CALL FOR GRANTS – 4.5 MILLION EUROS BUDGET FOR 99 CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

The European Union (EU) allocated 4.5 million Euros to support entrepreneurs, micro and small enterprises, it was announced in Arandjelovac today on the occasion of the official presentation of the EU local development program EU PRO, aimed at contributing to the overall economic and social development of 99 local self-governments in the regions of Sumadija and Western Serbia and the regions of Southern and Eastern Serbia. The public call announced by EU PRO for supporting micro and small enterprises is open until July 6, 2018. The entrepreneurs, micro and small enterprises registered in 99 municipalities and cities involved in the program, engaged in production or provision of IT services and founded between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2017 are eligible to apply

At the EU PRO Program presentation, Jadranka Joksimovic, Minister of European Integration,  said that Serbia, as a candidate country, received the grants in the amount of around 200 million euros per year. According to the Minister, European integration was Serbia’s foreign policy orientation, which provided stability to the country, brought new investments, provided a better image and accordingly had an impact on international relations, student programs, numerous donations, development assistance and IPA funds.

“I expect that you, as representatives of the municipalities, will also work on the preparation of good projects and promote and increase the visibility of the funds received from the EU in your local self-governments”, Minister Joksimovic said, while adding that local economic development also means assistance in establishing small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as support for the already registered enterprises through procurement of the equipment.

Upon inviting local self-governments and representatives of small business to take an active part in the implementation of the EU PRO Program, the Head of the EU Delegation, Ambassador Sem Fabrizi said that the EU would, through the program that included 99 of 174 local self-governments in Serbia, invest in infrastructure and contribute to the improvement of the overall business environment and competitiveness of the local economy.

 “Micro and small enterprises are the backbone of the European and Serbian economy as they have a leading role in job creation and generation of economic growth, so that the public call issued today, which is worth 4.5 million euros, is intended for them, so that they could improve their business operations, as well as be socially responsible to their communities”, the Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia said.

Ambassador Fabrizi reminded that the European Union was Serbia’s biggest trade partner and that over the previous three years, Serbia’s exports had tripled, trade exchange had increased by 64 percent, while 78 percent of foreign investments had been made by the EU. He emphasized that over the past ten years, the EU had invested three billion euros of grants in Serbia.

“By implementing the projects, local self-governments will have the opportunity to improve the knowledge and skills needed for implementing future projects financed by donors, primarily by the European Union”, said Graeme Tyndall, the EU PRO Program Manager, who pointed out that the strengthening of local self-governments was an important segment of the country’s overall economic development.

Upon greeting the guests, Mayor Bojan Radovic stated that Arandjelovac would closely follow up the opportunities offered by the EU PRO Program and prepare project proposals. “Although competition is strong, we will compete. The Program should increase the competitiveness of the municipalities and since we want to be competitive, we shall compete, too”, Mayor Radovic said.

The presentation of the EU PRO Program was attended by representatives of 99 local self-governments, as well as by representatives of the EU member-countries, including the Ambassadors of Hungary, Poland, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Slovakia, Romania and Italy to Serbia.

They had the opportunity to visit the EU Projects Fair in Arandjelovac, where part of the current support of the European Union to Serbia was presented, including the activities conducted by the Ministry of European Integration, the European Investment Bank and the EU Info Centre. At the Fair, successful examples of support to entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprises were shown, which were realized through various EU Programs, such as COSME, the programs implemented by Serbia’s Chamber of Commerce – the Erasmus Program for young entrepreneurs, Horizon 2020, the European Entrepreneurship Network, as well as the projects of the Innovation Fund and the recently completed European PROGRESS Program.

 Aleksandrovac, Aleksinac, Aranđelovac, Arilje, Babušnica, Bajina Bašta, Batočina, Bela Palanka, Blace, Bogatić, Bojnik, Boljevac, Bor, Bosilegrad, Brus, Bujanovac, Crna Trava, Čačak, Čajetina, Ćićevac, Ćuprija, Despotovac, Dimitrovgrad, Doljevac, Gadžin Han, Golubac, Gornji Milanovac, Ivanjica, Jagodina, Kladovo, Knić, Knjaževac, Koceljeva, Kosjerić, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Krupanj, Kruševac, Kučevo, Kuršumlija, Lajkovac, Lapovo, Lebane, Leskovac, Loznica, Lučani, Ljig, Ljubovija, Majdanpek, Mali Zvornik, Malo Crniće, Medveđa, Merošina, Mionica, Negotin, Niš, Nova Varoš, Novi Pazar, Osečina, Paraćin, Petrovac na Mlavi, Pirot, Požarevac, Požega, Preševo, Priboj, Prijepolje, Prokuplje, Rača, Raška, Ražanj, Rekovac, Sjenica, Smederevo, Smederevska Palanka, Sokobanja, Surdulica, Svilajnac, Svrljig, Šabac, Topola, Trgovište, Trstenik, Tutin, Ub, Užice, Valjevo, Varvarin, Velika Plana, Veliko Gradište, Vladimirci, Vladičin Han, Vlasotince, Vranje, Vrnjačka Banja, Zaječar, Žabari, Žagubica, Žitorađa.

Source: Agropres and Coordination Body