Helping SMEs go for Growth

15th – 16th November 2012 Filoxenia International Conference Centre, Nicosia, Cyprus

Organised by the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union & the European Commission's Directorate General for Enterprise & Industry Conference programme at a glance

Thursday, 15th November

08.00 Transport from hotels to Filoxenia Centre 09.00 Arrival, security & coff ee 09.30 Introduction 09.35 Welcome from the Cyprus Presidency by Neoklis Sylikiotis Message from President Barroso 09.40 Opening plenary session: If SMEs grow, the economy grows by Antonio Tajani 10.10 For Journalists: Press conference with Antonio Tajani and Neoklis Sylikiotis 10.10 Networking coff ee break 10.30 The Big Debate: this Assembly believes that the best way to help Europe’s SMEs grow is to remove the obstacles in their path 11.40 Growing through fi nance 12.45 Family photos of EEPA candidates and SME Envoy Network 12.45 Networking lunch 14.15 Meeting of the SME Envoy Network – by invitation only 14.15 Policy session 1 Growing through green innovation Policy session 2 How regions & cities help SMEs grow Policy session 3 Simplifying the rules to help SMEs grow 15.30 Networking coff ee break 16.00 Policy session 4 Small business / Big world Policy session 5 Helping SMEs grow through public procurement Policy session 6 Big business cares for small business 17.15 Transport to hotels 19.00 Coaches depart hotels to the EEPA Gala Dinner at the Carob Mill, Limassol 19.30 Reception & entertainment 20.45 Dinner 22.15 Awards ceremony 23.30 Coaches return guests to the hotels

Friday, 16th November

08.30 Transport from hotels to Filoxenia Centre 09.00 Arrival, security & coff ee 10.00 Welcome & introduction 10.10 Keynote speech by Neoklis Sylikiotis How Cyprus is helping SMEs grow 10.30 Principles into action: Othmar Karas & Luc Van den Brande 10.50 Question time 11.30 Challenges for 2013 12.20 Conclusions from Daniel Calleja 12.30 Networking lunch FROM 12.30 Transport to hotels and Larnaca airport

Programme details correct at time of printing. Delegates will be briefed by the organisers on any last minute revisions to the timetable and/or speakers at the event location. Το Πρόγραμμα του Συνεδρίου με μία ματιά

Πέμπτη, 15 Νοεμβρίου

08.00 Μεταφορά από επιλεγμένα ξενοδοχεία στο Διεθνές Συνεδριακό Κέντρο «Φιλοξενία» 09.00 Άφιξη στο Συνεδριακό Κέντρο, Καφές 09.30 Καλωσόρισμα και Εισαγωγή 09.35 Χαιρετισμός Υπουργού Εμπορίου, Βιομηχανίας και Τουρισμού, κ. Νεοκλή Συλικιώτη Μήνυμα του Προέδρου της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής, κ. José Manuel Barroso 09.40 Έναρξη Εργασιών Ολομέλειας: «Η ανάπτυξη της Οικονομίας ως συνεπακόλουθο της ανάπτυξης των ΜΜΕ », Antonio Tajani 10.10 Δημοσιογραφική Διάσκεψη: Αντιπρόεδρος Ευρωπαικής Επιτροπής κ. Antonio Tajani και Υπουργός Εμπορίου, Βιομηχανίας και Τουρισμού, κ. Νεοκλής Συλικιώτης 10.10 Καφές και δικτύωση 10.30 Κύρια Συζήτηση Ολομέλειας: Πως θα μπορούσε η Ευρώπη να βοηθήσει καλύτερα τις ΜΜΕ 11.40 Ανάπτυξη μέσω της χρηματοδότησης 12.45 Οικογενειακή Φωτογραφία των SME Envoys και των Φιναλίστ των Ευρωπαικών Βραβείων Επχιειρηματικότητα 12.45 Γεύμα δικτύωσης 14.15 Συνεδρίαση του Δικτύου των SME Envoys - μόνο κατόπιν πρόσκλησης 14.15 Εργαστήριο 1 Ανάπτυξη μέσω της «πράσινης» καινοτομίας Εργαστήριο 2 Πώς η πολιτική στις πόλεις και στις περιφέρειες συμβάλλει στην ανάπτυξη των ΜΜΕ Εργαστήριο 3 Απλοποίηση των διαδικασιών προκειμένου να διευκολυνθεί η ανάπτυξη των ΜΜΕ 15.30 Καφές και δικτύωση 16.00 Εργαστήριο 4 Μικρές επιχειρήσεις / μεγάλος κόσμος Εργαστήριο 5 Προώθηση της ανάπτυξης των ΜΜΕ μέσω των δημόσιων συμβάσεων Εργαστήριο 6 Οι μεγάλες επιχειρήσεις υποστηρίζουν για τις μικρές 17.15 Μεταφορά στα ξενοδοχεία 19.00 Αναχώρηση από τα ξενοδοχεία για το Επίσημο Δείπνο των Ευρωπαϊκών Βραβείων Προώθησης της Επιχειρηματικότητας στους Χαρουπόμυλους Λανίτη στη Λεμεσό 19.30 Δεξίωση & Ψυχαγωγία 20.45 Δείπνο 22.15 Τελετή απονομής βραβείων 23.30 Επιστροφή συνέδρων στα ξενοδοχεία

Παρασκευή, 16 Νοεμβρίου

08.30 Μεταφορά από τα ξενοδοχεία στο Συνεδριακό Κέντρο «Φιλοξενία» 09.00 Άφιξη στο Συνεδριακό Κέντρο & Καφές 10.00 Καλωσόρισμα & Εισαγωγή 10.10 Πώς η Κύπρος προωθεί την ανάπτυξη των ΜΜΕ Υπουργός Εμπορίου, Βιομηχανίας και Τουρισμού, κος Νεοκλής Συλικιώτης 10.30 Μεταφορά των κατευθυντήριων γραμμών σε Πράξεις: κ. Othmar Karas και κ. Luc Van den Brande 10.50 Ερωτήσεις και Απαντήσεις 11.30 Προκλήσεις για το 2013 12.20 Συμπεράσματα: κ. Daniel Calleja 12.30 Γεύμα δικτύωσης Από 12.30 Μεταφορά στα ξενοδοχεία και στο αεροδρόμιο της Λάρνακας

Τα στοιχεία του προγράμματος ήταν ορθά κατά τη στιγμή της εκτύπωσης. Οι αντιπρόσωποι θα ενημερωθούν από τους διοργανωτές για τυχόν αλλαγές της τελευταίας στιγμής όσον αφορά το χρονοδιάγραμμα ή/και τους ομιλητές στο χώρο της εκδήλωσης. A welcome to the 2012 SME Assembly from Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 2012 SME Assembly in Cyprus. The European Commission and the Cyprus Presidency of the Council are proud to present a varied programme of keynote speeches, interactive policy sessions and the opportunity to exchange views with business organisations, business owners and eminent speakers from all over Europe.

