EU4Business: Competitiveness and Internationalization of SMEs

PMCG is working on a new international cooperation programme – EU4Business: SME Competitiveness and Internationalisation – which is co-financed by the European Union and the German government, and is implemented by “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.” In the course of the programme, a special emphasis is being put on strengthening the capacities of Ukrainian SMEs to comply with the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA).

The programme aims to create better conditions to enable the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and support innovation and export promotion, resulting in sustainable and equitable economic growth.

The main objectives of the project are to enhance Ukrainian SMEs’ competitiveness and to facilitate their capacity to implement export plans and activities resulting from the consulting services provided to them. In particular, SMEs gain knowledge of and access to a support structure consisting of a network of capacitated export advisers, who are at their disposal for further consultation and coaching.”

PMCG supports Ukrainian SMEs in improving their competitiveness and sets up and provides an export consulting, coaching, and mentoring program over a period of nine months. PMCG improves the competitiveness of at least 50 SMEs with a focus on exporting to the EU market. On the other hand, 36 local export advisers are coached in Ukraine, who then provide export consultancy for targeted SMEs. Companies from all of the regions under Ukrainian government control are included, taking into account the actual production and delivery capabilities of companies in the regions most severely affected by the war.

The inclusion of Ukrainian export advisers in the program is designed to strengthen the Ukrainian exporting system holistically and sustainably.

The program strengthens SMEs’ innovation capacity to export to the EU, strengthens the Ukrainian exporting ecosystem, improves the capacity of Ukrainian export advisers, and promotes innovative approaches to trade facilitation.