The EU financed project “EU support to the Western Balkans Six Chamber Investment Forum“ is focused on supporting SMEs in the region in the field of: internationalization of operations with an emphasis on easier access to sources of funding, the creation of start-ups and encouraging of research and innovation. Its significant component is the improvement of an inter-chamber dialogue between CCIS and KCC as a contribution to the normalization of the relations between Belgrade and Pristina. The Project is funded through the IPA II Multi-country Action Program 2018. The project was officially signed on the 18th of December 2020, during the CEFTA week in Tirana and it will last 3 years.
Benefits for the companies within the Project:
- 1200 SMEs will be reached with trade promotion activities
- 800 SMEs will receive individual, tailor-made support to look for business and funding opportunities across borders
- 3 policy dialogues with 150-300 business community representatives
- 3 business surveys and 6 studies to identify the obstacles in cross-border cooperation
- 1 on-line toolbox with the information on market access in the region
- 3 joint participations of SMEs from the region in international fairs or business events
- 3 investment conferences to promote foreign investments in the region
- 1 market intelligence data base supporting SME internationalization
- 60 SMEs will be supported to apply to EU funds
- 2 EUROCHAMBERS academies will be organized on EU accession process and topics of interest for regional cooperation
- 6 business initiatives and inputs from WB6 CIF will be submitted to REA governance structures
- 18 seminars on the benefits of regional economic integration
- 3 B2B and B2F events
- 18 seminars to support SMEs in yielding the benefits of regional cooperation
