Strategies of the Development of Entrepreneurship and SME

• To support participation in economic missions;• To support access to third markets (setting up representative offices andbranches);• To support the preparation of internationalization studies, of plans for long-termexport etc.The most recently, NASMEC has launched The national multiannual programme(2005-2008) to develop the entrepreneurial culture among manager women from theSMEs sector. The main objective of this programme is to promote a system that facilitateswomen mobility on labour market and help them to get involved in private economic structuresand also maintain the balance between family and work. Its tasks are:• To stimulate self employment,• To develop the entrepreneurial spirit among women,• To raise the level of information about women entrepreneurship,• To raise the number of women entrepreneurs within the business community,• To create new start ups,• Equal access to the knowledge based economy.3.3.3.1. Business support services for SMEsBusiness support organizations have the objective of assisting companies to set up andprosper through a wide range of services that might be provided at subsidized rate, or atmarket rate. For ease of exposition, Romanian business support services are grouped into threebroad categories, according to the type of services provided to SMEs. In particular, thesecategories are: reception, facilities and basic information; advisory services and training; andpremises and environment.Reception, facilities and basic informationNASMEC is the main governmental provider of information regarding the SME sector, interms of sector statistics, publications, and databases. Beside this public informative service,NASMEC also disseminates, through its web site (www.animmc.ro) or through specificpublications, important information on sources of financing and donors’ support for SMEs, howto set up an SME, laws affecting SMEs, impact of EU accession, quality standards and ISOcertificates, and on initiatives related to SMEs development at national and international level.As far as aspects related to EU accession are concerned, the European Commission hassupported, in 1995. the establishment of Euro Info Centers in Romania. The Romanian EuroInfo Center Network is made up of eight structures located in every economic developmentregion. Euro Info Centers are specialized in information, assistance, consultancy anddocumentation on European matters for helping Romanian enterprises, especially SME, incompeting successfully in the enlarged market. They provide information on various issuessuch as business opportunities, source of finance for SMEs, EU legal acts for business,regulations and standards. Euro Info Centers also make available information and advise SMEsin the process of performing the documentation for the Quality Management Systemcertification.In 2003-2004. Euro Info Centers were conducting an awareness campaign, seminarsand workshops targeted to SME on crucial topics related to enlargement of EU, access toEuropean funds, taxation issue, and funding programme for the companies interested inimplementing the quality system within their business. As a result of this campaign, thirteenlarge public events were organized by several EICs to provide information on the economicimpact of Enlargement and on the need to prepare for the future competition they will face inan enlarged European market. In order to promote innovation, the National Patent Office haslaunched the programme InovIMM® that is directed to ease access to a database of patents46