Q:
A:
SMEs to get financial support to stimulate exports
Belgrade,
7 May 2008
State Secretary of the Serbian Ministry of Economy and Regional Development Jasna Matic announced that on Friday, May 9 the first instalment of one-off funds to stimulate exports for 100 Serbian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the amount of RSD 40 million will be distributed.
Jasna Matic
Author:
Tanjug
In a conference organised as part of the Turn Around Management (TAM) and Business Advisory Service (BAS) programmes, Matic said that the SME sector accounts for almost one-half of Serbia's total exports and noted that state support has been on the increase year-in-year-out.
She also said that not all funds have been distributed so companies can compete for the incentive funds.
According to her, credit support to SMEs amounting to nearly RSD 7 billion will be approved to entrepreneurs in amounts ranging from RSD 500,000 to RSD 2.5 million, whereas start-ups can get loans ranging from RSD 400,000 to RSD 2.4 million.
Chief of Political Department of the European Commission's delegation to Serbia Esmeralda Hernandez-Aragones said that legal regulation in Serbia for SMEs is good and that the government needs to cooperate more with those companies, which means accelerated issuance of licences and removal of red ape.
Aragones said that the Council of the EU recommended implementation of the European Charter on SMEs, adoption of an operational regulative for the development of the SME sector and creating a SME development strategy.
According to her, the EU’s total budget to assist Serbian companies this year will be RSD 20 billion, which is part of IPA funds totalling €3.5 million.
Head of Operations in the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR) Christos Gofas announced that as part of the TAM project, €8 million will be set aside this year to create new jobs in SMEs and added that €43 million has already been allocated.
Director of the TAM and BAS programme Charlotte Salford said that since 2001 €8 million has been invested as part of the TAM programmes in 184 projects, 70 of which have been completed while 94 are still in progress.
A total of €583,000 has been invested in BAS programmes since 2006, and 71 local consultants for 110 projects have been engaged, said Salford.
She added that additional funds amounting to €960,000 for a three-year period were granted by the Netherlands.
She also said that not all funds have been distributed so companies can compete for the incentive funds.
According to her, credit support to SMEs amounting to nearly RSD 7 billion will be approved to entrepreneurs in amounts ranging from RSD 500,000 to RSD 2.5 million, whereas start-ups can get loans ranging from RSD 400,000 to RSD 2.4 million.
Chief of Political Department of the European Commission's delegation to Serbia Esmeralda Hernandez-Aragones said that legal regulation in Serbia for SMEs is good and that the government needs to cooperate more with those companies, which means accelerated issuance of licences and removal of red ape.
Aragones said that the Council of the EU recommended implementation of the European Charter on SMEs, adoption of an operational regulative for the development of the SME sector and creating a SME development strategy.
According to her, the EU’s total budget to assist Serbian companies this year will be RSD 20 billion, which is part of IPA funds totalling €3.5 million.
Head of Operations in the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR) Christos Gofas announced that as part of the TAM project, €8 million will be set aside this year to create new jobs in SMEs and added that €43 million has already been allocated.
Director of the TAM and BAS programme Charlotte Salford said that since 2001 €8 million has been invested as part of the TAM programmes in 184 projects, 70 of which have been completed while 94 are still in progress.
A total of €583,000 has been invested in BAS programmes since 2006, and 71 local consultants for 110 projects have been engaged, said Salford.
She added that additional funds amounting to €960,000 for a three-year period were granted by the Netherlands.
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