23 April 2009, Kyiv, Ukraine - At a press event held to launch the European Charter for Small Enterprises in Ukraine and a related EU funded technical assistance project, representatives of the State Committee of Ukraine for Regulatory Policy and Entrepreneurship, as the main project beneficiary, and of the Delegation of the European Commission stressed the importance of the Charter for the competitiveness of Ukraine’s small enterprises.
This EU funded project, which will be completed in the current year, represents further co-operation between the government of Ukraine and the European Commission in the area of enterprise policy dialogue. The project objectives are to:
· Support Ukraine in enterprise policy dialogue with EU and in achieving progress in the ten principles set out in the European Charter for Small Enterprises
· Develop the capacity of State Committee of Ukraine for Regulatory Policy and Entrepreneurship and of other government institutions to introduce and implement the principles of the European Charter for Small Enterprises.
Ms. Svitlana Svyshcheva, Deputy Head of the State Committee, said that Ukraine supports fully the Charter principles and regards their implementation as vital to the creation of a more positive environment for the growth of small enterprises in Ukraine, so that they may achieve their full potential in contributing to the country’s economic growth. She added that the State Committee and partner institutions, in cooperation with the European Commission through this project, were now engaged in a rigorous assessment of Ukraine’s progress in implementing the Charter and the final results, due in September, would serve as a basis for continuing reform of the business environment for small enterprises in Ukraine. According to Ms. Svyshcheva, the importance of small enterprise for Ukraine could be illustrated by two simple facts. They account for 85% of all enterprises in Ukraine and provide employment for ten million people.
Mr. Grigorios Kontzoglou, Project Manager, Economic Development and Innovative Policy, Delegation of the European Commission, said that the Commission was committed to working closely with the State Committee in relation to the Charter and had been happy to fund this project, which was providing support in the process of assessing Charter performance in Ukraine and also, assistance in implementation. He hoped that this project would contribute to a better understanding of the further actions required to improve the competitiveness of Ukraine’s small enterprises and would lead to additional measures designed to boost the sector.
Mr. Shane McAuley, Project Team Leader, said that Ukraine’s participation in the Charter was evidence of a firm commitment to provide greater encouragement and support for its small enterprises and to remove remaining obstacles to their future development. He added that he had been greatly encouraged by the cooperation that he had received to date from the State Committee, which augured well for the success of the project.
The European Charter for Small Enterprises was adopted in 2000 by the Heads of Government of the EU Member States. The Charter emphasizes the importance of small enterprises for growth, competitiveness and employment and sets out ten key principles in support of their development including education and training for entrepreneurship, cheaper and faster start-up, better legislation and regulation, availability of skills required for a modern economy, investment in technology and improved access to finance and equitable taxation.
Nearly 40 countries are committed to the principles of the Charter. Ukraine’s participation in the Charter is based on a Presidential Decree and Cabinet of Ministers’ Resolution of July 2008. A small enterprise in Ukraine is defined as having not more than 49 employees and not more than Hrn. 70 million in annual revenue.
For further information, please contact:
Shane McAuley
Team Leader
EU Funded Project “Support for the introduction and implementation of the European Charter for Small Enterprises in Ukraine”
INTERPROJECTS GmbH International Consulting,
Frankfurt am Main,
Germany;
Cell: + 38 095 817 26 72;
e-mail: mcauleyshane12@gmail.com
Arman Gamzyam,
Deputy Director of the Directorate for Entrepreneurship and International Cooperation, State Committee of Ukraine for Regulatory Policy and Entrepreneurship,
9/11 Arsenalna Street,
Kyiv, 01001;
Telephone: + 38 (044) 285 80 61;
e-mail: gamzyan@dkrp.gov.ua
