DEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF SERBIA’S PROJECT WINNER OF THE NATIONAL COMPETITION AND REPRESENTATIVE OF SERBIA IN EEPA2017

Development Agency of Serbia’s Project competing for a prestigious European award

BELGRADE – July 18, 2017 – Private Sector Development Project (PSD), submitted by the Development Agency of Serbia (RAS) in an application for the best idea in the enterprise promotion awards EEPA 2017, in the award category “Supporting the internationalisation of MSMEEs business”, is the winner of the national competition and Serbia’s representative in this European competition.

The Jury will meet on September 26 in Brussels to decide on the shortlist, in a competition made up of 28 EU member countries, including Iceland, Norway and Turkey.  Awards ceremony is scheduled for November 23 in Estonia.

EEPA (European Enterprise Promotion Awards) is an initiative of the European Commission, with a goal to recognize and award excellent examples of entrepreneurship support and promotion. The European award brings visibility and promotion throughout Europe to winners, and uses them as a positive example to inspire others to start business.

PSD Project is implemented by RAS in cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development - USAID, in three cities (Vranje, Leskovac and Novi Pazar) and nine municipalities (Presevo, Bujanovac, Medvedja, Raska, Sjenica, Tutin, Priboj, Prijepolje and Nova Varos) of South and Southwest Serbia. PSD provides support to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs (MSMEEs); associations/clusters and youth and female entrepreneurship in light manufacturing, food and textile industry, with the goal to increase exports and sales, and create jobs.

So far, 184 MSMEEs and eight associations/clusters have been supported by the Project, through training programs, mentoring, consulting and technical assistance; 76 projects have been approved; 12 international trade fair missions organised; as well as two bilateral (B2B) events.  

The Project also provides support to female and youth entrepreneurship, and so far, more than 400 participants have been trained through business start-up trainings and 180 business plans submitted for grant award; competitions for financing of the best business ideas have awarded 60 grants for business start-up and 30 grants for additional business development, and additional training programs and mentoring services have been organized for newly established businesses. More information about the Project can be found at RAS Website.