UNMIK/PR/1351
PRISTINA – SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen today opened the 6th meeting of National Coordinators of the Small Enterprise Charter for Western Balkans and Moldova. This is the first time that the meeting, which continues tomorrow, is being held in Pristina. It brings together all the countries in the region to discuss the issues laid out by the Charter.
SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen said the meeting is a great opportunity to improve co-operation in the region and added that “Small enterprises are becoming an ever more important source of growth and stable jobs. They are the most adaptable and vibrant part of the economy and their success is therefore crucial to overall economic development.”
DSRSG Joachim Ruecker, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Bujar Dugolli, and the head of the European Commission Liaison Office, Giorgio Mamberto also attended the opening session.
DSRSG Joachim Ruecker underlined the importance of the Charter for the sector, saying that “The Charter offers a unique opportunity to share experiences and focus on best practices”. “Many small enterprises in transformation economies face the same problems and they can help each other in finding practical solutions”, he added.
Minister Dugolli reaffirmed his commitment to convey through continuous understanding and real actions the clear message that the sector of small enterprises is the nucleus around which Kosovo seeks to deepen social and economic transformations. “This Charter is of vital importance to Kosovo”, he said, adding that compliance with the Charter is in line with Kosovo’s aspiration for European integration.
The meeting in Pristina is jointly organized by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Pillar IV.
The European Charter for Small Enterprises has been introduced by the European Union leaders in June 2000. The charter invites the member states and the European Commission to undertake actions to support and encourage small businesses in ten policy areas of activities. Among them are training and education, cheaper and faster start-up, a better legal environment and the strengthening of the technical capacities of small enterprises. Kosovo is represented through UNMIK.