The SME Assembly is an important part of the governance of the Small Business Act. “Thinking Small First” must become an automatic part of our economic and legislative measures. We have more than twenty million SMEs in Europe and they are the backbone of our economy. They deserve the best policies that we can create for them.

This is why I invite you to exploit every opportunity that presents itself at the Assembly, to listen to the good practices of other organisations, to network with colleagues from other Member States and to present your own experience & ideas. The SME Assembly is our yearly gathering of stakeholders in SME policy; it complements the SME Envoy Network that works throughout the year to push forward the implementation of the Small Business Act. This Assembly is certainly a moment to take stock, but it is fi rst and foremost the arena in which we will discuss the challenges of the coming year and how we are going to tackle them.

In times of economic crisis only a strong and unifi ed Europe can get SMEs back on the path to growth. We have to enable our citizens both to become entrepreneurs and to stay in business.

Finally, let me thank our co-hosts, in particular Neoklis Sylikiotis, the Cypriot Minister for Commerce, Industry and Tourism, for their excellent co-operation in the preparation of this Assembly. Let me also thank H.E. President Christofi as of Cyprus as well as European Parliament Vice-President Karas and Vice-President Van den Brande of the Committee of the Regions, who will be joining us this evening at the Awards Ceremony of the 2012 European Enterprise Promotion Awards.

51 Preface to the Programme by the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism for the 1st SME Assembly, 15-16 November 2012

Dear Guests,

I welcome you to Cyprus, the island of Aphrodite, a small country with a long history and rich cultural heritage. Over the course of time Cyprus has experienced many conquerors. Its natural wealth and strategic geographical location has, since antiquity, played an important role in the island’s turbulent history. However, the people succeeded to overcome any adversities caused by the various conquerors and maintain intact its language and culture heritage as well as developing its entrepreneurial spirit.

Recognising the importance of SMEs as a catalyst to boost growth in Europe, I welcome you to this 1st SME Assembly.

Today, Europe needs to create the necessary tools and mechanisms towards economic recovery and sustainable development. Cyprus, as the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, is working towards the achievement of its target for a better Europe, with its citizens in the forefront. Such a goal, however, cannot be realised unless a clear message is sent to all stakeholders regarding the need to support SMEs and utilise their potential to the maximum extent.

The Assembly is a great opportunity to discuss important issues for SMEs and to exchange views and best practices that will eff ectively enhance the further development of SMEs.

I hope that the results of this event will provide a useful tool for all stakeholders in creating more eff ective and effi cient policy for SMEs.

I wish you a pleasant stay in Cyprus.

Neoklis Sylikiotis Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism

2 Χαιρετισμός Υπουργού Εμπορίου, Βιομηχανίας και Τουρισμού για το Εγχειρίδιο που θα ετοιμαστεί από την ΕΕ για το SME Assembly, 15-16 Νοεμβρίου 2012

Αγαπητοί Προσκεκλημένοι,

Σας καλωσορίζω στην Κύπρο, το νησί της Αφροδίτης, μια μικρή χώρα με μακραίωνη ιστορία και πλούσια πολιτιστική κληρονομιά. Σε αυτή τη μακρά πορεία της στο χρόνο, η Κύπρος γνώρισε πολλούς ξένους κατακτητές, αφού ο φυσικός της πλούτος και η στρατηγική γεωγραφική της θέση την καθιστούσαν το μήλο της έριδος στην περιοχή της Μέσης Ανατολής. Παρόλα αυτά, ο λαός μας κατόρθωσε, υπερβαίνοντας τις αντιξοότητες και τις κακουχίες που του επέβαλλαν οι διάφοροι κατά καιρούς κατακτητές, να διατηρήσει άθικτη τη γλώσσα και την πολιτιστική του κληρονομιά και να αναπτύξει το επιχειρηματικό του πνεύμα.

Αναγνωρίζοντας την σημασία των Μικρομεσαίων Επιχειρήσεων, ως τον καταλύτη για την ώθηση της ανάπτυξης στην Ευρώπη, σας καλωσορίζω στην 1η Σύνοδο Μικρομεσαίων Επιχειρήσεων (MμΕ).

Σήμερα, η Ευρώπη πρέπει να δημιουργήσει τα κατάλληλα εργαλεία και τους μηχανισμούς για ανάκαμψη της οικονομίας και αειφόρο ανάπτυξη. Η Κύπρος, ως Προεδρεύουσα χώρα του Συμβουλίου της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, εργάζεται εντατικά προς την επίτευξη του στόχου που έχει θέσει για μια καλύτερη Ευρώπη, πρώτα και κύρια για τους πολίτες της. Μια τέτοια επιδίωξη, όμως, δεν μπορεί να υλοποιηθεί αν δεν στείλουμε σαφές μήνυμα σε όλους τους αρμόδιους φορείς, για την αναγκαιότητα στήριξης των Μικρομεσαίων Επιχειρήσεων και την αξιοποίηση της δυναμικής τους.

Η Σύνοδος αποτελεί μια μεγάλη ευκαιρία για να συζητηθούν τα σημαντικότερα θέματα που αφορούν τις ΜμΕ και να ανταλλαγούν απόψεις και καλές πρακτικές, οι οποίες θα ενισχύσουν την ανάπτυξη και θα στηρίζουν αποτελεσματικά τις ΜμΕ.

Ευελπιστώ ότι τα αποτελέσματα της Συνόδου θα αποτελέσουν χρήσιμο εργαλείο για όλους τους αρμόδιους φορείς στη διαμόρφωση μιας αποτελεσματικότερης και στοχευμένης πολιτικής για τις ΜμΕ.

Σας εύχομαι μια ευχάριστη διαμονή στη Κύπρο.

Νεοκλής Συλικιώτης Υπουργός Εμπορίου, Βιομηχανίας και Τουρισμού Programme Thursday, 15th November 2012

09.30 hrs Welcome and Introduction by Michalis Persianis, Assembly Chair Michalis Persianis is chief editor, Economy and Finance, at Kathimerini, the leading Cyprus newspaper. He also works as the Wall Street Journal’s correspondent in Cyprus. Before returning to Cyprus, Michalis worked from 2006 to 2009 as an assistant in the European Parliament to Ioannis Kasoulides MEP (EPP, CY); having previously served as chief of research in the Kasoulides presidential campaign. Michalis is a native of Cyprus, completing his education in the US at Rutgers (MA in Political Science) and later at Johns Hopkins –SAIS (MA in International Economics). Michalis has in the past acted as a debating coach. Welcome from The Cyprus Presidency

Mr Neoklis Sylikiotis, Minister of Commerce, Industry & Tourism will welcome delegates to the fi rst SME Assembly in Cyprus on behalf of the Cyprus Presidency. Message from President Barroso: SMES ARE KEY TO DELIVERING EU 2020 GOALS

President Barroso will send a message of support for the work of the Assembly. 9.40 hrs KEYNOTE SPEECH If SMEs Grow, The Economy Grows

Mr Antonio Tajani, Vice President and Commissioner responsible for Enterprise, will talk about the crucial role SMEs have to play in getting Europe growing again, what the Commission is doing to help SMEs and entrepreneurs and what more needs to be done to kick start growth.

