News/Press

Belarus adopts new law on regulatory legal acts in line with OECD recommendations
21/08/2018
Belarus has recently adopted a new law “On regulatory legal acts”, which aims to provide better public consultations and introduces regulatory impact analysis (RIA) for draft legal acts. The law is in line with OECD recommendations for policy reform to improve the business climate for SMEs. More specifically, the law includes mechanisms aimed at increasing the participation of citizens and legal...
Bridging the Gap: EFSE impact report
EFSE publishes impact report highlighting support for small businesses
20/07/2018
The European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) released its Impact Report today, showcasing the fund’s accomplishments in supporting entrepreneurs as the drivers of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) – the economic backbone of the fund’s target regions. EFSE aims to foster economic development and prosperity in Southeastern Europe and in the European Eastern Neighbourhood region – where it...
Commissioner Johannes Hahn
Eastern Partnership: EU and neighbouring countries boost cooperation on the digital economy
25/06/2018
The EU and the six Eastern Partner countries have agreed to step up their cooperation on the digital economy, adopting a road map on reducing roaming charges, addressing the cybersecurity threat in a coordinated manner, and expanding e-services to create more jobs in the digital industry. Speaking in Minsk, Belarus, where he was taking part in the 10th Eastern Partnership Informal Partnership...
Minsk furniture forum
Minsk Furniture Forum hears EBRD plans to step up support
Belarus
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25/06/2018
More than 80 participants gathered at the Furniture Forum in Minsk on 20 June - a sectoral event within the framework of the EBRD's Advice for Small Businesses Programme and the EU4Business initiative in Belarus, where they were able to hear the best international practices, meet market leaders and exchange views. The EBRD’s Yuriy Serikov told the conference that the EBRD was counting on the...
EU officials says Belarus has huge potential to develop digital sector
Belarus
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19/06/2018
Belarus has huge potential to develop its digital sector, the Director for Neighbourhood East at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargements Negotiations Lawrence Meredith has said in an interview with the ONT TV channel. “We see huge potential for the digital sector in Belarus. I think you have very experienced young people who work in this sector. It is...
Harmonisation of digital markets in focus as Belarus hosts Eastern Partnership dialogue
Belarus
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18/06/2018
European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy Johannes Hahn and European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Mariya Gabriel will visit Minsk on June 21-22 to participate in the 10th Eastern Partnership Informal Partnership Dialogue. "On June 21-22, we hold the so-called informal ministerial dialogue within the framework of the Eastern Partnership, which will be attended by...
Launch of the third cycle of the Small Business Act for Europe (SBA) Assessment in Belarus
SME policy assessment launched in Belarus
Belarus
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06/06/2018
The launch of the third cycle of the Small Business Act for Europe (SBA) assessment took place in Minsk, Belarus on 29 May with a high-level public-private Working Group meeting under the umbrella of the Council for Entrepreneurship Development. The meeting was organised by the OECD in the framework of the EU-funded project ‘ EU4Business: From Policies to Action ’. The Small Business Act for...
Head of the EU Delegation to Belarus Andrea Viktorin
Expert assessment of Belarus' compliance with principles of Small Business Act discussed in Minsk
Belarus
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31/05/2018
An expert assessment of Belarus' compliance with the principles of the Small Business Act for Europe was discussed on May 29 at a round table in Minsk. The meeting was organised by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in cooperation with the Council for the Development of Entrepreneurship, in the framework of the EU-funded project ‘ EU4Business: From Policies to Action...
EU funding for rural startups after Startup Weekend in Belarus
Belarus
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22/05/2018
A series of rural startups from Belarus will get the chance to put their ideas into action with EU support, after being selected at the fourth Startup Weekend in Kamarova earlier this month. At the event, business ideas were presented by residents of Miadziel, Astraviec, Smarhoń and Pastavy districts, who had been trained at the School of Rural Business in Kamarova from January to April 2018. A...
EU launches new External Investment Plan in Tbilisi
23/03/2018
On 21 March, the EU presented its External Investment Plan (EIP) at a regional launch event in the Georgian capital Tbilisi. Under this plan, the EU will mobilise investments from the public and private sector from 2017 to 2020 for more than 70 economies around the world, including Georgia and the other Eastern Partner countries. The EIP will aim to boost investment and support more inclusive and...