• Sets up quality Euro-Mediterranean networks providing adequate support and services to micro, small and medium enterprises (mSMEs);
• Enhances the role of the Working Party on Euro-Mediterranean industrial cooperation in supporting and co-ordinating SME-related reforms, builds up the capacity of the Euro-Mediterranean Charter coordinators to advocate for and promote mSMEs and raises awareness and use of financing available for mSMEs;
• Selects and co-finances the most promising pilot initiatives demonstrating the potential of cultural and creative industries in promoting inclusive growth and employment in the ENP South region;
• Identifies regional sector strategies in a limited number of promising sectors in addition to cultural and creative industries to attract new EU and intra Mediterranean trade and investment flows and to develop further EU and intra Mediterranean business partnerships;
• Organises, in the context of the identified regional sector strategies, matchmaking business events between specialists of the Mediterranean sector business associations, companies and their counterparts in the EU and intra-Mediterranean;
• Disseminates the best practices from each Mediterranean country, which can enhance the international image of the region for investors.

The programme has three components – projects:

Enhancement of the Business Environment in the Southern Mediterranean (EBESM): The project aims to contribute to the improvement of the business enabling environment for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in the ENP-South region in line with EU best practices through the strengthening of the technical expertise and capacity of targeted public and private stakeholders.

Additionally, the project aims at raising awareness and strengthening the policy dialogue around MSME development issues, including access to finance, in particular to give greater attention to SMEs as creators of employment. This is expected to expand the private sector in the region through the development of more robust, inclusive and sustainable growth.

www.ebesm.eu

Euromed Invest: The objective of the project is to boost private business and investment within the Euro-Mediterranean region to contribute to an inclusive economic development. The project activities aim to empower Euro-Med business and investment networks to implement targeted strategies in support of SME development in specific sectors: agri-food, water and alternative energies, tourism, transport and logistics, cultural and creative industries.

www.euromedinvest.eu/en

Development of Clusters in Cultural and Creative Industries in the Southern Mediterranean: The project aims at strengthening selected clusters and cluster initiatives in cultural and creative industries (CCIs) in the Southern Mediterranean that have the potential to develop into promising pilot cluster initiatives.

www.cci-clusters.org