What is Cosme? COSME is the EU program for the competitiveness of Enterprises and SMEs, running from 2014 to 2020. COSME will support SMEs in the following areas: • Facilitating access to finance • Supporting internationalization and access to markets • Creating an environment favorable to competitiveness • Encouraging a business culture

Access to finance Access to markets One of COSME’s main objectives is to improved access to finance for SMEs in different phases of their lifecycle: creation, expansion or business transfer. In order to achieve this objective, the EU will mobilize loans and equity investments for SMEs. Access to markets COSME provides support to European enterprises so that they can benefit from the EU’s single market and make the most of opportunities offered by markets outside the EU. COSME funds the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) helping SMEs find business and technology. COSME also provides practical online information for entrepreneurs who want to become active in another Member State.

Creating better frameworks conditions for competitiveness COSME supports actions to improve the framework conditions in which enterprises operate, in particular SMEs, by reducing unnecessary administrative and regulatory loads. COSME supports the emergence of competitive industries with market potential, by helping SMEs to take-up new business models and integrate into new value chains. COSME promotes the development of worldclass clusters in the EU.

Encouraging business culture COSME backs the implementation of the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan through a wide range of activities. These include mobility exchanges, research, best practices diffusion and pilot projects in areas such as entrepreneurship education, mentoring or the development of guidance and support services for new and potential entrepreneurs.

Type of tourism-related actions qualified for funding ACCESS TO FINANCE Any type of useful transaction or investment for the development of legitimate SMEs activities; i.e. not focusing on activities incompatible with EU ethical and social principles which include casinos and equivalent enterprises, distilled, alcoholic beverages

TOURISM ACTION PLAN The development and/or promotion of sustainable transnational thematic tourism products The development and/or promotion of place products exploiting synergies between tourism and creative industries at European level Transnational public and private partnerships developing tourism products targeting specific age Capacity building schemes for "accessible tourism”

ERASMUS FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS This exchange scheme permits young entrepreneurs to spend 1 to 6 months with a European host. Young entrepreneurs and their hosts get to discover new European markets or business partners, different ways of doing business, and possibly decide to continue their collaboration on the longer-term.

Type and level of funding ACCESS TO FINANCE. Interventions (loans, guarantees, …) supported by the Loan Guarantee Facility: duration of minimum 12 months and maximum 10 years; amount below or equal to € 150.000 for any type of SME, and above under specific conditions. TOURISM ACTION PLAN. Grants for projects typically lasting 18 months, with an average EU contribution of € 250.000. Contracts for studies and analyses of variable duration and amount. ERASMUS FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS. Grants covering part of travel and subsistence costs during the visit. Depending on the country of stay, the monthly financial assistance ranges from € 560 to € 1.100

Examples of selected projects For other examples: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/tourism/offer/

Thanks for the attention Sofia Ambrosini LM- 49 ITourDeM Place Branding and Rural Development