EU4Business held its first General Assembly and published its first Consolidated Report of Activities on 17 May. Partner institutions and national governments came together to discuss the key achievements of the initiative and the way forward for the future, particularly in terms of strengthening EU support for SMEs and improving the ability of companies in Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries to access EU markets.
The report also offers an analysis of the coherence of EU4Business with national SME policy frameworks in the Eastern Partnership region, considering the progress made in each country, reviewing project achievements and outlining a way forward.
Through the EU4Business initiative, almost 100,000 businesses have received 190,000 sub-loans amounting to a total of EUR 1.5 billion. More than 93,000 jobs in SMEs have been supported and 10,000 new jobs created. Moreover, EU4Business has provided 40 proposals for policy strategies and legal reforms, contributing to a favourable business environment and acting as an important catalyst for change.
