Sectors	Competitiveness and innovation
EU Acquis Chapters	Enterprise and industrial policy
EU funds	368 732 €
Implementation period	2010 - 2024
Categories	Gender ;  Climate action ;  Digital ;  Civil society (Mouse hover to see significance)

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the generators of new employment and growth in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is clear that support to MSMEs is crucial for future economic development in BiH. However, MSMEs are still facing a number of barriers for their growth and development. Removing those barriers requires coordinated and partnership based actions of all relevant stakeholders and counterparts. The European Union recognised those needs, and provided series of development projects to contribute to the increase of the growth, job creation and export potential of MSMEs in competitive sectors in Bosnia and Herzegovina, like metal and wood industries, dairy, fruits and vegetables and medial and aromatic plants. In that respect, this European Union project aimed at strengthening competitiveness and export possibilities of MSMEs in fabricated metal product sector by developed new approach in producing skilled workers and introduced new technologies for fabricated metal product sector as well as by introduced EU quality standards, established links with foreign market and promoted export.

The European Union funding provided for strengthened facilities for new technologies by equipping Center for New Technologies in Secondary Technical School in Sarajevo and Sub-regional Center in Secondary Mixed School Hadžići with modern technology machinery and IT. Skills of trainers in Computer Numeric Control (CNC) technologies are increased via 12 trained teachers from 6 high schools. We also increased skills and employment rate of workers/unemployed people through improved quality of educational programs (formal and informal). There were 8 new educational programs established for new occupation in metal sector and 270 attendants successfully completed vocational trainings – 200 unemployed people and 70 workers in metal sector. New jobs are created via 53 persons in 11 companies that were engaged and supported through co-financing the internship program. We promoted professional carrier and employment opportunities in metal sector via job and trade fairs as well as business matchmaking. The European Union enabled increased number of MSMEs with EU quality standards (ISO etc.) by supporting 3 companies in introducing the ISO 9001 standard and 5 companies in introducing the ISO 14001 standard. 3 companies are certified in EU standards – 1 for ISO 9001 and 2 for 14001. We raised awareness about necessity of CE marking for export oriented companies by 64 employees of 38 companies that attended trainings on “CE marking”. We also enhanced export companies and strengthened export possibilities of MSMEs in metal industry via 21 companies that we supported in participating in 3 international fairs in metal industry and via 51 employees of 27 companies that attended training on “Marketing tools and presentation on international market”. Being aware of importance of research and development centres in the overall MSMEs growth and competitiveness, we supported design of the development study for possible R&D Service Centre establishment.