EU to provide $7.5m grant to innovative businesses
EU to provide $7.5m grant to innovative businesses
Eva C. Komandjaja
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
A visiting European Commission (EC) delegation is encouraging
business associations in Indonesia to apply for grants under a
program called the Small Project Facility (SPF).
According to SPF program manager Juan Casla, the program was
initially launched in April last year and was scheduled to run
until 2005. The European Commission has provided total funds of 6
million euros (US$7.5 million) for the three-year program.
"Business associations can submit their proposals for the
March 2004 (proposal) call. The projects proposed can range from
research to training, or comparative studies," said Casla.
Casla added that the EC is determined to help boost
Indonesia's economic growth by increasing trade and investment,
thereby increasing Indonesia's exports to European Union
countries.
The program will support small and innovative projects in
various sectors that can increase mutual and strategic interests
in Indonesia and the European Union (EU).
Activities financed by the SPF include conferences, seminars,
workshops, training and educational activities. Studies, media
products and business-related research activities are also
supported by the program.
Casla cited a training program for exporting handicrafts to EU
countries. The program is expected to increase Indonesian
businesspeople's understanding of the requirements of exporting
successfully to EU countries.
The training also aims to increasing contact between
Indonesian exporters and European importers and finally increase
the volume of business in handicrafts and interior decoration
products.
In 2003, there were two calls for proposals. A total amount of
625,000 euros was awarded to five projects from the first set of
proposals received.
Under its second call, the Evaluation Committee has
recommended seven projects, with a total value of around 1
million euros.
Similar to the two previous calls in 2003, the EC contributes
75 percent of the project budget, and the applicants are to come
up with the other 25 percent on their own.
Apart from the EU-Indonesia Small Project Facility for
Economic Cooperation, the EC has other funding opportunities
available for Indonesian businesspeople, especially the economic
cooperation programs that cover the whole of the Asia region and
require partnerships between Asian and European communities.