Antonio Tajani Antonio Tajani is European Commission Vice-President and Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, a position held since February 2010. Prior to this, from May 2008, he was Commissioner in charge of Transport. His early career began as an offi cer and radar controller in the Italian Air Force. A~ er the Air Force he began a career in journalism, both broadcast and print, which culminated in him running the Rome editorial offi ce of the Italian daily ‘Il Giornale’. In 1994 he was one of the founders, along with Silvio Berlusconi, of the Forza Italia party, who he represented in the European Parliament from 1994 to 2008 and headed its delegation from 1999 to 2008. During his 15 years as an MEP, he sat on the Foreign Aff airs, Constitutional Aff airs and Transport Committees. He was also a member of the Convention which dra~ ed the European Constitution that became the Lisbon Treaty. Antonio Tajani was born in Rome on 4 August 1953. He is married with 2 children and holds a degree in Law from Sapienza University. 10.10 hrs Networking coff ee break

3 Thursday, 15th November 2012

10.30 hrs THE BIG DEBATE

This debate is about means not ends. We all agree about the importance of helping SMEs and their key role in producing growth, employment and tax revenues. But what is the best way of going about it? Laissez faire or pro-active government intervention? Our two teams of experts will debate the motion that:

“This assembly believes that the best way to help Europe’s SMEs grow is to remove the obstacles in their path.”

At the end of the debate delegates will be asked to vote as to whether or not they are for or against the motion.

The Big Debate will be moderated by Michalis Persianis.

The debating team who thinks the best way of helping is to remove obstacles will be:

Gunilla Almgren Gunilla Almgren was appointed as President of UEAPME on 28 November 2011. She is an entrepreneur in the sanitary fi ttings industry, with business contacts all over Europe. She served as First Vice-President of the Board of Företagarna, the Swedish Federation of Private Enterprises. She also sits on the Board of several Swedish business-related organisations as well as private companies. On top of her professional engagements, Ms Almgren has also actively participated in several committees and working groups set up by the European Commission in past years on issues including better regulation. Ms Almgren holds a Diploma in Business Administration from the IHM Business School and speaks fi ve offi cial EU languages (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish) in addition to her mother tongue.

Jan Barnes Jan Barnes is Senior Manager, Government Relations EU for eBay Inc. Jan’s expertise includes trade, SMEs and consumer-related policy. Prior to joining eBay, Jan was the Europe Director for the European-American Business Council, focusing on international and transatlantic issues aff ecting every major business sector. Before that, Jan was a consultant managing the EU-related activities of several clients, including the European Small Business Alliance. Jan holds a Master of Science from the London School of Economics and a BA from University College London.

Hugh Morgan-Williams Hugh Morgan Williams was Founder and Chairman of the award winning Canford Group plc for over 30 years and he remains a consultant to the business. He has been a director of ten successful private sector businesses with a media and technology focus. He was formerly Chairman of the CBI SME Council and The Northern Way and board member of the North East Regional Development Agency. He is a board member of Durham University. He is currently Chairman of BusinessEurope’s Entrepreneurship & SME Committee. Hugh has developed a Europe-wide expertise in Access to Finance. He was founding Chairman of North East Access to Finance, a JEREMIE funded vehicle for SME investment. He participated in a high level European working party on Access to Finance in 2009. He is an ardent exponent of language learning and in 2008 was awarded an OBE for services to business in H.M. the Queen’s Birthday Honours. 4 Thursday, 15th November 2012

The debating team who thinks removing obstacles is necessary but not suffi cient will be:

Arnaldo Abruzzini Mr Abruzzini joined EUROCHAMBRES in 1999 as Secretary General. EUROCHAMBRES is the Brussels-based European Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, representing over 2,000 regional and local Chambers of Commerce and Industry with more than 20 million member companies in 45 countries. In 1996 Mr Abruzzini founded Interactive Media and served as a Board member until 2010. Before that he was a Board member of Mediacamere, a communication company owned by the Italian Chamber of Commerce, shareholder and managing partner of the Consir group and managing director of the Bavaria Assicurazioni. A native of Italy, Mr Abruzzini is a graduate in Economics with a major in Finance from La Sapienza University.

Daniel Calleja Mr Calleja has been Director General of DG Enterprise and Industry since February 2012, he is also the EU SME Envoy. Daniel Calleja was previously Deputy Director General of DG Enterprise and Director for Air Transport at the European Commission, where he successfully negotiated, on behalf of the EU, the EU-US Open Skies Agreement. Between 1999 and 2004, he was Head of Cabinet for the Vice-President of the European Commission, Mrs Loyola de Palacio, responsible for Transport, Energy and Relations with the European Parliament. Between 1995 and 1999, Mr Calleja was the Head of Cabinet for Commissioner Marcelino Oreja, responsible for institutional aff airs and for the Amsterdam Treaty negotiations. Mr Calleja is the author of several publications and has lectured in European Law at universities of various Member States. He has a degree in Law and Business Administration from the University of Comillas, Madrid.

Christiana Iacovidou Constantinidou Christiana was born in 1975 in Nicosia, Cyprus. She has a BSc (Hons) degree in Hotel and Catering Management from the University of Surrey, England and an MBA degree in Marketing and Finance from Indiana University, USA. She worked at Stakis Hotels in Scotland and at Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company in Kentucky, USA. She is currently the Manager of the Cleopatra Hotel in Nicosia which has been her family’s business for three generations. She is a member of the Board of the Cyprus Hotel Association and President for the Nicosia District. She is also member of the Nicosia Tourism Board.

5 Thursday, 15th November 2012

11.40 hrs GROWING THROUGH FINANCE

Without an easy route to fi nance when needed, the promise of enterprise can be strangled at birth. It is vital that we come up with ways of providing that access. This session will provide answers to the question:

“What action should be taken to get fi nance to SMEs to help them grow?”

Speakers James Burnham James joined the European Venture Capital Association (EVCA) in 2010 and is responsible for political advocacy. Prior to joining EVCA James was Head of Marketing and Communications at Climate Change Capital, a London based asset management company with a focus on the low-carbon economy. Before this he held a number of positions in Communications and Investor Relations for fi nancial services and alternative energy clients.

