Activities of National Association of Small and medium Business /NASMB/ regarding

Implementation of EU Small Business Act

First Forum for South East European Women Entrepreneurs

21 – 22 of September, 2010, IstanbulEleonora Negulova – Chairperson of NASMB

NASMB - Bulgaria

• Mission – the organization is working for improvement of business environment in Bulgaria and Europe

• Main responsibilities:• To represent its members in the dialogue with

local and central authorities• To supports the members to increase their

competitiveness

NASMB - Bulgaria

• SMEs in Bulgaria• SMEs represent 99.6 % of the total number of

enterprises with 1 to 249 persons employed (222 025).

• Only 0.4 % of these are public, and their number in 2008 was 869 –

• That means the small businesses in Bulgaria are private!

NASMB - Bulgaria

• A recent research was conducted with 848 women at the age from 20 to 55.

• 33,4% of them have their own businesses and the rest are employees.

• 62,97% of the women entrepreneurs in Bulgaria are university graduates,

• 35,14% are with secondary education, and • 0,59% - with primary education. • 0,35% of the business ladies have doctoral degrees. • According to the last index Bulgarian women

entrepreneurs outrank their EU counterparts.

NASMB - Bulgaria• According to National Statistic Institute figures,

the relative share of women entrepreneurs has been about one-third of the SMEs.

• The percentage of women entrepreneurs in the total number of self-employed persons is 37.7 % according to the analysis carried out by CITUB trade union experts published in 2006.

NASMB - Bulgaria

• By these numbers Bulgaria ranks 38 out of 134 countries. Among the EU countries, it holds a place in the middle of the 27 Member States.

• Data from the National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria on labour force survey results for 2009 show:

• economic participation rates at 72.3 % for men and 67.7 % for women;

• employment rates /age 15-64/ at 67.7 % for men and 59.0 % for women

NASMB - Bulgaria

• NASMB is supporting women entrepreneurship in Bulgaria and on Balkans;

• 51 % of NASMB members have Ladies as managers;

• NASMB’ Chairperson and Secretary General are women ENTREPRENEURS;

• 80% of NASMB’ staff are women!

NASMB - Bulgaria

• NASMB is supporting women entrepreneurship in accordance to EU Small Business Act by providing:

• Integrated consultancy services• Access to organization networks and EU

funds/other capital/financial sources• Support in business planning and management• Helps in diversifying/restructuring the business• And in implementing innovations

NASMB - Bulgaria

• NASMB creates partnerships with national & international authorities/organizations to

• Exchange experience /knowledge• To learn more about how to be better in

advocating the interests of its members and • To share values of civil society participative

democracy acting as Civil Society Organization signed the Global Compaq of United Nations

NASMB - Bulgaria

• Think small first – Small Business Act /SBA/ of Europe principle!

• I - IMPROVING THE ACCESS TO FINANCE• II - ENHANCING MARKET ACCESS• III - A REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT IN

SUPPORT OF SMEs' NEEDS

• Is guiding NASMB in its activities!

NASMB - Bulgaria

• Think small first – SBA of Europe principle!

• We implement projects in the scope of the three SBA priorities:

• LLL – EUFCINET project; EUROCERTICON project; SOCIALSME project; CREATIN Project; ICT and LLL project

• European citizens working for the Global Agenda 21;

NASMB - Bulgaria

• Think small first – SBA of Europe principle!

• Green energy project – OP ”Regional Development”;

• LIDER in Bulgarian rural municipalities;• Cross-Border cooperation projects with

RO/SER/GREECE/TURKEY and FYROM• And others….

NASMB - Bulgaria

• Think small first – SBA of Europe principle!• NASMB is the establisher of South East European

Business Network – SEE Net• www.seenetwork.eu • www.nasmb-bg.org • negulova@abv.bg

• We invite you to join SEE Network!

• Thanks for your attention!