The Basics

EEA - to recognise and reward excellence in enterprise and entrepreneurship promotion especially at regional level EEA - not only a competition but also aim to raise awareness of enterprise and celebrate success EEA - Participation for EU Member States + Norway, Turkey, Serbia

The Objectives

Identify and recognise successful activities and initiatives that promote enterprise and entrepreneurship Showcase and share examples of enterprise-friendly policies and practices Create greater awareness of role of entrepreneurs in society Encourage and inspire potential entrepreneurs

Benefits for Winners

Invitation to participate in Awards ceremony and conference on exchange of good practices under the Small Business Act Nominees’ initiatives posted on the EEA website Visibility in the media Role model Network of excellence

Categories for 2011

Promoting the Entrepreneurial Spirit Investing in Skills Improving the Business Environment Supporting the Internationalisation of Business Responsible and Inclusive Entrepreneurship+Jury’s Grand Prize

National Selection Process

Tasks of SPOCs (National Points of Contact): run selection at national level promote the EEA in their countries and invite suitable initiatives to enter can decide to organise a national competition (in the last years about 18 countries organized national competitions) decide about entry deadlines in each country act as help desk for potential entrants select up to two projects as nominees for European selection process

Participation in Numbers

2006• 28 countries

(EU-25, Bulg, Rom, Norway)

• 405 entries• 51 entries at

European Level

• 5 category winners, Grand Jury and 2 special mentions

2007• 25 countries

(EU-27 except Cy, Slo, Norway)

• 325 entries• 48 European

entries • 4 category

winners, Grand Jury, 2 special mentions, good practices

2008• 25 countries

(EU-27 except Malta, Lux, Bulg)

• 350 entries• 47 European

entries • 5 category

winners, Grand Jury, 1 special mention, good practices

2009/2010• 28 countries

(EU-27 + Norway)

• 338 entries• 52 European

entries • 5 category

winners, Grand Jury, 1 special mention

Categories of Entries 2006 - 2010

2006• Entrepreneurial

Trailblazer• Enterprise

Support• Investment in

People• Responsible

Entrepreneurship• Red Tape

Reduction• Jury’s Grand

Prize

2007• Entrepreneurial

Trailblazer• Enterprise

Support• Investment in

People• Responsible

Entrepreneurship• Red Tape

Reduction• Jury’s Grand

Prize

2008• Entrepreneurship

Promotion• Enterprise

Development• Investment in

Skills• Responsible &

Inclusive Entrepreneurship

• Red Tape Reduction

• Jury’s Grand Prize

2009/2010• Promoting the

Entrepreneurial Spirit

• Investing in Skills• Improving the

Business Environment

• Supporting the Internationalisation of Business

• Responsible & Inclusive Entrepreneurship Jury’s Grand Prize

Entries received 2006 - 2010

European Jury 2010/ 2011

Joanna Drake, EU Director for the Promotion of the Competitiveness of SMEs, European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry

Dr Anders Lundström, Past President of Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research. Founder of IPREG, Innovative Policy Research for Economic Growth

Lucio Gussetti, Director of the Directorate for Consultative Works, Committee of the Regions

Andrea Benassi, Secretary-General, UEAPME A representative of the French project “Entrepreneurs in

Residence”, winner of the 2010 European Enterprise Award (Grand Jury Prize)

Representative of Belgian Autumn 2010 Presidency Representative of Hungarian Spring 2010 Presidency

Award Ceremony Madrid 2010

Organised with Spanish Presidency as part of the 2nd European SME Weekin May 350 participants were invited to the ceremony with gala dinner at Real Fábrica de Tapices Madrid

Award Ceremonies

2006 2007

2008

Common points

Exhibition stands of shortlisted candidates

Awards ceremony with VIPs from the European Commission, the Committee of the Regions and the EU Presidency Country

Interactive workshop where winners presented their projects

Compendium of finalists2010

Winners 2009/2010

Jury’s grand prize: Résidences d’Entrepreneurs, Agence Régionale de Développement des Territoiresd’Auvergne (ARDTA), France

Promoting the Entrepreneurial Spirit: Self-employment in the creative industries (seminar at the Linz University of Art), Institute for Business Creation and Development (IUG), Johannes Kepler University, Linz

Winners 2009/2010 continued

Investing in skills: Business-minded learning (Företagsamt Halland),

Halland, Sweden Improving the Business

Environment: Programme to support entrepreneurs in order to reduce the closure rate of businesses, DATA Poslovne Soritve, d.o.o., Ljubljana, Slovenia

Winners 200/2010 continued

Supporting the Internationalisation of Business: Euregional Start-up Initiative (EGI), German partner: Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences; Dutch partner: Stichting Team Venlo, Euregio Rhein-Maas-Nord

Responsible and inclusive entrepreneurship: Construction of houses as a training exercise for the unemployed, District Labour Office, Nysa, Poland

Promotion

- European: European Commission press releases and publications Network of promoters: Committee of the Regions,

UEAPME, Eurochambres, Eurada, Eurocities Events organised by DG Enterprise, promoters, other

stakeholders Website, database of good practices Creation and updating of an extensive media contact

database (news agencies, media associations, business media)

- National: Press releases, newsletters, direct mailing Relations with specific online and print media Website, social media

European Enterprise Awards http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/best-practices/

european-enterprise-awards/index_en.htm