Anthony Clarke Anthony Clarke is the co-founder and CEO of Angel Capital Group which includes London Business Angels where he has the role of Managing Director. Since 1995 he has been a business angel investor/non-executive director in over 20 start-up/early stage businesses. Between 2002 and 2009 Anthony was Managing Director of GLE Growth Capital and also sat on the main Board of GLE. Anthony has been involved with London Business Angels for 17 years and took on the role of MD when it became part of GLE Growth Capital in 2002. He is also a co-founder and currently sits on the advisory Board of the UK’s fi rst £30 Enterprise Capital Venture Fund, Seraphim Capital. He was Chairman of the British Business Angels Association (BBAA) from 2004 to 2012 and remains on its Board. He is President Emeritus of European Business Angels Network (EBAN) having been its President from 2004-2009. Anthony also sits on the Venture Capital Committee of the BVCA. Anthony qualifi ed as a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Secretary with Deloitte Haskins & Sells (now PWC).

Hubert Cottogni Hubert Cottogni is Head of the Regional Business Development Department, as well as a Deputy Director for the European Investment Fund (EIF). He is responsible for developing and implementing Fund of Funds and the JEREMIE initiative throughout Europe. Prior to this position, he was a Director of Telekom Austria in Vienna, where he spent over 6 years as Head of Strategy and Business Development, then becoming Director of Mergers and Acquisitions. He also spent more than 12 years working as a Senior Banker in institutions such as EIB and Creditanstalt AG. Mr Cottogni holds a degree in Business and Administration from the University of Innsbruck. He also holds an MBA from the University of Innsbruck as well as an executive degree from INSEAD.

6 Thursday, 15th November 2012

Philippe De Backer MEP Philippe De Backer is a Member of the European Parliament where he is a full member of the Transport and Tourism Committee. He is a substitute Member on the Economy and Monetary Aff airs Committee, as well as the Employment and Social Aff airs Committee. His main interests lie in the fi eld of transport infrastructure and functioning of logistics markets, the regulation of fi nancial institutions and innovation policy. Before joining the European Parliament he worked as Technology Transfer Offi cer at CRP-Santé and as an analyst at Vesalius Biocapital, a Luxembourg based venture capital fi rm specialising in the life-sciences. He has expertise in the valorisation of IP developed by public research institutes and setting-up early ventures in the life-sciences. He holds a PhD in biotechnology from Ghent University and an MBA from Solvay Business School.

Stelios Stavridis Stelios Stavridis has had a long and successful career as CEO of several leading Greek companies including Lavipharm, Aegeon Textile Industry, Heracles-Lafarge Cement Industry, Hellenic Petroleum Corporation and Hellenic Aspropyrgos Refi nery. He managed the privatisation of the Aget Heracles Cement Company (today the Lafarge Group) and he also participated in the privatisation of the Hellenic Aspropyrgos Refi nery. In 1991 he founded and is still CEO of the Ideales Group, which is the recipient of many awards for its business ethics, its working environment (European Best Workplace 2009) and CSR practices. Stelios Stavridis is also Chairman of the Social Dialogue Committee of EuroCommerce, an employers’ organization representing six million retail and wholesale businesses employing 30 million people, Chairman of the CSR Committee of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Antibureaucracy movement, which fi ghts bureaucracy and corruption in Greece. Stelios Stavridis holds a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering and postgraduate studies in Business Administration & Economics.

Moderator Joanna Drake Joanna Drake has been the Director, SMEs and Entrepreneurship, DG Enterprise and Industry at the European Commission since 2010. Previously she was Head of the European Commission Representation in Malta where she was born and before that she was Company Secretary and Head of the Legal & Regulatory Department of Vodafone Malta Limited. Before venturing into the telecommunications sector, Joanna’s professional career centered entirely around European Union matters, with an emphasis on law, which she taught and researched full-time for fi ve years at the University of Malta. A~ er obtaining her post-graduate qualifi cations in law from the College of Europe in Bruges, where she specialised in EU competition and Internal Market law, Joanna spent fi ve years as Senior Legal Offi cer at the EU Directorate of the Foreign Offi ce in Malta and a further year as Legal Research Offi cer at the Maltese Embassy in Brussels. As a core group member of MEUSAC (Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee) she was closely involved in the pre-accession negotiations between Malta and the European Union.

Family photos of all national winners of the European Enterprise Promotion Awards and the SME Envoy Network will be taken immediately a$ er the morning session closes. 12.45 NETWORKING LUNCH A buff et lunch will be provided in the Halkos and Pentadaktylos restaurants where there will be ample opportunities for networking.

All refreshments are provided courtesy of the Cyprus Presidency. 7 Thursday, 15th November 2012

IN BREAKOUT POLICY SESSIONS 14.15 hrs POLICY SESSION 1 GROWING THROUGH GREEN INNOVATION

The greening of economies is a major opportunity for new growth in world markets. We need to ensure that our SMEs increase their market share. The specialists in this session are tasked with answering the question: “What needs to be done to give EU businesses a competitive advantage in global green markets?”

Speakers Luciano Brandoni Luciano Brandoni is a member of the Confi ndustria SME Central Board and President of Confi ndustria Marche SME Committee. His other posts include Vice President of Federexport (the Italian Federation of Export Consortia), Member of the Board of the Chamber of Commerce of Ancona, President of the Consorzio Italiano Arredobagno (the consortium of the Italian bath furniture industries) and President of the Piccola Industria di Confi ndustria Marche. He is the Founder and CEO of the following manufacturing companies: Brandoni srl (a company specialising in the production of design radiators), Brandoni Engineering srl (which develops systems using alternative energy sources like photovoltaic-solar) and Brandoni Solare S.p.a. (which produces photovoltaic modules). He is also active in export trading with C.B. srl and real estate with B&B srl and M&M srl. He is the holder of a degree in Technology.

Kyriakos Parpounas In 2005 Kyriakos Parpounas was chosen by the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry to set up and become General Manager of the fi rst Collective Waste Packaging System in Cyprus, Green Dot Cyprus. Under his management the System was accredited and now covers 85% of the island’s population, representing 850 companies. Since 2010 the System has exceeded its recycling targets and its work has been instrumental in Cyprus improving its overall recycling performance. Mr Parpounas also managed the development and accreditation of a Collective System for the Management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Waste and a Collective System for the Management of Household Batteries. Mr Parpounas is an elected Member of the Latsia Municipal Council and has served as a Member of the Labour Court. He is the holder of a Degree in Civil Engineering and an MBA in Finance & Real Estate Finance.

This session will be moderated by Michalis Persianis. 14.15 hrs POLICY SESSION 2 HOW REGIONS AND CITIES HELP SMEs GROW

Public funding is vital both to building an enterprise culture and to supporting SME growth. But how should it be delivered? And by whom? And how can we ensure that it reaches those it is intended to help? Our expert speakers will provide answers to the question:

“Are regions and cities best placed to help SMEs grow?”

