Small Enterprise Development in MACEDONIA

Small Enterprise Development
Box 1: Reform Agenda to Enhance Economic Competitiveness
01. On-going, intensified structural reforms, to be implemented in packages and with a faster
transfer of authority to local governments (decentralization).
02. Making the “one-stop-shop” system completely functional.
03. Promoting legislative and other benefits to attract foreign investors.
04. Providing incentives for innovation and transfer of technology to enable economic growth
and creation of greater competitive advantage.
05. Eliminating double taxation in agriculture and adapting regulations related to farming and
cattle breeding businesses, facilitating registration and start-up of small farmers’ businesses.
06. Allowing VAT return to individual farmers.
07. Stimulating and enabling the entry of first-class foreign banks into the country.
08. Implementing policies that will result in lowering the current interest rates and provide more
favourable loans to stimulate economic investments.
09. Forming guarantee and investment funds to support the start-up of small businesses and
farming initiatives.
10. Drafting and implementing a Technology Development Policy that is market oriented and
focused on firms’ innovativeness.
11. Creating conditions for promotion of R&D as the key generator and instigator of innovation
and technology.
12. Strengthening the institutional infrastructure for development and support of an innovation-
friendly business climate; providing tax incentives and other benefits to investors that apply
new technologies.
13. Supporting transfers of technology and setting up “learning companies.”
14. Establishing an annual national innovation award for companies and individuals.
15. Initiating a process of building a well educated and trained workforce to meet the needs of
businesses; integration of education with business needs.
16. Implementing the European higher education credit-transfer system; developing proactive
curricula; providing high quality teachers and scholarships that contribute to creating higher
standards for students.
17. Promoting life-long education through campaigns directed at businesses and aimed at
raising the awareness of the importance of permanent training and upgrading of the skills
and knowledge of the workforce.
18. Introducing farmers / cattle-breeders to new technologies and international standards.
19. Implementing a national strategy to retain a highly skilled workforce and enable their further
development, thus preventing or reducing the “brain-drain.”
Source: NECC, 2005
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