The EUโs Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) brings EU funding to innovative
projects that create jobs and growth, protect the environment
and work towards sustainable development.
Our job is to make sure that EU funding reaches the
right people, is properly spent, has a concrete impact on
the ground and makes a meaningful difference to the
lives of EU citizens.
EASME implements the European Commission's policies
and programmes on behalf of its departments.
Executive Agency for SMEs - Competitiveness, innovation, sustainability in Europe
1. EXECUTIVE AGENCY FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES:
COMPETITIVENESS
INNOVATION
SUSTAINABILITY
IN EUROPE
2. Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: competitiveness, innovation, sustainability in Europe
European Commission
Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
Contact: Hussein Sattaf
Email: hussein.sattaf@ec.europa.eu
European Commission
B-1049 Brussels
Manuscript completed in January 2019
The views expressed in this document refare the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission.
More information on the European Union is available on the internet (http://europa.eu).
Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2019ISBN: 978-92-9202-394-2
doi: 10.2826/76114
ยฉ European Union, 2019
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3. EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises2019
Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
Competitiveness, innovation, sustainability in Europe
January 2019
4. ELลปBIETA
BIEลKOWSKA
FOREWORD
EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR INTERNAL
MARKET, INDUSTRY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMES
Our continent is now enjoying the longest period of prosperity and sta-
bility in its history. This is a reality and a real achievement that was also
possible thanks to all the devoted people who believe in the European
project! Although there is still a lot of room for improvement, this also
means that the European Commission is succeeding in bringing Europe
closer to its people and making them understand how we work for them.
The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME)
plays a very important role in achieving just that. The Agency works
with the people and for the people across all Member States and be-
yond, giving financial support to projects on the ground and to local
communities every single day. These projects would have never come to
life without EU support and the enthusiasm and commitment of EASME
colleagues. This is a great example of how the EU works well โ together!
5. JULIEN
GUERRIER
FOREWORD
DIRECTOR OF THE EXECUTIVE AGENCY FOR
SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES
Our mission is to serve European Union citizens and make Europe
more competitive, innovative and sustainable.
How do we do this? We manage projects under EU programmes,
including COSME for the competitiveness of small and medium-sized
enterprises, the Horizon 2020 framework programme for research and
innovation, LIFE for climate and environment and the European Mari-
time and Fisheries Fund. These initiatives help bring business concepts
and product prototypes to life, stimulating the European economy and
protecting our natural heritage. Our highly motivated and service-ori-
ented colleagues support each project from application stage to fund-
ing and implementation.
I invite you to discover what we do and our key achievements.
6. / WHAT WE DO Executive Agencies of the European
Commission manage EU funding on
its behalf. This allows the European
Commission to focus on developing
policies and funding programmes, while
giving the agencies the role of putting
them into action. This way, funding is
managed more efficiently, with lower
costs and close to beneficiaries. Through
EASME, the European Union offers
funding and support to small businesses,
researchers, NGOs and public bodies to
boost growth, create jobs and secure a
sustainable future for all.
The EUโs Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises (EASME) brings EU funding to innovative
projects that create jobs and growth, protect the envi-
ronment and work towards sustainable development.
Our job is to make sure that EU funding reaches the
right people, is properly spent, has a concrete impact on
the ground and makes a meaningful difference to the
lives of EU citizens.
EASME implements the European Commission's policies
and programmes on behalf of its departments.
6
/ What We do
7. over 20000projects managed
parts of 4 programmes
From 2014 to 2020
over 500committed people
โฌ 11 bn
Horizon 2020
LIFE
COSME
EMFF
7
/ What We do
8. PROJECT MANAGEMENT LIFE CYCLE
CALL FOR
PROPOSALS
PROPOSAL
SUBMISSIONS
EVALUATION
SELECTION
GRANT
AGREEMENT
PROJECT
MONITORING
DISSEMINATION
OF FINAL RESULTS
8
/ What We do
9. COMPETITIVENESS
AND INNOVATION
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the
backbone of Europe's economy. SMEs represent 99% of
all businesses in the EU and in the past five years, they
have created around 85% of new jobs in the EU. Innova-
tive companies in particular help Europe stay at the peak
of its competitiveness. Through EU programmes like
COSME and Horizon 2020, we help small and innovative
companies access the market faster and internationalise
their business.