8 Thursday, 15th November 2012

Speakers Arto Bryggare Arto Bryggare is Executive Secretary of the European Entrepreneurial Region 2012 project, a member of Helsinki City Council and former President of the Uusima region. He has also served two terms as a member of the Finnish Parliament and is a member of its Economy, Finance and Education Committees. He studied international relations and areal planning at the University of Southern California and the Helsinki School of Business Administration respectively. He is an Olympic bronze medallist in the 110m hurdles at the 1984 LA Games.

Marc Sans Marc Sans is currently Senior In-City Promotion Offi cer of Barcelona Activa, Local Development Agency of the City Council of Barcelona. Prior to this he was Institutional Co-operation Offi cer of Barcelona Activa, supervising the visits of high profi le representatives of public authorities, business incubators & tech parks, chambers of commerce and higher education centres from around the globe. He was also responsible for the design and implementation of international co-operation projects, providing technical assistance in the transfer of work methodologies & digital tools to support entrepreneurship & SMEs in worldwide environments. From 2003 to 2006 he was a member of the team of entrepreneurship experts of the Barcelona Activa Entrepreneurship Centre, coaching entrepreneurs, assessing the feasibility of their business projects and guiding them towards funding. He was also responsible for the creation of learning materials and reports for the entrepreneurship training programme and taught many of the training seminars and created digital contents for Barcelona Activa’s web based platform to support entrepreneurs.

Nick Small Councillor Nick Small is the Chair of the Economic Development Forum of EUROCITIES and Cabinet Member (Vice Mayor) for Employment, Enterprise & Skills in Liverpool, UK. He is also a Director of Liverpool Vision, the city’s economic development agency and Liverpool Science Park and a governor of Liverpool Hope University and Liverpool Community College. Nick was born and grew up in Liverpool. He graduated with an MA in Politics from the University of Edinburgh and has an MBA in Business Finance and Management from the University of Liverpool. Nick worked as a management consultant for 11 years for Grant Thornton and KPMG, specialising in the fi nancial sector.

Moderator: Stephen Alambritis Between 1985 and 2010 Stephen was the voice of small fi rms in the UK where he held senior positions at both the Association of Independent Businesses (AIB) and latterly at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). Having le~ the FSB to go into a representative role in local government, Stephen set up his own small business in property and promptly re-joined the FSB, but this time as a member. Stephen Alambritis is now the Leader of the Council at the London Borough of Merton and a Commissioner at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), recognised as the primary equality body for the UK by the European Commission. Stephen was born in Aradippou in Larnaca, but le~ Cyprus in the 1960’s when his parents decided to join relatives in England. Stephen was educated at the London School of Economics and holds an MSc (Econ) and an MA (Business Law).

9 Thursday, 15th November 2012

14.15 hrs POLICY SESSION 3 SIMPLIFYING EU RULES TO HELP SMEs GROW

We constantly hear from SME owners the claim that burdensome regulations hamper their growth. But how far can we go in simplifying life for European businesses? What type of regulations need to be removed? And will reform really make a diff erence? This session will concern itself with answering the question:

“How will simplifying EU rules help SMEs grow?”

Speakers Jussi Järventaus Jussi Arvi Järventaus is Managing Director of the Federation of Finnish Enterprises which he joined on 1996, and from which he took leave for a year to become Minister of Justice from 1998 to 1999. Prior to that he has held several top management posts in Finland including Managing Director of the Federation of Finnish Insurance Companies and Deputy Managing Director of the Confederation of Finnish Entrepreneurs. He started his career as a legal adviser to the Federation of Finnish Insurance Companies, as Legislative Counsellor to the Ministry of Justice and Legal Director to the life insurance company, Nova. Jussi has held several positions of trust including Chairman of the Consumer Complaint Board and Chairman of the National Board of Patents and Registration and he is currently Member of the State Court. He is an LL.M trained on the bench and Licentiate of Laws. He was born on 7 June 1951.

Bożena Lublińska-Kasprzak Bożena Lublińska-Kasprzak was appointed President of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development in March 2009. Earlier in her career, Mrs Lublińska-Kasprzak held various managerial posts in public funds programming and the management branch of public administration. She specialised in funds ear-marked for development of agriculture and rural areas, as well as entrepreneurship and innovation. Mrs Lublińska-Kasprzak graduated from Maria Curie-Składowska University of Lublin in Economics and from the University of Warsaw in European Integration and was admitted into a PhD programme. She completed a number of research and professional fellowships in the USA, UK, Ireland and at the European Commission. She was an expert for the Parliamentary Group for EU Funds Absorption and for other international consulting projects. She is a certifi ed Prince2 manager. In 2011 she received an Administration Manager of the Year award and was placed 10th in the ranking of ‘Tiaras of Management’ in the Polish Market magazine which praises the 50 best Polish women managers. She is currently the chairman of the jury for the Polish Product of the Future contest. Since 2010 she has been a member of the board of The European Network of Innovation Agencies (TAFTIE).

Mats Persson Mats has been the Director of Open Europe since 2010 and sits on the advisory board of Open Europe Berlin GmbH. A frequent contributor to broadcast and print media, he has written extensively on EU regulation and regulatory reform. In 2011, Mats was named one of ‘99 infl uential international leaders under 33’ by the Diplomatic Courier and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy. Before joining Open Europe, he worked for a political consulting fi rm in Washington DC. Mats was educated in San Diego, Virginia and at the London School of Economics.

10 Thursday, 15th November 2012

Jonathon Stoodley Jonathon has a Bachelors degree in English law and both a Masters and Doctorate in public international law. Prior to taking up his post at the European Commission, he worked for the UK Parliament and the then UK Department of Trade and Industry. His career at the Commission has included posts in the Internal Market Directorate General, the European Delegation to the International Organisations in Geneva and the Secretariat General where he was Head of Unit in charge of the application of EU law. He is now in charge of evaluation and simplifi cation of regulation.

Moderator Typhaine Beaupérin Typhaine Beaupérin has worked for EUROCHAMBRES since 2004. As a senior adviser in the EU Aff airs department, she leads on enterprise policy and smart regulation. She is responsible for the EUROCHAMBRES’ SME Test Benchmark and manages the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Support Offi ce team. Typhaine studied international business at the universities of La Rochelle (France) and Plymouth (UK) and obtained a Masters degree in European studies at the Institut Supérieur de Management Public et Politique (Ismapp) in Brussels.

