Danube-INCO.NET — Advancing Research and Innovation in the Danube Region

COSME is the EU programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) running from 2014 to 2020. 

COSME supports SMEs in the following areas:

- Better access to finance for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs): COSME facilitates and improves access to finance for SMEs in all phases of their lifecycle – creation, expansion, or business transfer. Thanks to EU support, businesses have easier access to guarantees, loans and equity capital. EU ‘financial instruments’ are channelled through local financial institutions in EU countries..

- Access to markets: COSME funds the Enterprise Europe Network that helps SMEs find business and technology partners, and understand EU legislation; the Your Europe Business portal that provides practical information on doing business within Europe; and the SME Internationalisation Portal for companies who want to develop their activities outside Europe. It also finances a number of IPR (intellectual property rights) SME Helpdesks.

- Supporting entrepreneurs: COSME supports entrepreneurs by strengthening entrepreneurship education, mentoring, guidance and other support services. Actions support specific groups who may find it difficult to reach their full potential, such as young people, women and senior entrepreneurs. The programme also aims to help businesses access opportunities offered by digital technologies.

- Improving business conditions: COSME aims to reduce the administrative and regulatory burden on SMEs by creating a business-friendly environment. COSME also supports businesses to be competitive by encouraging them to adopt new business models and innovative practices. This complements actions in areas with high growth potential such as the tourism sector. 

Regulation establishing COSME 2014-2020 Programme

EASME: The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) has been set-up by the European Commission to manage on its behalf several EU programmes including COSME:

Information on the participation of non-EU countries in the COSME programme is available at http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/cosme/index_en.htm (e.g. concerning Montenegro, FRY of Macedonia and Moldova who signed the agreements in 2014, Albania in 2015).

A leaflet is available in various languges: http://ec.europa.eu/DocsRoom/documents/9783