9
/ What We do
10. COMPETITIVENESS AND
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
COSME, the EU programme for the competitiveness of
small and medium-sized enterprises, helps SMEs access
finance and new markets. It makes it easier to set up
and grow a business in Europe and beyond with specific
actions like support to clusters, training on digital skills,
easier access to loans or venture capital and mentoring
programmes for new businesses like Erasmus for Young
Entrepreneurs.
ecoBirdy upcycles old and unused plastic toys into 100% clean and safe childrenโs
design furniture. ecobirdy received โฌ0.95 million from COSME to set up a system to
collect used toys in schools and to manufacture them into furniture. While collecting
the toys, ecoBirdy explains their project to children and teaches them about the circular
economy with a storybook and an educational programme.
10
/ What We do
11. In addition to funding, we help innovative companies on
their growth path to growth by offering advice and ex-
panding their network. The Enterprise Europe Network
connects entrepreneurs across Europe and beyond, helps
them find business partners and investors and matches
them with business coaches. It also helps them, apply for
funding, access market information and overcome legal
obstacles.
Your Europe Business Portal provides entrepreneurs with
useful information and interactive services that help
them expand their business abroad. It also offers them
support for their intellectual property rights through spe-
cialised IPR Helpdesks.
The German company Novihum turns brown coal into a type of humus that improves soil
fertility and brings over-farmed fields back to good health. The Enterprise Europe Network
helped Novihum find a business partner in the Netherlands and raise a grant of over โฌ2 million
from Horizon 2020. The company has used the grant to build a pilot plant in Germany and
expand their team from 7 to 25 people
11
/ What We do
12. INNOVATION AND ACCESS TO MARKETS
Nova Innovation works on an innovative technology that harnesses the power of tides to generate
energy. It designs, builds and operates offshore tidal turbine arrays that are connected to the power
grid. EASME granted โฌ2.25 million in EU funding to Nova Innovation to develop their tidal array to a
full scale and bring it closer to the market.
Innovation in small businesses is a key factor in stepping
up the competitiveness of European industry. Through
the programmes that we manage, we support small in-
novative businesses and stimulate innovation ecosys-
tems.
The European Innovation Council (EIC) pilot supports mar-
ket-creating innovation in SMEs with significant growth
potential and global ambitions. The EIC pilot helps SMEs
get their groundbreaking innovations onto the market
faster. Besides funding, innovators get coaching, net-
working opportunities with investors and business part-
ners and a vibrant business community.
Horizon 2020 INNOSUP directly supports innovation ac-
tors, like businesses, innovation agencies and clusters,
that build SMEs' innovation capacity.
12
/ What We do
13. SUSTAINABILITY AND
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Through the programmes we manage, we support pro-
jects and initiatives that protect the planet and ensure
the resources of today are preserved and used in a sus-
tainable way, so that the generations of tomorrow can
enjoy a healthy and prosperous life.
13
/ What We do
14. ENVIRONMENT, NATURE
AND CLIMATE
Sustainable growth makes Europeโs economy less en-
ergy-dependent and more competitive, while delivering
high levels of employment and a healthy environment in
the longer term.
The LIFE programme supports NGOs, small companies,
public bodies and private entities that make a substan-
tial contribution to our environment, nature protection
and climate action. LIFE also help projects that preserve
wildlife, ecosystems and natural habitats.
EASME granted the Maลopolska project nearly โฌ10 million to draw up a plan to
improve air quality in the Polish region of Maลopolska. The plan will clean air pollution in
the region, coming mainly from combustion of solid fuels in obsolete household boilers
and ultimately impact the lives of around 20 million citizens. The project will improve
regional cooperation in air pollution hotspots, encourage the replacement of obsolete
coal boilers, build local capacity and raise awareness about air pollution.
14
/ What We do
15. Parts of the Horizon 2020 framework programme for re-
search and innovation are dedicated to environment and
resources. The programme funds research and innovation
projects in the field of circular economy, climate action,
cultural heritage, Earth observation, natural resources
and raw materials, with a view to building a low-carbon,
climate resilient future.
