News/Press

Andrea Wiktorin, Suma Chakrabarti and Vladimir Zinvovsky addressing media
EU and EBRD commit fresh resources to support SMEs in Belarus
Belarus
 | 
14/09/2017
Small Business Advice programme expands in remote regions of Belarus with €6 million in additional funds provided by EU. The European Union (EU) is providing a major boost to small businesses in Belarus, with a pledge of €6 million in additional funds over a period of four years for the EBRD’s Advice for Small Business (ASB) programme. Over 200 domestic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)...
Local currency lending in Belarusian rubbles
EBRD promotes local currency lending and corporate governance in Belarus
Belarus
 | 
14/09/2017
The EBRD and Belarus are joining forces to improve the domestic investment climate and corporate standards, with new initiatives in the area of local currency lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the commercialisation and governance of state-owned enterprises. The agreements mark an important contribution to the EU4Business objective of supporting SME growth by facilitating...
Andrea Wiktorin, head of EU Delegation in Belarus
Head of EU Delegation in Belarus talks about projects to promote country's economic development
Belarus
 | 
18/08/2017
Andrea Wiktorin, Head of the EU Delegation in Belarus, spoke about promising projects to promote the country's economic development as she attended the opening of the workshop held by the Research Center of the Institute for Privatization and Management (IPM Research Center) jointly with the Research Institute of Economy of the Economy Ministry of Belarus on 30 June, BelTA has learned. “...
‘Women’s Management’ meeting to boost female entrepreneurs in Belarus
Belarus
 | 
14/08/2017
The event, organised by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in Minsk on 8 August 2017, targeted women entrepreneurs working in the country. Participants came away with tips and techniques on how to manage staff as well getting more information on the EBRD’s Women in Business programme. Olga Kuznetsova (EBRD) opened the meeting and introduced the Women in Business programme...
Developing dialogue between government and the private sector in Belarus
Belarus
 | 
07/08/2017
The role of SMEs and their Business Support Organisations (BSOs) in Belarus was the focus of a week of seminars and round tables in Minsk from 10 to 14 July. The events were organised by the Republican Union of Employers (BelUE) as part of the EU4Business East Invest 2 project. They aimed to support BSOs in participating in public-private dialogue (PPD) and to raise awareness of the need for...
EU and EaP flags
Belarus calls for revitalizing project activity in the Eastern Partnership
Belarus
 | 
05/08/2017
Belarus thinks it is necessary to revitalize the project activity within the framework of the Eastern Partnership (EaP), Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Oleg Kravchenko noted at the 9th annual Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers' meeting in Chisinau on 10 July. When speaking during the panel session, Oleg Kravchenko presented Belarus' vision of the prospects for multilateral...
EU4Business was well represented at the OECD policy seminar in Minsk, which aimed to help Belarus successfully implement its SME strategy.
Belarus Government presents draft SME strategy, including measures to improve business environment
Belarus
 | 
03/07/2017
The Ministry of Economy of Belarus presented its draft SME strategy at an international seminar in Minsk on 27 June. The strategy to 2030 includes proposals to improve the business environment. The Ministry of Economy also identified reform priorities in the areas of innovation, investment and export promotion. Advice from EU and EaP countries The two-day seminar, “SME strategy for Belarus:...
Participants at the East Invest 2 Annual Partner Conference 2017
Private sector business organisations from Eastern Partnership countries demand better business climate for SMEs
22/06/2017
21 June 2017, Kiev More than 100 business support organisations (BSOs) representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and the EU Member States gathered in Kiev today for the final conference of the EU funded East Invest project. Participants discussed private sector's engagement in policymaking across the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries and showcased East Invest...
Innovative SMEs and women to benefit from new €6m EU fund
Belarus
 | 
06/03/2017
The EU is to provide a further €6 million for the development of SMEs in Belarus over the next four years – with a special emphasis on innovative startups and women in business . “We would like to support innovative fledgling companies and small enterprises, and women who are engaged in business under the very good Women in Business project launched this year,” said Andrea Wiktorin, Head of the...
Belarus plans to expand SME sector
Belarus plans to expand SME sector
Belarus
 | 
27/10/2016
State programme to increase jobs in SME sector to over 41% of country’s total workforce by 2020 The Belarus Government implemented Decree No. 870 on 25 October, introducing amendments to the 2016-2020 state programme for SMEs, approved by the Decision No. 149 of the Belarus Council of Ministers of 23 February 2016. This is aimed at increasing the share of Gross Domestic Product generated by Small...