News/Press

inland waterways
Ukraine: river transport could triple by 2020 if proper regulation in place
Ukraine
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15/09/2017
Ukraine has 4,000km of potential inland waterways, but actually uses less than 10% of its river freight transport capacity, with inland waterways accounting for less than 1% of total freight traffic, compared to an average of 7% in the EU, according to a review of the sector carried out by the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO), set up under EU4Business FORBIZ project. Representatives from...
Andrea Wiktorin, Suma Chakrabarti and Vladimir Zinvovsky addressing media
EU and EBRD commit fresh resources to support SMEs in Belarus
Belarus
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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
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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...
Vardanush Petrossian opened a health food café in Yerevan with support from EU4Business and the EBRD.
EUR 8.33 million in local currency loans in Armenia for SMEs in rural areas and women entrepreneurs
Armenia
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12/09/2017
EU4Business is providing EUR 8.33 million of local currency loans in Armenia to help women entrepreneurs and SMEs and micro-enterprises in rural areas. Two on-lending programmes are being implemented by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) through Araratbank to meet a growing demand for financing from women-led and rural businesses. Loans and advice for Armenian...
Training course on marketing and selling consulting services
Moldova
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10/09/2017
On 19-22 June 2017, Advice for Small Businesses of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) organised a training course on ‘Marketing and Selling Consulting Services’ for local consultants in the Republic of Moldova. The overall objective of the training was to build the capacity of local consultants in the Republic of Moldova (hereinafter referred to as Moldova) in order to...
EBRD President Sir Suma Chakrabarti (left) heard about the progress of the EU4Business-EBRD joint financing programmes for SMES on his visit to Georgia.
EBRD President visits Georgia to discuss the country’s economic performance
Georgia
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07/09/2017
The President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development , Sir Suma Chakrabarti, visited Georgia on 5 and 6 September to discuss ways of further strengthening the country’s economic performance. Sir Suma met Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and other top government ministers and was a guest at a session of the Investors’ Council , a platform for public-private dialogue set up by...
ProCredit Bank signed an agreement on 5 September with the German-Ukrainian Fund to provide local currency loans to Ukrainian SMEs.
New local currency lending programme for Ukrainian SMEs
Ukraine
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06/09/2017
Ukrainian SMEs will benefit from a new EUR 10 million local currency lending facility to be operated through Ukrainian banks. ProCredit Bank signed an agreement with the German-Ukrainian Fund under the SME Promotion Program, funded by the German Government in cooperation with EU4Business. The facility provides lending at 15% per year in Ukrainian hryvnia and will be managed by German state...
EU-Ukraine Association Agreement fully enters into force
Ukraine
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01/09/2017
On 1 September 2017, the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement comes into full force. The Association Agreement, including its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), is the main tool for bringing Ukraine and the EU closer together: it promotes deeper political ties and stronger economic links, as well as respect for common European values. The DCFTA provides a framework for modernising...
Georgian entrepreneurs will be participating in the programme "Fit for Partnership with Germany"
Georgia
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31/08/2017
Enterprise Georgia, in cooperation with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, and with the support of GIZ, is opening registration for The Manager Training Programme in Germany. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is entrusted to lead the programme. The GIZ offers a four-week practice-oriented specialist training programme for English-...
Project to implement the Republic of Moldova’s DCFTA boosts jobs and trade opportunities with the EU
Moldova
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23/08/2017
The EU4Business-supported project to help implement the Republic of Moldova’s Deep and Comprehensive Trade Agreement (DCFTA) with the EU has increased access to finance, generated jobs and helped align Moldovan standards with those of the EU, making products safer and improving trading opportunities. These were the conclusions of the event held on 23 August to mark the end of the DCFTA Sector...