Events to look out for
4th Eastern Partnership (EaP) Business Forum – 26-27 October, Tallinn (EE). A side event to the EU Eastern Partnership Summit, the main objective of the forum is to promote cross-border economic relations, transparency, new business opportunities and cooperation between EU and Eastern Partnership countries, with particular focus on SMEs. Registrations are open now.
Webinar: develop a holistic understanding of innovation management – 27 October, 10:00 CET. This is a free webinar about developing a holistic approach on innovation management based on the 5 dimensions of the 'A.T. Kearney House of Innovation'.
Funding available
Investment Plan: €100 million for Dutch start-ups. The European Investment Fund (EIF) and the Netherlands Investment Agency (NIA) launched a €100 million Dutch Growth Co-Investment Programme. The Programme will support innovative and fast-growing small businesses which have gone beyond the start-up phase and need financing to help them scale-up.
Juncker Plan: €700 million for SMEs in Greece. Greek Piraeus Bank will lend €700 million to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Greece, thanks to an agreement signed last week with the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Investment Fund (EIF) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
EU policies for better business
Drones: fresh efforts by the Commission to put safety first. The European Commission is giving a push to speed up the implementation of EU-wide rules for the use of drones in the European Union. More than 1200 safety occurrences - including near-misses between drones and aircrafts - were reported in Europe in 2016. Pending the adoption of new rules, the Commission's Single European Sky Air traffic management Research Joint Undertaking (SESAR) is making €500,000 available to support the demonstration of “geo-fencing” services.
Get involded
Opportunity for SMEs: innovation vouchers up to €60,000! The INCluSilver project is providing up to €60.000 per company through innovation vouchers, intellectual property vouchers and travel vouchers, to support small businesses with innovative ideas. Applications should address one of the seven challenges identified by the project in the field of personal nutrition for the silver population. Selected companies will benefit from additional innovation support services provided by the INCluSilver partners. Check eligibility and criteria and apply by 15 October 2017.
Have your say: Combating fraud and counterfeiting of electronic payments. The European Commission is proposing a new directive on combating fraud and counterfeiting of non-cash means of payment in the EU. Citizen's feedback to this proposal is welcome until 27 November 2017.