The EU does not directly provide microloans (loans up to €25 000) to individuals or businesses, but provides guarantees, loans and equity to intermediaries who can then lend to small businesses or make available equity finance.
As a (future) entrepreneur you can address yourself to a microfinance provider in your country that takes part in one of the following EU initiatives:
EU microfinance initiatives
CIP (Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme) supports micro-entrepreneurs to start up or expand their business.
- Get a microloan List of microloan providers in your country.
- Provide microcredit Information for potential microcredit providers on guarantees.
Progress Microfinance (European Progress Microfinance Facility) provides microloans to people who lost their jobs and want to start up their own business or to people who want to develop their existing business, but do not have access to traditional banking services.
- Get a microloan See if there is already a microcredit provider in your country.
- Provide microcredit Information for potential microcredit providers on guarantees and funded instruments.
JEREMIE (Joint European Resources to Micro to medium-sized Enterprises) allows EU countries to use EU structural funds to support small and very small businesses. In some EU countries, microcredit providers benefit from guarantees, loans and equity.
- Get a microloan For a list of financial intermediaries in your country, please contact your national or regional structural fund managing authority.
- Provide microcredit Information for potential microcredit providers on guarantees, loans and equity.
For non-bank microcredit providers only:
JASMINE (Joint Action to Support Microfinance Institutions in Europe) improves the capacity of microcredit providers and helps them become sustainable and viable operators in the credit market.
- Financial support and technical assistance Information for potential microcredit providers.
