Within the framework of the Second Call of the EmBRACE Small Project Fund, implemented by the Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovation and Investments (HAMAG-BICRO), contracts were signed for 26 new cross-border cooperation projects carried out by micro and small enterprises from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, with a total value of €5.7 million.
The particular significance of the Second Call is reflected in the strong participation of Montenegrin companies, which are involved in as many as 25 of the 26 approved projects, for whose activities an amount of nearly €1.8 million has been allocated, of which more than €1.5 million consists of European Union funds.
At the ceremonial conference held in Herceg Novi on May 26 on the occasion of awarding contracts to project beneficiaries, the Director General of the Directorate for European Territorial Cooperation at the Ministry of European Affairs of Montenegro, Miloš Marković, emphasized that the results of the Second Call confirm the quality of the project ideas, as well as the capacities of micro and small enterprises in Montenegro to use European funds.
“Through the Second Call of the EmBRACE Small Project Fund, €3 million in European Union funds had initially been allocated for micro and small enterprises. Due to the large number of high-quality applications, that amount was increased, resulting in contracted projects with a total value of nearly €5.7 million, of which €4.8 million represents non-refundable support from the European Union,” said Marković.
The interim conference and the ceremonial signing of contracts were attended by representatives of the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, the Ministry of European Affairs of Montenegro, relevant ministries from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovation and Investments (HAMAG-BICRO), as well as representatives of the chambers of commerce of the participating countries in the program.
The EmBRACE project is aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of micro and small enterprises, developing cross-border partnerships, and improving the use of European funds within the program area of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.
The list of approved projects can be found here.