Tunis, 28 June 2018, Enhancing Business Support Organisations (BSO )and business networks in the Southern Neighbourhood– Such is the ambition of the project EBSOMED. This project 4-year project is co-funded by the European Union, coordinated by BUSINESSMED and implemented by a consortium consisting of 6 partners.

The EBSOMED kick-off Seminar will be held on in Tunis on 28 June 2018 at Laico Hotel starting from 9 am, with the presence of several Tunisian Ministers, representatives of the European Commission and BSOs as well as journalists from the EuroMed region.

The action will reinforce business support organisations’ management capacity and efficiency, particularly in support to SMEs’ internationalisation, by providing programmes to improve the services offered by the Business Support Organisations, and a set of instruments such as Roadshows, B2B meetings and workshops on access to the EU initiatives and programmes.

EBSOMED will promote alternative sources of financing for SMEs, helping them as well to access specific measures to promote access to bank financing such as credit guarantee schemes, non-banking financing (microfinance, leasing, factoring, etc.), venture capital and business angel networks.

EBSOMED will also pay a particular attention to supporting the key priorities that tackle the inclusive and sustainable growth, through the consolidation of a regional strategy and action plans to strengthen business partnerships in the Southern Neighborhood.

EBSOMED targets the BSOs in 10 South Mediterranean countries and their European counterparts, targeting in particular Employers' Confederations, economic development and investment promotion agencies European, Mediterranean and Arab chambers of commerce and industry and organizations that support women and youth entrepreneurship.

The Kick-off Seminar is organized by the Union of Mediterranean Confederations of Enterprises (BUSINESSMED) and aims at presenting the regional project and all the activities that will be carried out in the view of Enhancing Business Support Organisations and Business Networks in the Southern Neighborhood, by highlighting also the engagement of the European Union in promoting the Euro-Mediterranean private sector ecosystem and a more inclusive economic growth.