The EU provided a grant of 8 million euros for the implementation of the EU for SMEs project, under which about 300 Moldovan companies will receive assistance.
EU funds were allocated under a direct grant agreement with the ODA signed in May this year, which provides that in 2023-2026 the EU will allocate 8 million euros to replenish the state budget envisaged for the implementation of 7 state funding programs: PARE 1 + 2, Start for Youth, SME Greening Program, Digital Transformation Program, Retechnological and Energy Efficiency Program, Women's Entrepreneurship” and “Rural Tourism Program”. During a press conference on Thursday, EU Ambassador to Moldova Jānis Mažeiks said that this assistance will improve Moldovan SMEs' access to grant financing, providing them with resources for investment and development. Director of the ODA Dumitru Pintea said that both start-up entrepreneurs and larger companies will be able to use EU grants. The European aid project was launched by one of the first beneficiaries of EU aid, Bacioi-based Cabigrup, which specializes in the production of wine, bottles and decorative boxes for alcoholic beverages. The representative of the company, Vladimir Cernat, noted that the company was established in 2003 and was engaged in the production of packaging for alcoholic beverages. However, the company subsequently acquired a winery to produce wine under its own brand. Within the framework of the state program of retechnologization and energy efficiency, the company received 2 million lei to modernize the process of filtering, filling and labeling bottles. The goal of the EU for SMEs project is to promote sustainable and inclusive economic development and support the ecological transition in Moldova. It will also improve the investment climate, employment opportunities and business environment in Moldova, especially for SMEs in rural areas. // 13.07.2023 — InfoMarket
