- 14-09-2021 10:38
- Velizar Petrov
On September 10, 2021, an online partnership meeting was held under the
project "STOB Regions- Succession and business transfer in the
regions" under the INTERREG EUROPE programme.
The partners discussed the forthcoming activities, the progress of the
implementation of the Action Plan and the final conference.
The aim was first to discuss the progress of the implementation of the
action plans adopted by all partners in 2020 and 2021, as well as where, when
and how to hold a final conference and the closure of the "original
project - STOB Regions" under the
second Call of Interreg Europe programme and started at the beginning of 2017.
Velizar Petrov and Alexander Tonkov took part in the meeting on behalf
of the RDA with the BSC for SMEs (Regional Development Agency with Business
Support Centre for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), the Bulgarian project
partner.
Velizar Petrov made a presentation of what has been achieved so far in
Bulgaria.
The action plan includes three main activities, which
are implemented in two phases:
1) Local
network for owners - managers (successors)
2)
Regional business transfer platform
3)
Financial instruments / Mentoring and certification schemes
The first
phase envisaged the implementation of the three main activities at the
conceptual level. This was achieved despite the lack of funding from the
Ministry of Economy, according to the Action Plan signed by them and the RDA
with the BSC for SMEs, due to the redirection of the budget to measures for
Covid-19. Training materials related to business transfer and inheritance have
been developed and adapted for online training.
In implementation of the Action Plan, representatives
of RDA with BSC for SMEs took part in a number of seminars, working groups and
discussions related to the development of the National Strategy for Small and
Medium Enterprises 2021-2027.
A success
for RDA with BSC for SMEs is the inclusion of the topic of family businesses and
business transfer and succession in the new National Strategy for Small and
Medium Enterprises 2021-2027, as well as the planning of financial schemes to
support the process of succession and transfer.
There has
been a delay in the actual implementation of the Action Plan following the
Covid 19 pandemic, measures to overcome the negative impact on the economy and
SMEs, and parliamentary elections and the political crisis.
The
partners discussed the closure of the first STOB Regions project and the start
of the continuation of the project under the Fifth call of the Interreg Europe
programme, starting from September 1, 2021.
The working meeting continued with
the discussion of the Impact of Covid 19 on European Regions regarding Business
Transfer.
Seven
core observations:
1.Succession plans are postponed
2.Sectoral challenges are becoming more pronounced
3.Selling „hurt“ businesses has increased (in
countries with low/no financial aid)
4.Funding support has increased (covid relieve?
innovation e.g.)
5.Corona as trigger for (digital) innovation,
communication, workflow and sustainability
6.Communication routines for advisory services have
changed
7.Increased awareness for emergency-planning
For more information:
032/902 399
