Deadline: 20-Jun-2020
The European Commission is once again organizing the European Enterprise Promotion Awards (EEPA) for the best idea in the field of entrepreneurship promotion.
The European Enterprise Promotion Awards is an initiative of the European Commission that aims to recognize and reward outstanding examples of support and promotion of entrepreneurship across Europe. This award is not only a competition, but an aspiration to strengthen the awareness of the importance of supporting entrepreneurship, as well as to celebrate every success in this field.
In addition to the 27 EU member states, Serbia, Iceland, Albania, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine and the United Kingdom are also competing for the best model in the field of entrepreneurship promotion.
EEPA is a chance for your idea or creative approach in support of entrepreneurship to enter the competition for European recognition and bring you visibility and promotion across Europe, but also for you to set an example and serve as an inspiration to others.
How to win a prize?
If:
- Promote an entrepreneurial culture
- this category includes national, regional and local initiatives that promote entrepreneurship, especially among young people and women
- Example: organizing events and campaigns that promote entrepreneurship and a culture that encourages creativity, innovation and risk-taking;
- You invest in the development of entrepreneurial skills
- this category includes national, regional and local initiatives that improve entrepreneurial and managerial skills, as well as the skills of employees in private companies
- Example: promoting specific skills such as artisan technical skills, language skills, computer literacy, mentoring for entrepreneurs or entrepreneurship education in schools and colleges;
- You are improving the business environment
- this category includes national, regional and local initiatives that promote the establishment of new companies and their growth, reduction of administrative barriers and legislative burdens in favor of the SME sector, ie implementation of the principle “think small first”, support for business transfer in terms ownership
- Example: facilitating access to public procurement for SMEs; reduction of administrative costs and barriers; promoting the innovative potential of ICT and e-business;
- You support the internationalization of SMEs
- this category includes national, regional and local policies and initiatives that encourage SMEs to take advantage of the EU market and beyond
- Example: implementation of projects that encourage and maintain international business cooperation, provision of information, organization of business meetings and provision of services to SMEs that facilitate their entry into foreign markets;
- You support the development of green markets and energy efficiency
- this category includes national, regional and local policies and initiatives that support SMEs’ access to the green market and help them improve energy efficiency
- Example: supporting SMEs to access green technologies and helping to improve efficiency through the development of certain skills, networking and financing;
- Promote inclusive entrepreneurship and responsible business
- this category includes national, regional and local policies and initiatives that promote corporate social responsibility among small and medium-sized enterprises; as well as those that promote entrepreneurship among vulnerable groups, the unemployed, ethnic minorities, etc.
- Example: the establishment of social and non-profit enterprises that solve social problems through entrepreneurship;
Eligibility Criteria
- The right to participate have national, regional and local institutions and organizations, cities, regions, local governments as well as public-private partnerships between public authorities and entrepreneurs, educational programs and business organizations.
- Cross-border cooperation programs can also be nominated if they have the support of all participants in the implementation or if there is their consent.
- “One of the good sides of this competition is that the borders between the countries are disappearing. Remote cities are becoming economic allies that are not competing for gross domestic product but for brilliant ideas.”
- If you want to participate in the Competition, and you are not a national, regional and local institution and organization, city, region, local self-government unit, the project you are applying for must be the result of a public-private partnership, ie. that you are in charge of implementing a program created by a public body on the basis of a financial agreement and / or that there is an agreement between you and the public body which, based on your expertise, knowledge and resources, involves you in the policy-making process and / or the project is given direct support by a public body (this support does not necessarily have to be of a financial nature).
- An important condition for participation is that the project / initiative that is the subject of the Competition is implemented for a minimum of 15 months, ie that it has achieved certain results that can qualify it for recognition.
For more information, visit https://privreda.gov.rs/javni_pozivi/takmicenje-evropske-komisije-za-najbolju-ideju-u-oblasti-promocije-preduzetnistva/
