Small Enterprise Development in MACEDONIA

Small Enterprise Development
2.2 The SME support infrastructure
On the local and regional level, there are a number of institutions active in the
SME sector :
• Business Centres: overall ten regional centres are in operation, including five
Regional Enterprise Support Centres (RESCs) located in Skopje, Strumica,
Veles, Kumanovo, Bitola, three Enterprise Support Agencies (ESAs) located
in Ohrid, Tetovo, Gostivar, the Prilep Region Enterprise Development Agency
(PREDA), and one Roma Business Centre in Skopje.
• Business Incubators: eight incubators are operating (Prilep, Stip,
Makedonska Kamenica, Delcevo, Krushevo, Veles, Ohrid and Strumica) and
a youth entrepreneurship incubator (YES) is about to be opened in Skopje.
• EuroInfo Correspondence Centre (EICC): provides information and
assistance on EU business matters (e.g. EU markets, business cooperation,
partner search, EU funding and tenders, EU legislation, EU standards,
etc.).
• Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF) stimulates the deployment
of modern and innovative management training and consulting, by
collaborating with companies taking-up such services, with trainers and
consultants delivering those services, and with government and international
bodies commissioning them. The HRDF has private companies, professional
and business associations, chambers and universities as its members, and
operates under the guidance of the APPRM.
• Local Economic Development Centres (LED Centres): a total of 60 LED
Centres are active in the country on the level of individual municipalities
or (in some cases) groups of municipal administrations. These Centres
are supported by the United States Agency of International Development
(USAID) and by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• Consultants: about 120 consultants deliver a wide range of business
consulting and business development services (as individuals and/or legal
entities); in addition, there are some international consultants active in the
country, primarily in auditing and tax advice.
• Business Associations: there are at least 15 business associations
covering numerous sectors of economic activity, including four with national
coverage (Economic Chamber, Chambers of Commerce, North-West
Economic Chamber, Chamber of Crafts); some of these organisations have
special sections for SMEs.
Addresses and contact details are available in the Annex.
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