European Commission invites grant applications from businessmen within Eastern Partnership program

The European Commission has announced the invitation for applications in the framework of the EAST-INVEST project, targeting small and medium-sized businesses in the Eastern Partnership member nations. The project has a budget of 7 million euros.  David Stulik, a spokesman for the European Commission's Office in Ukraine, told our radio that the highest quality applications would be given priority. He said: "I can say that that all the member countries of the Eastern Partenrship, including Belarus, are eligible to participate. The selection of the applications will depend on their quality".

Under the conditions of the project, every application must include the participants from three countries of the Eastern Partnership and one EU country. Therefore, in the view of Mr Stulik, funds' distribution is going to be balanced among all the member nationas of the Eastern Partnership.

The deadline for applications is March 4, 2010.

The EAST-INVEST project envisages promoting a dialogue between the state-owned and private companies in the countries of the Eastern Partnership and to exchange experience between the EU and Eastern Partnership nations in trade and the development of small and medium-sized businesses.