How EISMEA supports Ukraine

These programmes offer support in a variety of ways, including mitigating supply chain disruptions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), facilitating the provision of humanitarian aid and supporting Ukrainian entrepreneurs. See below a more extensive overview of how our various activities, and our colleagues, do their share in assisting Ukrainians and Ukrainian businesses.

Enterprise Europe Network

As an immediate response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine, the Enterprise Europe Network has removed all Russian and Belarusian entities from the Network and its partner databases.

The crisis in Ukraine has had a severe impact on global supply chains that have already been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. To mitigate these disruptions, the Network, in collaboration with the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) and with the support of the European Commission, has launched a Supply Chain Resilience platform. The platform connects international suppliers and buyers to help companies retain, restructure or replace existing supply chains, as well as source raw materials and goods or services. Participating businesses also have the opportunity to identify new partners and to discuss common solutions to weaknesses in international supply chains. The platform covers a range of sectors including agri-food, construction, digital industries, renewable energy, mobility and transport, and textiles.

The Network actively contributes to the EU Clusters Support Ukraine Forum, which strengthens the crisis response of European industry. This serves as an information-sharing hub and support network for businesses and organisations to request and offer assistance. The Network has also created a dedicated web section featuring updated information on its response to the war in Ukraine and related EU measures.

European Cluster Collaboration Platform

In response to the crisis, the ECCP has created the EU Clusters Support Ukraine Forum. The Forum was established to increase the ability of European industries to deliver humanitarian aid to Ukraine and to support refugees in EU countries. Members of the Forum can share information and propose collaborations, as well as offer or request assistance in the procurement and delivery of urgent humanitarian needs.

The ongoing crisis and instability are affecting supply chains and production lines in Europe. The ECCP, in collaboration with the Enterprise Europe Network, conducted a survey for European companies and stakeholders aimed at understating the current state of these disruptions. The survey collected feedback from all interested parties, particularly the business community, to inform an effective European response.

Disruptions in supply chains and production under current circumstances were also the topic of the EU Cluster Talks on 16 March. The meeting was an opportunity to hear what is happening on the ground, find out where disruptions already exist and how serious they are, and give the cluster community an opportunity to offer solutions.

Ukrainian clusters will also participate in Ukrainian Cluster Week, taking place from 26-28 April. The conference aims to examine cluster policies in the wider Eastern European region and strengthen relations between members of Ukrainian cluster communities and those from Eastern Europe and Eastern Partnership countries. Fourteen industrial and high-tech clusters from Ukraine will demonstrate opportunities in local markets and outline their proposals for international cooperation.

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

The Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme has taken prompt action to aid Ukrainian entrepreneurs and intermediary organisations during the crisis. Contingency measures were adopted to match Ukrainian entrepreneurs with hosts outside the country, while entrepreneurs already on business exchanges abroad were granted extensions of their stays.

European Innovation Council

On the meeting held in Paris on 11 March 2022, the EIC Board urged the European Commission to take swift and concrete action to support Ukrainian deep-tech innovators. European funding, including the innovation support represented by the EIC programme, is available to Ukrainian entrepreneurs since last October when Ukraine joined the Horizon Europe programme during the EU-Ukraine Summit held in Kyiv.

Read more about how the European Union is responding to the unfolding crisis in Ukraine and how you can help.