Entrepreneurial learning, Vol. 3 No. 2, 2013.
Original scientific paper
The role of EU funds in encouraging entrepreneurship
Mihaela Grubišić Šeba
; Ekonomski institut, Zagreb
Abstract
Depending on the EU country in question, SMEs constitute up to 99% of all enterprises. SMEs contribute substantially to overall economic growth and that is why most countries support development of certain target business groups such as women entrepreneurs’ or start-ups through small business agencies, national development banks or even direct subsidies. Less developed EU member states can benefit from the EU funding support, although the EU funds’ support is primarily regarded as reserved for non-profit making beneficiaries. Except for technical assistance, encouraging entrepreneurship networksand certain social groups of entrepreneurs, most EU funds’ support is targeted to the central and/or local state-owned or managed institutions. One of the goals of Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan is to enable Europe-wide SMEs better access to finance. The aim of this paper is to investigate how it could be achieved by means of the EU funds. Main research question of this paper is whether EU funds can bridge the funding gap that Croatian SMEs are faced with and under what conditions. This paper also addresses the procedure that SMEs need to follow when applying for the EU funds.
Keywords
SMEs; EU funds; entrepreneurship support
Hrčak ID:
130396
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2013.
Visits: 2.472 *