EU Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

The European Commission has set up the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises to manage a series of programmes which benefit small businesses.

ACT

Commission Implementing Decision 2013/771/EU of 17 December 2013 establishing the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and repealing Decisions 2004/20/EC and 2007/372/EC.

SUMMARY

While departments of the European Commission formulate policies in the fields for which they are responsible, the management of the programmes that it funds in these areas is devolved to agencies such as the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME).

EASME’s main tasks are to:

• manage and supervise the life cycle of the projects (calls for proposals, evaluation of projects, negotiation of contracts and ongoing liaison with grant beneficiaries);
• manage the implementation of the programme budgets.

EASME manages the following programmes:

• COSME - the EU programme for the competitiveness of enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) and Your Europe Business;
• Parts of Horizon 2020, the EU framework programme for research and innovation, and in particular:
  • Part II - Industrial leadership: Innovation in SMEs (including the European IPR Helpdesk), the Sustainable industry low carbon scheme (SILC II) and part of Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies;
  • Part III - Societal challenges: the energy efficiency part of the challenge Secure, clean and efficient energy the calls for proposals in the fields of waste, water innovation and sustainable supply of raw material under the challenge Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials and the SME instrument;
• the EU programme for the environment and climate action (LIFE);
• part of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF);
• the legacy of the Intelligent energy - Europe programme and the Eco-innovation initiative.

Brussels-based EASME also organises the EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW).

EASME replaces the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation. This decision covers the period up to 31 December 2024.

RELATED ACTS

Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 of 19 December 2002 laying down the statute for executive agencies to be entrusted with certain tasks in the management of Community programmes (Official Journal L 11 of 16 January 2003).

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1653/2004 of 21 September 2004 on a standard financial regulation for the executive agencies pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 laying down the statute for executive agencies to be entrusted with certain tasks in the management of Community programmes (Official Journal L 297 of 22 September 2004).

Last updated: 23.07.2014