News/Press

Boost for SMEs as GLS Bank invests €27.9 million in European Fund for Southeast Europe
12/01/2018
GLS Bank has made its second investment in the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE). With its purchase of €27.9 million in EFSE notes, the bank is continuing to join forces with EFSE to ensure access to financing for micro and small enterprises and to support low-income private households in Southeast Europe and the European Eastern Neighbourhood Region, where it operates under the...
Women in business: Kharkiv conference highlights harmony and success
Ukraine
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09/01/2018
An increasing number of women entrepreneurs in the modern world are striving to learn new business management tools and take their business activities to a new level. Responding to this demand, the Business Support Centre in Kharkiv recently organised a conference on ‘Women in Business. Harmony and success’, held as part of the EU4Business initiative with the support of the EBRD. On December 19...
Certification costs stifling Ukrainian tile exports
Ukraine
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08/01/2018
Production of ceramic tiles in Ukraine has been growing steadily in recent years, accounting for an increasing share of the domestic market, and with an ever-greater volume of exports, according to the latest study by the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO), with the support of the EU4Business FORBIZ project. But the high cost of certification through authorised representative offices of...
Focus on agricultural SMEs as EFSE establishes partnership with CreditWest Bank in Ukraine
Ukraine
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30/12/2017
The European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) has provided CreditWest Bank, Ukraine, with a financing package of €6 million, including the equivalent of €3 million in local currency, which will allow the bank to expand into small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) financing with particular focus on agricultural businesses. Having started as a corporate bank, CreditWest Bank is diversifying into...
Energy efficiency: EU4Business training supports consultants in advising SMEs
Ukraine
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20/12/2017
A four-day training on industrial energy efficiency was held on 11-14 December at the Kropyvnytskyi Business Support Centre. The workshop was organised with the support of the EBRD within the framework of the EU4Business initiative, and was aimed at enhancing the skills of participants in the field of energy efficiency and raising the standards of the energy efficiency projects they are...
EU4Business: FORBIZ launches SME pilot project in Chernihiv region
Ukraine
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20/12/2017
The EU4Business FORBIZ project has selected the Chernihiv region to participate in an EU-funded pilot programme that supports regions and cities in Ukraine to successfully formulate and implement development policies for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Chernihiv Region State Administration, and the City Councils of Nizhyn and Chernihiv signed a Memorandum of cooperation with FORBIZ...
Deregulation day: Ukrainian government approves raft of measures to cut red tape
Ukraine
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20/12/2017
On December 18, Ukraine’s Cabinet Ministers held a "deregulation day", which resulted in the adoption of 12 business decisions and the abolition of 340 outdated regulations, following initiatives prepared by the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO) in conjunction with the Ministry of Economic Development and the State Regulatory Service, with the support of the EU4Business FORBIZ project. In...
EU4Business: BRDO presents concept for development of market for electric charging stations in Ukraine
Ukraine
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18/12/2017
The development of environmental-friendly transport in Ukraine is being held back by the absence of a regulated market for electric charging stations, according to the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO), set up in Ukraine with the support of EU4Business and the FORBIZ project. If proper infrastructure is to be developed, it is necessary to create transparent conditions for connection to...
Planning for export: EU4Business boost for entrepreneurs in Zaporizhzhya
Ukraine
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18/12/2017
Entrepreneurs from the Zaporizhzhya region of Ukraine recently had the opportunity to take part in an EU4Business training on export practices and trade financing, organised by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and hosted by the Zaporizhzhya Business Support Centre. The three-day workshop provided support to SMEs on how to enter new markets, while focusing on payment...
EU boosts support to Ukrainian SMEs with new finance from EIB Group
Ukraine
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13/12/2017
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF) – jointly the EIB Group – have signed a guarantee agreement with Oschadbank in order to support €50 million of lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ukraine made possible with European Union support through the EU4Business initiative. This agreement will enable Oshadbank to facilitate access to finance for...