3 June 2014

Signing the agreement for EU direct funding

On June 02, 2014, in SEEU campus Skopje was signed the consortium agreement for strategic cooperation for EU direct funding for the period 2014-2020. The aim of this agreement is to promote the intersectoral cooperation for using the EU direct funding available to the entities in the Republic of Macedonia, in order to increase the promotion, innovation and competition in the small and medium-sized enterprises.

The cooperation between the academic, private, non-governmental and the public sector, supported by the foreign partner organizations, has as an aim to contribute to new employments, to strengthen the ecosystem of the enterprises in the country, as well as creating links with foreign partners in EU, in pursuance of gaining new markets as for placing the home products in the common market of EU.

The strategic cooperation is set for the 2014-2020 period, and during this period activities and applications are foreseen for the direct programmes of EU:

- EU Research and Innovation programme (HORIZON2020) with nearly €80 billion of funding available.

- EU programme for the competiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises running from 2014-2020 with a planned budget of €2.3bn.

The consortium of Macedonia is made up of: SEE University, EMKICE - The Center for EU funds and innovation, Macedonian business angel network, SEEUTechPark. The Municipality of Tetovo, The Municipality of Gazi Baba, The Central Register of RM, The agency for promoting the agricultural development in RM, New Mens Business Accelerator, Ilumine-the centre for development of TIK in the education, Institute of Environment and Health, and Open fun football schools in RM.

Foreign strategic supporters and partners are: The European Business Angels Network (EBAN), The European Business Network and Innovation centres (EBN), The Irish Business Network and Innovation centres (WestBic), EU-start Up Business Accelerator, and the innovation platform – Finnovaregio foundation from Valencia, Spain.