15.30 hrs Networking coff ee break

11 Thursday, 15th November 2012

16.00 hrs POLICY SESSION 4 SMALL BUSINESS – BIG WORLD: GROWING THROUGH INTERNATIONAL TRADE

One of the most daunting prospects facing SMEs is breaking into new markets, which is why so few SMEs export beyond the borders of the EU. What deters them from testing new markets? Is it the hoops that governments make SMEs jump through in order to sell their wares? Is it too expensive to investigate new markets? Or do they lack the skills necessary to compete in foreign markets. Just how important are languages, market intelligence, acquiring local knowledge and developing partnerships? And is this enough to be successful? This session will aim to identify the urgent actions that government and SMEs need to take in order to boost growth through international trade, by discussing the question:

“What needs to be done to help SMEs grow through trade, which skills do they need to export and how should they acquire them?”

Speakers Stefanie Holland Stefanie Holland is the Director for International Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. With 70 professionals on staff , the International Division is Washington’s most infl uential team of trade policy experts and advocates. Since joining the Chamber in 2007, Stefanie has worked on successful campaigns to win congressional passage of trade agreements with several nations including Colombia, Panama and South Korea. She plays a key role in the Chamber’s international business priorities and promoting the Chamber’s international trade agenda. She is also responsible for building grassroots support for international trade through the TradeRoots programme, a national trade programme dedicated to building public and political understanding of the importance of international economic engagement to local communities. Prior to joining the Chamber, she worked at Barbour Griffi th & Rogers International, a lobbying fi rm in Washington, DC. Stefanie Holland holds a Masters in International Commerce & Policy and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

Gerwin Hoogendoorn Gerwin is the co-founder, CEO and creative brain of the senz° family. Frustrated in his student room, a~ er three broken umbrellas in one week, he decided to solve the umbrella frustrations once and for all. Together with two study friends they wrote a business plan, using Gerwin’s graduation prototype and launched it on the market in just 13 months. The umbrellas were a runaway success with the initial stock of 10.000 senz° umbrellas sold in just 10 days! In the following 18 months senz° expanded its distribution to throughout Europe, Japan & the USA. In the six years since market introduction they learned a lot as a team and as individuals. Of course not everything fi tted the original dream and Gerwin is looking forward to sharing his experiences about his stormy access to markets!

12 Thursday, 15th November 2012

Heinz Werner Heinz Werner is founder and partner of HEINZ WERNER GmbH, a textiles company trading internationally with subsidiaries and offi ces in China, Singapore, South-America and USA. He is a member of the International Trade Committee of EuroCommerce and Chairman of its Trade Defence Measures group; he is also a member of its Enlargement and SME Policy committees “EU-Enlargement” as well as a member of Asia-Pacif-Association of German industry. In May 2010 he became Vice President of the Board of trustees of the Federation of German Wholesale and Foreign Trade (BGA) in Berlin. Mr Werner lived in the Far East, Asia for many years, establishing and building up the foreign-trade division of his company. He studied Economics and World-Trade in Frankfurt and Marketing in Wiesbaden and England. He travels extensively worldwide and lectures at German and European universities and Fachhochschulen (Universities of applied sciences) on EU-social policy, international trade and management, globalization and related subjects.

Moderator: Simon Cheetham Simon Cheetham is the Team Leader of the China IPR SME Helpdesk. He is a China IPR Enforcement expert with over 30 years’ experience in commercial investigations, due diligence and IPR enforcement in China and internationally. He has lived and worked in China and South-East Asia for over 17 years. He is also the Managing Director of ERINYES INTERNATIONAL LTD, a fi rm he founded to capitalise on his extensive experience of international investigations, loss prevention and enforcement work. He manages and directs the operations of the Company from Europe to the Far East.Simon began his career with the Hong Kong Police, where he was responsible for the detection and prosecution of a wide variety of crimes, including fraud and homicide. While in South-East Asia Simon was Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce Intellectual Property Committee and acted as an advisor to the International Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force on China. He has lectured frequently around the world on security issues and IPR and has written articles and papers on a variety of related topics, including a chapter in ‘Intellectual Property Law and Practice in the People’s Republic of China’ published by Kluwer Law International B.V. He is fl uent in English and Cantonese.

13 Thursday, 15th November 2012

16.00 hrs POLICY SESSION 5 GROWING THROUGH PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

The EU’s public procurement market off ers huge opportunities for SME growth. But how many SMEs understand its importance for their business? How many are prevented from accessing EU markets by red tape or discrimination? And what skills do they need to take advantage of its potential? We need to help SMEs understand and exploit this vital market and we need government to make it easier for them to do so.

So, “What should we be doing to unlock the EU’s public procurement markets for SMEs?”

Speakers Andrea Marconi Andrea Marconi is a past-President of the European Builders Confederation, the European association of construction SMEs. He is the Vice-President of Anaepa, the Italian association of construction cra~ s and SMEs and a founding member of the EBC. As an entrepreneur, he is the founder and co-owner of a construction SME in Grosseto, Tuscany. Originally specialising in wells, aqueduct and irrigation systems, their activities now include conservation, restoration and maintenance of Italy’s architectural heritage. He has long-standing experience in public procurement markets at local, regional and national level, averaging as many as 200 tenders per year. For this reason he appeared before the European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee in May 2011, where he provided insights on how to improve SMEs’ access to public procurement.

Erik Nooteboom Erik Nooteboom is acting Director of the Public Procurement Directorate within DG Markt at the European Commission. He oversees the Commission’s work to reform public procurement in the classical and utility sectors, concession contracts, access to EU procurement markets by third countries and the promotion of electronic procurement. As Head of the International Procurement Unit from 2007 to 2011, he represented the Commission in WTO negotiations on Government procurement which were successfully concluded in December 2011. Before joining the Commission in 1987, Erik worked as a legal advisor for industrial property matters at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Aff airs. Erik holds a degree in civil law from the University of Amsterdam, where he specialised in copyright, industrial property law and media law. His mother tongue is Dutch and he is also fl uent in English, German and French.

Gina Quin Gina is the Chief Executive Offi cer of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. The Dublin Chamber of Commerce speaks on behalf of Business in the Greater Dublin Region promoting a competitive and internationalised business environment and providing extensive networks for Business Development. The Chamber is a leader in the development of a strong vision for a successful and sustainable Dublin Region. Gina started her working career with Lansdowne Market Research as a qualitative researcher then working closely with marketing professionals in the fmcg sector. She then joined the Irish Trade Board where she worked with a variety of companies on export market development, in Europe and USA. Having completed her MBA, Gina joined the Rehab Group (1989), working in marketing and sales management before taking on the role of CEO of Gandon Enterprises, the Commercial division of the Rehab Group. Gina is a Board member of ESB Networks, the Investor Compensation Company Limited and a past recipient of the Alumni of the year award UCD Michael Smurfi t Business School. She has recently joined the Advisory Board of the CRANN Institute and has successfully completed the Institute of Directors’ (IOD) Chartered Director Certifi cate and Diploma. 14 Thursday, 15th November 2012

Moderator: Bambos Charalambous Bambos Charalambous is Director of Trade and Industry and Head of EU Aff airs at the Cyprus Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. Bambos joined the Ministry in 1985 where he played a key role in negotiating the Cyprus customs union agreement with the EEC and the accession negotiations of Cyprus to the EU. He was also instrumental in preparing Cyprus’ Industrial Strategy in the late eighties. Bambos has a BSc and M Phil in Economics from Bradford University where he was Assistant Professor in World Trade Modelling.

