KOSGEB President Prof. Dr. Uzkurt: "We are the 8th country that receives the most resources among 39 countries. We intend to continue all kinds of activities that will benefit our country with determination and enthusiasm."

Date: 03 December 2019

In the Competitiveness of Enterprises and SMEs Program (COSME) launched by the European Union in 2014, a new stage has been passed. Short name "COSME Turkey" Strengthening the Coordination of COSME Program, Promotion and Support of the beneficiaries of the project began. Speaking at the opening of the project, KOSGEB President Prof. Dr. Cevahir Uzkurt, 39 COSMA Stating that most resource area 8th in the country of Turkey among the participating countries, "SMEs', our entrepreneurs, hence all kinds of activities will benefit our country's determination and intend to continue to zealously." said.

Intensive Participation

Conducted by the Ministry of Industry and Technology Sectors Competitive Program, supported and carried out with the co-financing of Turkey with the EU COSME a meeting was held at the Sheraton Hotel due to the opening of Turkey. KOSGEB President Prof. Dr. Uzkurt as well as the EU Delegation to Turkey, Vice President Eleftheria Pertzinido of Foreign Affairs of the Presidency of the EU Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation Deputy General Manager Bulent Ozcan and Industry and Teknloj Ministry of European and Foreign Relations directorship, many academics with EU Financial Programs Office of President Ahmet Alperen Sağkaya joined.

Speaking at the ceremony, KOSGEB President Uzkurt said in summary:

NATIONAL COORDINATOR: The COSME Program is one of the largest framework programs of the EU, with a budget of 2.3 billion Euros, implemented by the EU for the years 2014-2020. We participated in this program developed for SMEs with an agreement signed with the European Commission in Brussels in 2014. With this agreement, KOSGEB was authorized as the national coordinator institution for the COSME Program and the country was assigned to pay the contribution. KOSGEB worked on behalf of our country in many fields as both the national coordinator and the project manager during the Multi-Year Program, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program periods.

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS: The presence of our country in the European Business Network, which is the largest network working only for SMEs in the world, has approached 20 years. Our Presidency has always played a leading role in this journey of our country. Current COS era takes place in Turkey, where 11 of the total 50 partner consortium; It covers a wide spectrum from technoparks to chambers, from the public to universities, and effectively brings together the tools offered by the network with our SMEs. Another component of COSME is Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurship Culture. With the Erasmus tool for Young Entrepreneurs within this scope, opportunities are offered to our new entrepreneurs to spend a certain period of time in a business similar to their field of activity in any EU country, and to gain experience and manners.

VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS: In order to summarize all these achievements, I would like to share with you the information that we are the 8th most successful country among 39 COSME participating countries as of the source we received from the COSME Program. For the continuation of this success, KOSGEB initiated the “Strengthening the Coordination, Promotion and Support of Beneficiaries Project of the COSME Program, which we have opened today, supported by EU Pre-Accession funds. Briefly 'COSMA Turkey' as I thought it would be valuable to you who are potential beneficiaries with the project we are aiming to produce an additive. We intend to pursue all kinds of activities that will benefit our SMEs, entrepreneurs and therefore our country with determination and enthusiasm.

Thanks to KOSGEB

EU Delegation to Turkey, Vice President of Eleftheria Pertzinido, as well as in the EU, Turkey, noting that more than 99 percent of businesses created by SMEs, pointed out the importance of SMEs to strengthen the economy. Turkish SMEs by improving the condition of the supply chain to integrated care be noted that the EU Delegation to Turkey, Vice President of the European Pertzinido, said Turkey's EU accession is the 5th most exporting countries. Pertzinidou emphasized that they have developed very good relations with KOSGEB in the context of COSME and said, "I thank KOSGEB for this close cooperation." said.

Two Different EU Sources

Foreign Ministry Speaking at the opening meeting of the EU Head of Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation Deputy General Manager Özcan, noting that brought together in one pot two different EU sources, COSME financial assistance program and the pre-accession of Turkey reported that both union program. Industry and Technology Ministry for EU Financial Programs Department Head Sağkaya, a large number of businesses established in Turkey but stated that it is difficult to ensure their sustainability, with programs such as COSME said it was important to increase European integration.

It ended with the panel

After the meeting, a family photo was taken. After the COSME Program and project presentations, a panel was held on COSME experiences and success stories.