The European Commission published a new edition of the overview of the main funding opportunities available to European SMEs. The funding is available in different forms such as grants, loans and, in some cases, guarantees. The guide aims to present the European programmes available to SMEs and contains brief information as well as the main web sites for each programme.

The updated edition of the overview of the main funding opportunities available to European SMEs, has been published by the European Commission. The European Union provides support to European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in different forms such as grants, loans and, in some cases, guarantees. Support is available either directly or through programmes managed at national or regional level, such as the European Union’s Structural Funds.

The assistance schemes have been divided into four categories in the guide:

1. Thematic funding opportunities. This funding is mostly thematic with specific objectives - environment, research, education, designed and implemented by various Departments of the European Commission. Co-funding is the general rule: the support of the European Union usually consists of subsidies which only cover part of the costs of a project.
2. Structural funds. The Structural Funds (European Regional Development Fund [ERDF] and European Social Fund [ESF]) are the largest Community funding instruments benefiting SMEs, through the different thematic programmes and community initiatives implemented in the regions. The beneficiaries of structural funds receive a direct contribution to finance their projects.
3. Financial instrument. Most of the financial instruments are only available indirectly, via national financial intermediaries. Many of them are managed by the European Investment Fund.
4. Support for the internationalisation of SMEs. These generally consist of assistance to intermediary organisations and/or public authorities in the field of internationalisation, in order to help SMEs to access markets outside the EU.

The Commission also stressed that the guide is just an overview and is not exhaustive. It highlights that SMEs can also benefit from a series of non-financial assistance measures in the form of programmes and business support services.