Local, national or international business? Sometimes the decision to go abroad is made at the stage of business planning, and sometimes it is a natural consequence of the company’s development. Expanding business to foreign markets plays an increasingly important role, not only because of measurable financial profits.
It is also an opportunity to establish cooperation with new business partners, as well as to acquire unique knowledge or innovative technology for the company. For the internationalisation of business within the framework of the Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020, 33.1 million euro (about 141.5 million USD) is planned.
The strategy is the basis for
Foreign expansion is, on the one hand, a great opportunity and, on the other, a great risk. It is difficult to think about internationalization of business activity without market analysis and adjusting the company’s offer to the needs of potential customers, and then determining the strategy of actions. Therefore, it will be possible to develop a new business model, aimed at internationalisation of the company, from the resources of the ROP WM 2014-2020. The entrepreneur will receive support not only for the change of the model, but also for its implementation and development. The EU funds will be allocated for, among others, participation in exhibition and trade fair events (including domestic, but of an international character), organisation of study visits and economic missions. This will allow to establish valuable business contacts and present the offer to potential customers or contractors. The maximum level of support from the EU will be 80% of the project value.
In the fourth quarter of 2016, two competitions will be launched under Measure 3.2 Internationalisation of the enterprise (Sub-measure 3.2.2 Business models), one aimed at individual enterprises (EUR 10 million) and the other at groups of entrepreneurs (EUR 6.8 million). Small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as cooperative associations, will be able to apply for co-financing. From the resources of the RPO WM 2014-2020, only measures resulting from the company’s export development strategy will be subsidized. Preference will be given to solutions characterized by innovation at least in the scale of the region. It is important that they are consistent with the areas of intelligent specialisation, which include: intelligent management systems, modern business services, high quality of life and safe food. These areas result from the Regional Innovation Strategy for until 2020.
Already in the past perspective, companies from the region benefited from EU support for such activities. For example, the representative of the computer games industry, the company Projekt RED Sp. z o.o., obtained 125.8 thousand USD for participation in international fairs, thereby increasing the competitiveness and export of the company. In turn, FANAR, a manufacturer of tools for metalworking, has allocated EU funding to participate in economic missions.
in Germany, USA, South Korea, as well as in trade fairs organized in Hannover and Moscow.
Building the brand of the region
EU funds will be directed not only directly to entrepreneurs from all over the world, but also to local governments. and neighbouring communes will implement a joint project within the Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI). The aim of the project will be to build the brand of the Warsaw Functional Area (WOF) as a European development centre, guaranteeing excellent business conditions and high quality of life for the residents. WOF economic promotion is planned for EUR 5.6 million from the ROP WM 2014-2020. The plans include creating an economic promotion portal, designating an economic promotion centre for business meetings and networking, WOF participation in selected foreign trade fairs and marketing campaigns. All this to encourage potential investors to do business in , which will contribute not only to increasing innovation and entrepreneurship in the region, but also to creating new jobs.
What funds for ?
For the years 2014-2020 is guaranteed over USD 8 billion of EU support, directed mainly to business, administration and the scientific sector. In 2016, 47 competitions for the total amount of USD 2.3 billion will be announced. The competitions supporting business development are planned for next year almost USD 470 million. There will be funds, among others, for the implementation of R&D projects, creation and development of research and development facilities, support for the initial phase of enterprise development, vouchers for consulting, as well as internationalisation of business. The Unit for Implementation of EU Programmes is responsible for spending the funds from the Regional Operational Programme. on EU funds for is available on the following website