Maslowaten is a photovoltaics-based pumping system for irrigation that reduces
electricity costs up to 75% for farmers and landowners. Maslowaten received โฌ
3.99 million from Horizon 2020 to build demonstration sites in five countries in the
Mediterranean region, in order to test the system. The tests have been successful
and Maslowaten has transferred their technology to dozens of SMEs that will now
commercialise it.
15
/ What We do
16. ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Parts of the Horizon 2020 framework programme for
research and innovation are dedicated to secure, clean
and efficient energy. The programme funds research and
innovation projects that support policy implementation
and capacity building, and help mobilise large-scale in-
vestments that back sustainable energy solutions. The
objective is to find more energy-efficient alternatives to
existing technologies and practices and to help new en-
ergy efficient solutions reach the market.
Transition Zero helps social houses that need refurbishing to become zero-energy level houses.
The project has received โฌ 3.6 million from Horizon 2020 to develop ready-made plans and
packages for social housing providers that lay the groundwork for them. The packages include
a manual, templates for procurement and business plans, in addition to concrete support in
implementation.
16
/ What We do
17. MARITIME ENVIRONMENT
The parts of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
managed in EASME specifically tackle Europeโs coasts
and seas and help projects make fisheries and aquacul-
ture more sustainable and profitable, and to diversify lo-
cal economies that rely on a sustainable marine environ-
ment. They also trigger collaboration between public and
private actors and finance studies that give a scientific
basis for decision-making.
SpilLess provides a cheap first-line solution to fight maritime pollution caused by oil spills. It cleans the
sea by using native organisms that help naturally degrade the oil spills without the use of chemicals.
Drones and autonomous vehicles transfer the microorganisms to the spot of the incident. SpilLess received
โฌ 0.3 million to bring the technology closer to the market. SpilLess is used in the Atlantic Ocean and can be
potentially transferred to other areas.
17
/ What We do
18. People are the heart of any organisation. At EASME, we
strive to create a modern workplace with lean and ef-
ficient processes and engaged colleagues. We believe
that every project is important and we give priority to
ensuring excellent customer service through our team of
experts.
// A MODERN WORKPLACE
18
// A Modern workplace
19. OUR CULTURE
Having a team of skilled experts with diverse backgrounds, abilities
and expertise is what makes our organisation stand out. We value
diversity and use it to our advantage every day.
Our core values underpin how we work and interact with others. We
are highly committed to working in the interest of European citizens
and are guided by objectivity, integrity, transparency and respect for
others.
19
// A Modern workplace
20. Working together is all
about dialogue. Our
Sounding Board gathers
bottom-up ideas and
opinions about what kind
of workplace EASME
should strive to be.
Through different working
groups our staff develops
new ideas and makes
proposals to shape our
organisation and improve
our working methods
together.
OUR WORKING
METHODS
Our people are our biggest asset. We strive to create
an attractive workplace built on modern and partici-
pative working methods where colleagues are given
autonomy, responsibility, trust and support.
We encourage collaborative ways of working with
lean management structures and an inclusive work-
ing culture offering staff the chance to participate
in decision-making. We make sure this happens in
practice by co-creating a vision and corporate identi-
ty together, establishing team objectives and defin-
ing clear benchmarks for quality of service, perfor-
mance, impact and ownership.
Our management has committed to a Charter based
on the principles of trust, transparency and support,
and ensures constant communication.
20
// A Modern workplace
22. I work in a strategic coordination team, collecting
contributions from colleagues for our annual work
programme and activity reports. What I like the
most about working in EASME is collaborating
with so many different, dedicated people.
EASME is also a very dynamic workplace. Every
day brings new challenges. The staff is regularly
consulted and encouraged to shape our
working environment together.
Many of our colleagues are highly qualified specialists
from different cultural backgrounds, which allows us to
learn from each other all the time. I have a PhD in
environmental engineering and I work in my field, on
circular economy projects. Itโs very rewarding to see
the tangible results of research and innovation policy
on the ground, and observe how projects can have an
impact on everyday life.
MARIKA VAARIK
VINCENZO GENTE
Project Adviser
Senior Project Adviser
22
// A Modern workplace
