The Action ”EBRD Advice for Small Businesses, Team Europe EaP window” is built to help SMEs withstand and recover from the economic impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine and support adaptations to the digital economy. The Action maintains the Programme’s objectives of improving SME access to finance and supporting the implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (“DCFTA”) in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The Action will also build on and complement planned and ongoing Business Advisory programmes financed by the EU through bilateral support in particular in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, and Ukraine.

The primary objective of the Action is to achieve enterprise change in viable SMEs in the EaP and to help them to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic. A secondary objective is to support the integration of SMEs of EaP countries into EU value chains leveraging in particular the opportunities offered by DCFTA and other trade agreements.

1. Specifically, supporting SMEs to withstand and recover from the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic.
2. Enhancing competitiveness of SMEs by providing business and industry expertise including enhanced digital economy preparedness and export capacity in manufacturing and services sectors.
3. Advisory support for SMEs engaged in “traditional” business activities to integrate new digital technology and approaches.
4. Strengthened and sustainable infrastructures of local business advisory services.
5. Improved access to finance for SMEs by preparing companies for investment, whether by EBRD, other International Financial Institutions, or local banks, and by providing advisory services to SMEs receiving finance.

1. helping SMEs access financing and know-how in the context of economic crises, developing digital preparedness and resilience to enhance competitiveness, while at the same time supporting DCFTA implementation in the private sector.
2. Provide direct assistance to the private sector at the enterprise level with systemic market development and capacity-building interventions, such as training for SMEs and dissemination of market economy best practices.
3. Development of a sustainable network of business advisory services in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.