MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EBRD’s “Trade Ready” Program to Bring Finance, Business Advice to SMEs in Serbia

With funding from the EU and the government Luxembourg, the UK-based European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is launching Trade Ready, a program intended to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Serbia become more competitive in international markets. Trade Ready offers “trade finance training and trade-related business advice for SMEs, networking opportunities with local banks,” and engagement regarding how to improve relevant government regulations.

Trade Ready is part of EBRD’s Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP), which was launched in 1999 and is intended to promote trade among Eastern Europe, North Africa, and Central and Western Asia. As of 2018, TFP engages approximately 100 issuing banks in 28 economies, with total approved financing limits exceeding EUR 1.5 billion (USD 1.8 billion).

EBRD, which began operations in 1991, is headquartered in London. It is owned by 65 countries as well as the European Investment Bank and the EU. The organization provides loans, debt securities, equity investments and technical assistance to micro, small and medium businesses via commercial banks and microfinance institutions. During 2017, EBRD invested EUR 9.7 billion (USD 11 billion) in projects spanning 67 countries, and it reported total assets of EUR 56 billion (USD 66 billion) as of December of that year.

By Michelle Fleming, Research Assistant

Sources and Additional Research

EBRD press release
https://www.ebrd.com/news/2018/ebrd-launches-trade-ready-in-serbia.html

EBRD’s Trade Facilitation Programme
https://www.ebrd.com/work-with-us/trade-facilitation-programme.html

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Société Générale de Banque au Liban to Borrow $50m from EBRD for On-lending to Small, Medium-Sized Enterprises in Lebanon
https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-societe-generale-de-banque-au-liban-to-borrow-50m-from-ebrd-for-on-lending-to-small-medium-sized-enterprises-in-lebanon/

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