S&T Country Report - Albania - WBC-INCO Net

- ‘Programme for the Development of Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and
Innovation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises’ (2007-2010);
- ‘Programme on Measures and Activities for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship
and Creation of Competitiveness of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
in the Republic of Macedonia’;
- ‘Programme for Stimulating Investment in the Republic of Macedonia (2007 –
2010)’ and
- ‘European Charter for Small Enterprises - National Report Republic of
Macedonia’.
The SME Strategy defines the general direction within SME Development in country;
the SME Programme rules the implementation of the SME Strategy, while the SME
EU Charter sets the priorities necessary to achieve EU Accession.
‘National Development Strategy for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (2002-
2013)’
The Strategy provides for the general direction towards achieving the vision,
objectives and priorities in the area of entrepreneurship and SMEs in the longer
period of time. Within the strategy constraints and issues are defined and guidance
and measures for their solution provided. Medium-term programmes aim at
implementing the strategy setting out specific objectives and measures as well as the
financial resources required for their implementation. In 2002, the Ministry of
Economy (MoE) published the SME strategy, covering the period from 2002 to 2012
as well as a Programme of Measures and Activities to Support the Development of
Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness of Small Businesses for the Period 2003 to
2006. In March 2007, a new Programme for the Development of
Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Innovation of Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises (2007- 2010) was adopted. Four years passed since the adoption of the
strategy, a period during which several significant achievements have been made
regarding SME development. However, at the same time several changes occurred
that impose the need for revising and updating the SME Strategy 2002 - 2012 and
extending the planning horizon to 2013 (Ministry of Economy 2007).
‘Programme for Stimulating Investment in the Republic of Macedonia (2007 -
2010)’
The Ministry of Economy has prepared the Programme for Stimulating Investments in
the Republic of Macedonia 2007 - 2010, which was adopted by the Government on
June 3, 2007. The Programme contents recommendations and directions for
reducing the remainder barriers, which limit investments and recommendations for
harmonization of regulations with international accepted standards.
The document has been framed with the assistance of the EAR Project “Technical
Assistance to the Ministry of Economy for Improvement of the Investment Climate.”
The programme was prepared by an international consultant, Mr. Ricardo Pinto, with
significant assistance from the Investment Policy Unit within the Ministry of Economy.
Feedback was received from various governmental Ministries, Agencies, Bureaus,
etc. as well as donors such as UNDP, GTZ and USAID, which is incorporated into the
programme. The overall programme has been based on the OECD’s Investment
Reform Index (2006) framework. Finally, the ‘Programme for Stimulating Investments
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