With the support and facilitation of the EU4Digital Facility, the associations uniting digital SMEs of the Eastern partner countries have joined the European DIGITAL SME Alliance (DIGITAL SME) for a one-year sponsored membership, starting from March 2022.
The membership will benefit the EaP associations in three main areas: policy, networking, and funding. Members will receive information on ongoing legislative discussions and their impact on SMEs, ICT standards for SMEs, as well as funding opportunities. Also, organisations will be invited to participate in networking events, knowledge-sharing workshops and training organised by the DIGITAL SME Association.
Overall, it is expected that the knowledge and the new tools gained will empower EaP associations to expand their activities, strengthen their capacities as key supporters of digital SMEs in the EaP region, and enhance cross-border collaboration in the region and with the EU. As for the bigger picture, the EU4Digital Facility believes that such an initiative will contribute to harmonising digital markets between the EU and the EaP regions.
The Digital SME Alliance counts more than 45,000 SMEs in the ICT sector, 450 experts in working groups, and 30 national and regional SME associations from EU member states and neighbouring countries.
