Starting from today, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Bosnia and Herzegovina can directly apply for grant support under the 2nd Call for Proposals for export-oriented sectors, initiated by EU4Business.
Grant funds in the amount of EUR 1,5 million will improve innovative capacity of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in order to increase export and employment, it was said today during the launch of the Call.
“Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in BiH will be able to improve their competitiveness thanks to the support provided by EU4Business. Together with the Call for the Export-oriented Partnerships, which was launched earlier, the total EU grant funds for strengthening BiH companies amount to € 4.5 million from the EU4Business project. We expect that these funds will help create new jobs and, thanks to the use of business innovations, increase exports by over 15%,” said Gilles Rebattet, Head of Operations for Economic Development, Natural Resources, and Infrastructures.
The project ideas to be supported within this Call are related to the metal and mechanical industry or wood processing sector. Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises registered in the sectors of plastics, electric and information and communication technologies can also apply if they implement projects in the targeted manufacturing sectors.
Applicants within this Call can be legal entities from BIH belonging to the category of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, while maximum grants are up to EUR 100.000 per project.
Overall, EUR 10 million is available in grants within the EU4Business projects for strengthening BIH’s economy and employment, through the development of competitiveness and innovation in selected sectors. EU4Business is worth EUR 16.1 million. It is jointly funded by the European Union (EUR 15 million) and the Federal Republic of Germany (EUR 1.1 million). The project is jointly implemented by GIZ, UNDP and ILO, from April 2018 to March 2022.
For more infomation on the Call for Proposals for Improvement of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises’ Innovative Capacity and the application process please visit: www.eu4business.ba, or contact: EU4Business@giz.de.
