Events to look out for
The 2018 SME Assembly is taking place this week in Graz, Austria, in the context of the European SME Week. During the next three days, policy makers, stakeholders and small businesses will get together to discuss ways to connect, share and innovate for European SMEs. The European Enterprise Promotion Awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday, 20 November. Follow the event on social media via #SMEAssembly2018.
EU Space Week – 3-6 December, Marseilles (FR). This year’s EU Space Week will feature sessions covering the EU’s space programmes and applications: Copernicus, Galileo and the EGNOS Portal. Participants will learn about the latest applications on Earth observation and satellite navigation and discuss with industry leaders, space stakeholders and policy makers.
Funds available
EUR 50 million for social and micro-entrepreneurs in Finland. The European Investment Bank has signed two agreements with Finnish bank Oma Säästöpankki Oyj in order to provide social and micro-entrepreneurs with better access to finance. A microfinance guarantee agreement will provide EUR 40 million worth of loans to 2,600 Finnish micro-entrepreneurs, while a social entrepreneurship agreement will support around 100 social enterprises, primarily cooperatives, with EUR 10 million worth of loans.
EU policies for better business
European Parliament adopts key files of the Clean Energy for All Europeans package. New rules on renewables, energy efficiency and the governance of the Energy Union have been signed off by the European Parliament last week – an important step in enabling the European Union to embrace the clean energy transition and meet the Paris Agreement commitments. The new rules will strengthen regulations on individual metering and billing of thermal energy by giving consumers clearer rights to receive more frequent information on their energy consumption.
Agriculture: EUR 191 million to promote agri-food products at home and abroad. Of these, EUR 89 million will be allocated to campaigns in high growth countries such as Canada, China, Colombia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and the United States. Some of the money will be earmarked to the promotion of specific products, like table olives.
Get involved
Open the doors of your business on EU Industry Day! The European Commission is looking for industrial companies across Europe to participate in the EU Industry Day 2019 Open Doors initiative. The aim is to provide the public and especially young people, a chance to learn about the vital role EU industry plays through workshops and guided tours.