Jems
The Croatian Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises, Innovations and Investments (HAMAG-BICRO) presented the new project EmBRACE (Enhancing MSEs SustainaBle gRowth And Competitiveness) within the opening conference organized in Split on 3 July 2024. Through the project, cross-border cooperation of micro and small-sized enterprises from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro will be financed. For the first time in this program area, EUR 8,725,324.36 are available to entrepreneurs from the European Fund for Regional Development and IPA III, of which EUR 3,000,000.00 are available within the 1st Call for Proposals.
At the conference, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds Domagoj Mikulić, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of HAMAG-BICRO Vjeran Vrbanec, and Assistant Head of the Administrative Department for the Economy, EU Funds and Agriculture of the Split-Dalmatia County Anton Hrgović addressed the attendees with welcome speeches.
After the first part of the conference, the 1st Call workshop followed, during which entrepreneurs were explained the conditions and procedures of submitting project proposals via the electronic platform at the link https://cbchb.eu/application/.
After the initial conference and 1st Call workshop in Split, an informative 1st Call workshop for entrepreneurs followed on 4 July 2024 in Mostar. The 1st Call workshops are intended to cover the Programme area, and the remaining workshops will be held on 10 July in Tuzla, 11 July in Slavonski Brod and 16 July in Podgorica. For free participation in EmBRACE workshops, entrepreneurs can register HERE.
The EmBRACE project is implemented within the framework of the specific objective 1.3 of the Interreg VI-A IPA Programme Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021 – 2027, entitled “Strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises”, and the eligible beneficiaries are micro and small-sized enterprises in the Programme area.
The EmBRACE project duration is 5 years (from 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2029) and during its implementation, HAMAG-BICRO will award micro and small-sized entrepreneurs a total of EUR 8,725,324.36 of Program funds through at least 3 Calls for Proposals. Up to 85% of the total value of the project can be co-financed with European funds, whereby the highest amount of European funds that can be obtained for a small project is EUR 200,000.00. Each small project proposal should involve the cooperation of at least two (2), and at most four (4) project partners from different countries included in the Programme area. At the same time, one of the partners must be based in the territory of the European Union.
The expected duration of the public call is from 18 June to 17 September 2024. For more information about the EmBRACE project, please visit the official website of HAMAG-BICRO.
