The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), as an instrument of support to companies, was launched in 1987 at the initiative of the European Commission in order to encourage the development of companies.
In order to secure membership in the EEN, with the consent of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska, the Development Agency of the Republic of Srpska formed a
consortium of institutions from the Republic of Srpska. Based on the public call of the European Commission number COS-EEN-2014-2-1, for the admission of new consortia for full membership in EEN, the consortium from the Republic of Srpska prepared project documentation for membership in this association. Members of the Enterprise Europe Network of the Republic of Srpska, in addition to the Agency as coordinator, are the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Srpska, the University of Banja Luka, the University of East Sarajevo, and the Innovation Centre Banja Luka.
Monitors of EUNORS activities are the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Economic Relations and Regional Cooperation.
EEN is a complex set of instruments to support the development of enterprises, which is being realized through the following:
Combining services of providing practical information and assistance to SMEs in order to:
- Facilitate finding business partners from EU;
- Establish business cooperation with institutions and organizations in the EU;
- For SMEs to participate in tenders in the EU;
- Facilitate access to information on EU legal aspects and business regulations;
- Obtain information on support programs, legislation and results related to innovation and intermediary services in technology and knowledge transfer;
- Obtain information on the EU’s research and technological development framework programs;
- Raising awareness of the importance of innovation and opportunities for technology transfer and increasing competitiveness;
- Providing information about the possibilities of the EU market and participating in the creation of a wide European business network;
- Providing information about domestic research-technological-development possibilities.
EEN will also be in the function of supporting SMEs in the implementation of projects financed from other EU programs, such as COSME, Horizon 2020, Erasmus +, and programs that are oriented towards financial support to companies.
