Mr. Branko Grcic, Ph.D., the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds, took part at the informal meeting of EU ministers responsible for cohesion policy, held in Athens 24-25 April 2014. Support for small and medium size enterprises was discussed at the meeting. It was pointed out that new financing models need to be created, both at the national and the EU levels, particularly in order to support start-up companies.
Deputy Prime Minister Grcic pointed out that Croatia, along with most of the other EU member states, intends to support small and medium size enterprises in the forthcoming period primarily through national financing instruments.
It was also emphasized that the administrative burden should be eased for small and medium size enterprizes, and that their access to information and know-how regarding EU funds should be assisted.
It is expected that the European Commission increase the funds earmarked for research and development and that small and medium size enterprises should benefit from funds aimed at regional cooperation in order to gain access to new markets.
The meeting was addressed by Greek Minister Costis Chatzidakis and by European Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn. Mr. Hahn thanked all the member states, including Croatia, that submitted on time their Draft Partnership Agreements. These Agreements define national strategies for investments through European structural and financial funding for the 2014-2020 period, thus contributing to the formation of EU economic policy for the next 7 years. Commissioner Hahn appealed to Member States to be coherent in their plans and for their projects to be compatible with their national strategies.
The ministers agreed on the necessity of holding regular meetings of EU ministers responsible for cohesion policy. The majority share the Croatian view that these meetings should be organized within the framework of the GAC meetings.
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