EU ProLocal Programme publishes Call for Expression of Interest for allocation of grants for SMEs

Joint EU and German Government Programme for Local-Self Government and Economic Development in BiH – EU ProLocal, implemented by GIZ, published today a Call for Expression of Interest for participation in competitive tenders for allocation of grants.

The Call is open until 17 July 2016 for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and development partnerships from metal and wood processing sectors and agribusiness, registered in one of 20 partner municipalities/cites: Prijedor, Prnjavor, Derventa, Gradiška, Laktaši, Kozarska Dubica, Srbac, Zenica, Gračanica, Brčko, Teslić, Tešanj, Žepče, Posušje, Široki Brijeg, Grude, Ljubuški, Prozor-Rama, Jablanica and Konjic.

This Call intends to determine the interest for participation in competitive tenders through which the grants, worth EUR 4 million in total, will be allocated in the period from 2016 to 2018. The project proposals that are to be submitted should focus on improving access to markets (both local and international), competitiveness and innovation oriented networking, better business processes, higher quality and the introduction of standards.

The EU ProLocal programme is worth EUR 13 million, out of which EUR 9 million is financed by the EU through the project “Recovering SMEs in Flood Affected Areas and Strengthening Their Competitiveness Based on Local Economic Development Partnerships”, and the remaining funds by the German Government.

Grants will be bundled with a set of technical assistance measures, both intended to contribute to improvement of competitiveness of selected partner municipalities and Small and Medium sized Enterprises, while prioritising SMEs/municipalities affected by floods in 2014.

Greater competitiveness, expanded export and increased innovative activity of SMEs will improve their performance, contribute to the creation of new job opportunities and ultimately deliver better living conditions for the citizens.

Please find HERE the Call for Expression of Interest.

For more information please visit www.eu-prolocal.ba.

Europa.ba