This case study describes the SELFIEmployment financial instrument in Italy which provides financial support through micro and small loans at zero interest rate for people Not (engaged) in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) to enhance their self-employment and entrepreneurship initiatives, thus increasing their chances of being included in the labour market.
This report offers a first look into the financial gap for agricultural enterprises for short-term and for medium and long-term loans. It is based on established European Commission methodology (Ex-ante assessment of the EU SME Initiative, 2013) and incorporates improved calculations. The input variables are based on updated data from Eurostat, the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) provided by DG AGRI and the SAFE survey. Wherever specific data for the agricultural sector was not available, approximations were used.
The fi-compass macro-regional conference on EAFRD financial instruments for agriculture and rural development in 2014-2020 took place in Warsaw on 24 October 2016.
The event:
The new fi-compass series of specific thematic workshops started with an event covering financial instruments supporting energy efficiency in Vienna on 20 October 2016. Peer-to-peer learning and sharing experience were central.
Participants could:
The European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) policy framework emphasises the need for more use of financial instruments in 2014-2020: the overall aim is therefore to deliver more ESIF funding through financial instruments in the future. To help achieve this, the European Commission, in partnership with the EIB, has set up a single advisory platform on ESIF financial instruments for the programming period 2014-2020. This advisory platform is called fi-compass.
This video showcases NGO Treball Solidari’s transformative work empowering migrant women in Spain through the CONFÍA program, supported by the European Social Fund (ESF). It highlights how they enable women, excluded from traditional banking systems, to gain access to microloans, entrepreneurial training, and peer support. This programme drives greater change, helping migrant women build independent livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
This video introduces Ecooo, a Spanish workers buyout cooperative that promotes renewable energy through citizen participation and social innovation. It highlights how Ecooo empowers communities to invest in solar energy projects, broadening public access to renewable energy as well as offering financial benefits. This example of a workers buyout cooperative has a strong impact to make the social economy work for the benefit of the plant.
In Bulgaria, the European Social Fund (ESF) financial instruments help vulnerable groups — the unemployed, those lacking business experience and social enterprises. Through micro-credit institutions such as SIS Credit, and local banks, they were able to support startups and social enterprises who would otherwise struggle to secure financing. These instruments are key to foster economic independence and resilience in Bulgaria, transforming lives and strengthen local communities.
