The European Entrepreneur Exchange Programme

1 The European Entrepreneur Exchange ProgrammeEuropean CommissionEnterprise and IndustryUsers' Guide3 Contents Introduction .. Structure ..7 Basic elements ..7 Four phases .. Implementation ..9 What will be supported? ..9 Who can participate? ..9 New entrepreneurs (NE) ..9 Host entrepreneurs (HE) ..10 Who is facilitating the Programme ? ..10 Intermediary Organisations (IOs) ..10 Erasmus for Young entrepreneurs Support Office (SO) ..10 To whom should NEs and HEs apply? ..10 What information is required and how does the selection procedure work?

2 10 What are the tasks and responsibilities of the participants? ..11 New entrepreneurs (NEs) ..11 Host entrepreneurs (HEs) ..11 Intermediary Organisations (IOs) ..12 Erasmus for Young entrepreneurs Support Office (SO) ..12 The European Commission ..12 What agreements are needed? ..13 What help is available? ..13 What financial support will be provided? ..13 Table 1: Recommended monthly financial assistance paid by IOs to NEs ..14 What reports have to be produced? ..15 How will the Programme be evaluated? ..15 Information and contact.

3 16 Annex: Erasmus for Young entrepreneurs Commitment .. IntroductionErasmus for Young entrepreneurs is a project initiated by the EU. It aims at helping new entrepreneurs to acquire relevant skills for managing a small or medium-sized enterprise by spending time in an enterprise in another EU country. It contributes to improving their know-how and fosters cross-border transfers of knowledge and experience between entrepreneurs . Erasmus for Young entrepreneurs comes under the Small Business Act for Europe which considers this project a key contribution to create an environment within which entrepreneurs and family businesses can thrive and entrepreneurship is rewarded.

4 1 This Guide is addressed to everyone interested in participating in the Programme , in particular: new entrepreneurs who might want to go abroad to learn from experienced entrepreneurs ; experienced entrepreneurs who might want to host new entrepreneurs ; providers of business-related services who support entrepreneurs and the development of Guide provides information about: the objectives of the Programme (Chapter ); the structure and basic features of the Programme (Chapter ); and the implementation of the Programme eligibility, the application procedure and how to participate (Chapter ).

5 1 A Small Business Act for Europe, COM(2008) 394 of 25 June 2008, p. ObjectivesThe general objective of Erasmus for Young entrepreneurs is to facilitate exchanges of experience, learning and networking for new EU entrepreneurs by means of working with an experienced Entrepreneur in another EU country. The specific objectives of the Programme are: On-the-job-training for new entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) elsewhere in the EU in order to facilitate a successful start and development of their business ideas.

6 Exchanges of experience and information between entrepreneurs on obstacles and challenges to starting up and developing their businesses. To enhance market access and identification of potential partners for new and established businesses in other EU countries. Networking by building on knowledge and experience from other European Structure Basic elementsErasmus for Young entrepreneurs provides practical and financial assistance for new entrepre-neurs (NE) staying with an experienced host Entrepreneur (HE) in another EU country.

7 The typical activities in realising such stays include: Matching an eligible NE with an appropriate HE; Facilitation of contacts between the NE and HE by intermediary organisations (IOs) active in different countries; Coordination of the activities of the IOs by the Erasmus for Young entrepreneurs Support Office (SO); Agreement of the parties involved ( the selected NE, the HE and the IOs responsible) on the conditions for the stay abroad: the Erasmus for Young entrepreneurs commitment, busi-ness/work/learning plan, tasks, responsibilities, financial conditions and legal implications; Duration of the stay abroad: 1 6 months, with the possibility to divide the stay into slots of a minimum of 1 week spread over a maximum of 12 months.

8 Assessment and evaluation of the outcomes by the IOs about the stays abroad and the information flow to the SO and the European Commission will be managed by the IOs. The basic structure of the Programme is illustrated in the following graph:New entrepreneurgoing abroad to learnfrom an experiencedentrepreneurExperiencedhost entrepreneurestablished in anotherEU countryIntermediary OrganisationsCoordination / Support / Matching / Practical Induction 1 6 months stay abroad Learning on the job, Exchange of experience,market access, Four phasesThe process to identify, validate, implement and evaluate stays abroad comprises the four follow-ing phases:1.

9 A PP lICATION PHASE Interested NEs and HEs apply through an on-line registration tool and establish contact with the IO that they have chosen (see below). The IOs responsible screen the entries and, once com-pleted, accept them. 2. MATCHINg PHASE The IOs facilitate contacts between accepted NEs and HEs and seek to make matches. Interested NEs and HEs can also search the Programme s database for appropriate partners and make suggestions to the IO that they have chosen. 3. C ONT rACTINg AND PrEPA rATION PHASEThe parties involved (NE, HE, IOs responsible) reach agreement on the Erasmus for Young Entrepre-neurs commitment, business/work/learning plan, tasks, responsibilities, financial conditions, legal implications, etc.

10 And sign the necessary agreements. The Commission gives the final approval of the match. NEs and HEs participate in preparatory activities organised by the IOs I MP lEMENTATION PHASENEs and HEs complete the stay abroad in accordance with their needs in one or more phases and report on them. The IOs responsible monitor the value of the activity and evaluate the What will be supported?Hosting of an NE by an HE will be supported by the Programme , provided it is based on mutual interest, it has been facilitated by eligible IOs, the requirements of the Programme are fulfilled and the necessary agreements between all parties involved have been signed.