Description οf the Project ''Creating project pipeline for SME Development, financed by EU Structural Funds''(SME pipeline)
The project idea is to encourage entrepreneurship and promote business activity in Greece and Bulgaria through the creation of selected programmes and projects targeted to SMEs and business related organisations, financed by EU Stractural and State Funds through countrie's Operational Programmes (OPs), such as OP Competitiveness, OP Digital Convergence, and Regional Development OPs. Furthermore, the project aims to create a project pipeline for the modernization of SMEs through the adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Systems. This project pipeline will occur by the exchange of best practices applied in the two countries and the study of other successful cases.
Greece and Bulgaria are both EU member states, dealing with the application of Structural Funds through their National Strategic Reference Frameworks (NSRF). Greece is an old member state, since 1981, currently being in the 4th programming period regarding EU funding, while Bulgaria is a EU member since 2007, dealing with its first NSRF as a full member state.
Greece and Bulgaria face a lot of common issues since they are neighbour countries, they both work to achieve the goals and the objectives set by the Lisbon Treaty, they both have Nuts II regions within Objective 1, and they both implement similar OPs. There is a great number of Greek interest SMEs operating in Bulgaria, making the implementation of this project even more useful for both sides.
The stakeholders involved, KEPA (GR), SEPVE (GR), and LEDA (BG), altogether have a major experience in cooperating with State Managing Authorities and European Authorities on issues related to SME development and adoption of ICT by SMEs, since their main task is the promotion of business activity, the implementation of new technologies and the management of EU funds targeted to SMEs. Thus, they are appropriate bodies for implementing the proposed project for the creation of an SME project pipeline for SF applications regarding the reinforcement of the competitiveness of the economies of Greece and Bulgaria.
Objectives of Project
The main objective of the project is to create an SME project pipeline in Greece and Bulgaria, financed by Structural Funds (SF) applications, mainly through the Operational Programs (OPs) of the two countries, such as OP Competitiveness, OP Regional Development and OP Digital Convergence (for GR), in order to reinforce the competitiveness of the economies of the two countries.
Specific objectives are:
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to discover the needs of the SMEs in the eligible region,
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to train businessmen on how to exploit the opportunities arising from the implementation of the OPs
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to train businessmen on the adoption of ICT within their business
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to provide best practices and know-how to the stakeholders in order to design and implement programmes and projects that promote business activity in various areas such as (indicatively and not exclusively):
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Encourage the creation of innovative SMEs
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Encourage the adoption of ICT within SMEs
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Encourage the cooperation of Research Organisation and Universities with Enterprises for the development of new products and services
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Attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDI)
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Promote the export orientation of companies
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Develop infrastructure for high standard tourism and develop alternative forms of tourism
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Give incentives to special categories of population (young, women, Rom, parents with many children, etc) to develop business activity
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Develop business related infrastructure (technology parks, industry parks, business incubators)
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Facilitate enterprises to become more environment friendly
Expected Outcomes
The expected outputs from the implementation of the project activities are:
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Best Practice Manuals for Project Applications implemented with important impact on the development of the competitiveness of economy
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Guidelines manuals for future grant schemes related to business activity in the areas of i) Encourage the development of innovative SMEs, ii) Promote adoption of ICT by SMEs, iii) Encourage the cooperation of Research Organisation and Universities with Enterprises for the development of new products and services, iv) Promote export orientation of companies, v) Develop infrastructure for high standard tourism and develop alternative forms of tourism, vi) Give incentives to special categories of population (eg, young, women, Rom, parents with many children, etc) to develop business activity, vii) Develop business related infrastructure (technology parks, industry parks, business incubators), vii) Develop green economy (environment friendly enterprises)
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Studies, such as assessment study on impact of previous actions, study on proposed ICT tools for SMEs
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Study visits to best practice sites such as i) innovative SMEs which have been created with the financing of a grant scheme for new innovative enterprises, ii) Technology parks and business incubators, iii) Business support institutions
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Workshops between project partners facilities, in order to discuss strategies and methods of operations
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Training events targeted to businessmen and SME personnel on key issues
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Seminars for the promotion of the project activities and the dissemination of the results
KEPA's role
KEPA, having the role of the lead partner, will be responsible for the total management of the project, providing on time to the JTS the progress reports (together with all supporting documents) on project implementation activities in accordance with the timetable referred to, in the approved forms and the programme manual as in force. Prior to filling in a progress report the LP will collect the expenditure made by all project partners including itself, accompanied by the relevant verifications. KEPA’s capacity and long experience on the management of EU funded projects guarantees the successful implementation of its role. SEPVE and LEPA should submit to the KEPA, on the scheduled time, the activity and financial reports accompanied with their verified expenditures.
Apart from the management tasks, KEPA and all partners contribute to the actual implementation of the project, according to the description of the work packages and the allocation of the actions and the deliverables per partner, in the relevant tables of the application. The general idea is that all actions have a horizontal implementation so the partners are actively involved in all actions of the project. This also ensures the dissemination of project results to all stakeholders, to the maximum extent possible.
Δελτίο τύπου ΚΕΠΑ-ΑΝΕΜ (4/9/2013)
Ανακοίνωση ΕΥΔ/ΕΠΑΕ(3/9/2013)
Video απολογισμού ΕΠΑΝ ΙΙ έως 7/9/2013
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