A total of 465 investment proposals, expected to create around 1.400 new jobs, have been approved for the two calls for proposals over projects aimed to strengthen women and youth entrepreneurship, the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Neoklis Sylikiotis said here Tuesday.
Sylikiotis announced an additional grant amounting to 5,5 million euro to fund all eligible applications.
According to the Minister, the decision will enable 180 young people to secure a grant of maximum 70 thousand euro for manufacturing activities and 50 thousand euro for other activities, to start their own business.
Developing entrepreneurship and creating new innovative small-sized enterprises in difficult economic times helps to support economic growth and tackle problems created by the economic crisis, he noted.
Following the recommendations of the EU, the government strives to create a favorable environment for the establishment and operation of modern, smart and viable small-sized enterprises, Sylikiotis added.
“It has been widely acknowledged that creating a favorable environment and incentives to encourage young people to develop business activities based on their knowledge, experience and talent, is more imperative and necessary than ever before,” he said.
He noted that the projects focus on modern and competitive enterprises that will engage in new activities in the fields of environment, energy and contemporary commercial activities.
The Minister assured that in the framework of the Small Business Act adopted at EU level, the government will continue promoting projects, measures and actions to gain access for SMEs to financing, eliminate bureaucracy and administrative costs, encourage their internationalization and give them incentives to engage in research and innovation.