Pearse Doherty
Question:105. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the person or agency responsible in Ireland for the COSME programme for 2014-2020. [15829/14]
View answerThursday, 3 April 2014
Questions (105)
Written answers
The new Programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (COSME) will run from 2014 to 2020, with an overall budget of €2.23bn. The SME Policy Unit of my Department has policy responsibility for COSME policy issues and liaison with the EU Commission. Executive responsibility rests with Enterprise Ireland and the Enterprise Europe Network Ireland (which is currently managed by Enterprise Ireland).
The objectives of COSME include facilitating access to finance for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and to increase the sustainable competitiveness of EU companies and help small businesses operate outside their home countries. COSME also aims to create an environment favourable to business creation and growth, and encourage an entrepreneurial culture in Europe. National, regional and local authorities will also be assisted, by the provision of tools for effectively reforming policy. These tools include reliable, EU wide data and statistics, best practice and financial support to test and scale up sustainable solutions for improving global competitiveness.
The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) is expected to assist 40,000 companies across the EU, with partnership agreements, resulting in 1,200 new business products, services or processes annually and €400m annually in additional turnover for assisted companies.
The EEN is a 'one-stop shop' for the business needs of SMEs in the EU and beyond. It provides enterprises with information and a range of quality and free-of-charge business support services to make them more competitive. The Enterprise Europe Network in Ireland is coordinated by Enterprise Ireland and can be contacted via the Cork, Galway, Dublin, Sligo and Waterford Chambers of Commerce.
A new Executive Agency for SME's (EASME) has been established by the EU Commission. The agency will be responsible for implementing most aspects of COSME. The EU Commission has recently confirmed that the deadline for submission for the calls under the EEN is 15 May 2014, with the communication of results in September 2014.