16.00 hrs POLICY SESSION 6 BIG BUSINESS HELPS SMALL BUSINESS

Increasingly big businesses are creating new programmes that are designed to give a helping hand to SMEs. Do they really work? And if so, should they be rolled out more widely? Our speakers will discuss their experience of this growing area of corporate responsibility:

“How can big business help small business grow?”

Speakers Sofi a Kalomenides Sofi a Kalomenides is a partner at Ernst & Young. She is currently the Markets and Accounts Industries and Business Development Leader for the Central and Southeast Europe (CSE) sub area and a Partner within the Assurance service line. Having over 27 years of professional experience in the audit and advisory practice, Sofi a has provided a wide range of services to clients both in CSE and New York and has extensive experience in auditing multinational groups of companies, preparing fi nancial statements under IFRS, local and US GAAP, in cross-border capital markets debt and equity transactions in Europe and the US. She has lead and advised on initial public off ering transactions in Greece and the US and has served as the Capital Markets Off ering Reviewer for cross border transactions, including Euro bond and equity off erings, as well as the Central and Southeast Europe Capital Markets Leader. In recent years, Sofi a’s major clients have included: Dryships Inc., Starbulk Inc., McDonalds, Fourlis Group, Τitan Cement Co., W.S. Karoulias and Internet Q. She is a Certifi ed Auditor in Greece and New York State and holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and International Business from New York University as well as an MBA in International Finance from Baruch College.

Stefanos Loukakos Stefanos Loukakos is the General Manager of Google Greece, a position held since January 2010. In the past he was CEO of broadband operator Hellas Online and a senior executive at HSBC Investment Bank in Paris and London. Stefanos has an MBA from INSEAD in Paris as well as Masters degrees in Economics and Engineering from Stanford University and U. C. Berkeley in the US.

Moderator: Marcelo Crescenti Marcelo Crescenti is a native of Brazil, but has many years experience working as a senior journalist and editor in Germany, both for the editorial departments of important German newspapers and in television with the BBC and the German television company ZDF. Since 2000 he has been employed by Deutscher Fachverlag in Frankfurt am Main. He became Editor-in-chief for the economic periodical Der Handel in 2006 and Editor-in-chief for Lebensmittel Zeitung Direct in 2009.

15 Thursday, 15th November 2012

The European Enterprise Promotion Awards Ceremony & Gala Dinner

Tonight sees the culmination of the 2012 programme when the winners in each of the fi ve categories and the winner of the Jury’s Grand Prize will receive their Awards at a Gala Dinner.

The European Enterprise Promotion Awards reward excellence in promoting entrepreneurship and small business at a national, regional and local level. In 2012, 402 projects competed in national competitions for a chance to enter the awards. Competing countries included all 27 EU Member States as well as acceding country Croatia and two associate countries, Serbia & Turkey, in the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP). 57 national winners were entered in the European competition. The Jury established a shortlist of 14 nominees.

Since its creation in 2006, over 2,000 projects have entered and together they have helped support the creation of over 10,000 new companies. Tonight’s programme:

19.30 Reception and entertainment 20.45 Dinner 22.15 Awards ceremony 23.30 Buses depart for hotels The following Awards will be presented:

Category 1 - Promoting the Entrepreneurial Spirit Category 2 - Investing in Skills Category 3 - Improving the Business Environment Category 4 - Supporting the Internationalisation of Business Category 5 - Responsible & Inclusive Entrepreneurship Grand Jury Prize

16 Friday, 16th November 2012

IN PLENARY SESSION 10.00 hrs INTRODUCTION

Michalis Persianis, Assembly Chair Michalis Persianis is chief editor, Economy and Finance, at Kathimerini, the leading Cyprus newspaper. He also works as the Wall Street Journal’s correspondent in Cyprus. Before returning to Cyprus, Michalis worked from 2006 to 2009 as an assistant in the European Parliament to Ioannis Kasoulides MEP (EPP, CY); having previously served as chief of research in the Kasoulides presidential campaign. Michalis is a native of Cyprus, completing his education in the US at Rutgers (MA in Political Science) and later at Johns Hopkins –SAIS (MA in International Economics). Michalis has in the past acted as a debating coach.

10.10 hrs KEYNOTE SPEECH WHAT CYPRUS DOES FOR SMEs

Mr Neoklis Sylikiotis, Cyprus Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, will welcome the fi rst ever SME Assembly on behalf of the Government of Cyprus. As a senior representative of the Cyprus Presidency, he will talk about the great importance that Cyprus and the Presidency attach to enterprise, what has been achieved over the past six months and the immediate prospects for SME growth.

Neoklis Sylikiotis Neoklis Sylikiotis was appointed Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism in March 2012. Prior to that he served as Minister of Interior from September 2006. As Minister of Interior, Mr Sylikiotis spearheaded a wide range of reforms including the radical reform of local self-government, new town planning and housing policy, the modernisation and simplifi cation of public administration, as well as institutional reforms to strengthen the principles of transparency, good administration and participatory democracy. Mr Sylikiotis was elected as a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the AKEL political party. Other posts held in the AKEL party include member of the Central Committee, head of the party Educational Bureau and member of the Cyprus Education Council. He started his career in the United Democratic Youth Organisation (EDON), initially as head of its Student and International Relations Department and subsequently as its Central Organising Secretary and then as General Secretary of the Pancyprian Federation of Student Unions (POFEN). Mr Sylikiotis studied Mechanical Engineering at Aachen Polytechnic in Germany. He was born in Lemesos (Limassol) on 24 January 1959. He is married to Adoula Ioannou and they have one son.

17 Friday, 16th November 2012

10.30 hrs PRINCIPLES INTO ACTION

Othmar Karas, Vice President of the European Parliament, and Luc Van den Brande, Vice President of the Committee of the Regions, will talk about the work they do to promote enterprise and what specifi c policy actions they believe will make a diff erence to SMEs’ prospects for growth.

