1st RSG meeting in Magdeburg

Target: More competitiveness for SMEs through digitization.

How to increase the competitiveness of small and medium Enterprises (SMEs) by cutting red tape? How can the use of special IT-Instruments simplify the complex management processes and how can these developments ease the access to funding instruments?

Exactly these points are subject of the EU-funded Interreg project "PURE COSMOS". One of the eight partners out of seven memberstates is the Development Bank of Saxony-Anhalt (IB).

On June 21th 2016 the first stakeholder meeting took place in Magdeburg. The group of stakeholders includes a broad mixtures of different institutions connected to the development and implementation of funding policy, e. g. representatives of the Ministry of Economy, Science and Digitization, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and also the Ministry of the Interior and Sport. In addition to the regional administration, the stakeholder group also comprises actors of the chambers of commerce and industry, municipalities and e -government experts.

The main task within the first meeting was to identify the biggest hurdels within the process chain of EU-funding implementation for SMEs. All participants had the opportunity to share their specific experiences and perspectives. Furthermore all stakeholders were called to provide concrete suggestions for improvement, which fall within their immediate area of responsibility.

Facing the final success of PURE COSMOS, the expertise of this manifold range of different regional stakeholders is of utmost importance. The next stakeholder meeting will take place in early September to discuss results of the survey IB conducted within the business community regarding hurdles and possible improvements.