias, Galicia, Czech Republic ; additional partners: Kaunas
region

9. This action is running under ‘Learning for Change – Setting up Learning Networks under the
ESF 2007-2013’ and receives funding by the European Commission.
AtF Manual
• „Designing microfinance operations in the EU – How
to build and implement microfinance support programmes
using the ESF“
• Structure:
– Step-by-step approach (policy cycle inclusive
entrepreneurship)
– Examples/good practice (Lithuania, Germany,
Belgium, Latvia, Sardinia, Calabria, Lombardy,
Basilicata)
– Current funding programmes

10. This action is running under ‘Learning for Change – Setting up Learning Networks under the
ESF 2007-2013’ and receives funding by the European Commission.
AtF Manual
CONTENT
a)Identifying the place of the inclusive entrepreneurship policy in relation to other
active labour market policies:
1. Agenda setting
2. Creating a shared vision/mobilising key stakeholders
3. Ex-ante evaluation
4. Formulation of integrated strategy for inclusive entrepreneurship;
b)Defining the place of microfinance in the inclusive entrepreneurship strategy:
5. Organising the professional management of a microfinance scheme
6. How to select a fund manager and financial intermediaries
c)Organising the implementation of the scheme:
7. Establishing synergies between financial and non-financial support schemes
8. Ensuring schemes are reaching out and meeting the needs of specific target groups
9. Quality of microfinance institutions and services

11. This action is running under ‘Learning for Change – Setting up Learning Networks under the
ESF 2007-2013’ and receives funding by the European Commission.
The COPIE Toolkit is of specific relevance for member states
and regions when addressing entrepreneurship, business
creation and self-employment as policy options to promote
employment and social inclusion in their National Reform
Plans, and the ESF and ERDF OPs.
This is with the perspective of making better use of ESF/ERDF
in the current OPs, and of using the dedicated investment
priorities in the new Structural Funds programmes.
In summary..

12. This action is running under ‘Learning for Change – Setting up Learning Networks under the
ESF 2007-2013’ and receives funding by the European Commission.
More information on the COPIE
Toolkit and download at
www.cop-ie.eu