Othmar Karas MEP Othmar Karas is Vice President of the European Parliament. A graduate of the Universities of Vienna and St. Gallen, he has been a member of the European Parliament since 1999. Previously he was Secretary General of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and a member of the Austrian Parliament. He is currently Head of the ÖVP-Delegation, Rapporteur on Basel III and the revision of the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD 4), President of the Kangaroo Group and President of the SME Intergroup. Many other important posts he holds include President of the Austrian Aid Organisation (Hilfswerk Österreich), President of the Robert Schuman Institute Budapest & Vice-President of the Robert Schuman Foundation, Chair of the OVP Europe Club, and Speaker and Initiator of the Bürgerforum Europa 2020.

Luc Van den Brande Mr Van den Brande is Vice President of the Committee of the Regions, Special Adviser to Commissioner Hahn and President of the Flemish EU-Liaison offi ce. He is a Belgian politician representing the Flemish Christian Democrat party. With a PhD in law from the University of Leuven, Mr Van den Brande practised for 18 years before commencing his political career in 1988, when he was elected as a Flemish Christian Democrat member of Parliament. He was a Federal Minister for Labour & Employment and later Minister-President of the Flemish Government for seven years (1992-1999). He was elected President of the Committee of the Regions in 2008 for two years a~ er holding the Vice Presidency from 2006-2008.

10.50 hrs QUESTION TIME

This session is an opportunity for delegates to ask questions of the keynote speakers, having been joined by Daniel Calleja, Director General, DG Enterprise and EU SME Envoy who will answer on behalf of President Barroso. The session will be moderated by Michalis Persianis.

18 Friday, 16th November 2012

11.30 hrs CHALLENGES FOR 2013

Much of the Assembly has been devoted to generating new ideas to help SMEs grow, or adapting existing ideas to the diffi cult economic times in which many SMEs currently operate. This session is an opportunity to discuss how to put those ideas into practice and therefore make a real diff erence to the prosperity of the businesses the Commission seeks to help.

The SME Envoys from the Troika of Presidencies will open the session with a presentation on their ambitions for enterprise and SME growth and the key challenges they believe Government must meet in 2013. The session will be moderated by Daniel Calleja, EU SME Envoy, who will invite questions from the fl oor and then summarise the conclusions, learning and action points arising from the Assembly’s deliberations.

Yiannis Kontos Yiannis Kontos is the Cyprus SME Envoy and Acting Director of the Cyprus Industrial Development Service of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism where he has worked since 1974. The main competencies and responsibilities of his Service are the development of the manufacturing sector, the industrial zones and areas, the SMEs, the Entrepreneurship and the foreign investments. Amongst others, the Industrial Development Service is the intermediary body of the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Tourism for the structural funds and the agricultural fund of E.U. In addition, his Service is responsible for the implementation of the Council Decision of 16/12/2009 for the upgrading and expansion of the One-Stop-Shop, in order to operate as Point of Single Contact. Yiannis Kontos was born in Cyprus on 3rd August 1950. He studied economics at the Economic University of Athens.

Mindaugas Danys Mindaugas Danys is currently Director of the Small and Medium Business Department at the Ministry of Economy of Lithuania and the national SME Envoy. Throughout his professional career of over 15 years, he has occupied managerial positions promoting economic and regional development at municipal and national level. Prior to joining the Ministry of Economy in January 2012, Mindaugas was managing his own private consulting company and actively engaged in social enterprise providing co-working services to start-ups and social innovators. He is a Certifi ed Management Consultant (certifi ed by the Dutch Management Consulting Association) and holds a Masters degree in Public Administration. His areas of interest include social entrepreneurship, social innovation, start-ups and tactical urbanism.

John Perry TD In 2011 John Perry TD was appointed Minister of State in the Republic of Ireland Government at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation with responsibility for Small Business. John, a full-time Public Representative, was fi rst elected to the Dáil in 1997 representing Sligo/North Leitrim and was spokesperson on Science, Technology, Small Business & Enterprise and the Border Counties from 1997 to 2002. From 2002 to 2004 he was Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and he then served as spokesperson for the Marine from 2004 to 2007. On his re-election to the Dáil in 2007 John served as spokesperson on Small Business.

This session will be chaired by Daniel Calleja.

19 Friday, 16th November 2012

12.20 hrs CONCLUSIONS

Daniel Calleja will provide conclusions from the meeting. 12.30 hrs NETWORKING LUNCH

Return coach transport to the hotels and Larnaca Airport will be provided between 1230 hrs - 1500 hrs.

The 1st SME Assembly and European Enterprise Promotion Awards Ceremony will be fi lmed and photographed for consultation and promotional purposes. Delegates accepting to participate will be deemed to have given their consent to the resulting images appearing in printed and digital media a~ er the event where individuals are not specifi cally identifi ed.

This European Commission/Cyprus Presidency conference programme has been jointly developed by the SME Assembly & European Enterprise Promotion Awards Secretariat formed by Low Associates (International Policy Events Specialists) & Hanover (International Communications Consultancy): two SMEs proud to be helping other 20 European SMEs grow. General Information

Transport Bus transport will be provided for all delegates from the conference centre to Limassol hotels from 17.15 on Thursday 15th November. On the evening of Thursday 15th November bus transport will be provided from 19.00 hrs from Limassol hotels to the European Enterprise Promotion Awards Gala Dinner at the Carob Mill.

On Friday 16th November bus transport will be provided to Larnaca airport and Limassol hotels from 12.30. Delegates departing from Larnaca immediately a~ er the conference on Friday 16th may use the le~ luggage storage at the entrance to the Filoxenia Centre.

Refreshments Coff ee and lunch are provided by the Cyprus Presidency in the Pentadaktilos (Ground Floor) and Halkos (Lower Ground fl oor) restaurants at the Filoxenia Centre.

Language Simultaneous interpretation for the 1st SME Assembly and the European Enterprise Promotion Awards Ceremony will be provided by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Interpretation. Interpretation for the plenary sessions will be provided in English, Greek, French, German, Italian and Spanish. For the policy sessions interpretation will be provided in English and Greek with the exception of sessions 1 and 5 which will also be interpreted in Italian. Interpretation for the European Enterprise Promotion Awards ceremony will be in English and Greek.

WIFI is available throughout the conference centre. The access code is: CY-7AD82

The 1st SME Assembly takes place at: Filoxenia Conference Centre Thrakis Street 1311, Aglantzia, Lefkosia Tel: +35722395000

The European Enterprise Promotion Awards Gala Dinner takes place at: Lanitis ‘Carob Mill’ Complex, Vasilissis Street, Lemesos

Join the discussion and talk about the SME Assembly Enter: #GoEnterPRIZE

Or connect with us Twitter.com @eepa_de (German) @eepa_en (English) @eepa_es (Spanish) @eepa_fr (French) @eepa_it (Italian)

Facebook.com/European.Enterprise.Promotion.Awards

YouTube.com/PromotingEnterprise

21 We look forward to welcoming you to the

in Vilnius, 14th - 15th November 2013