ReSt@rts: Launch of the EU-funded ENI CBC MED project to promote access to finance for women, youth and vulnerable groups in the Mediterranean basin

ReSt@rts: Launch of the EU-funded ENI CBC MED project to promote access to finance for women, youth and vulnerable groups in the Mediterranean basin
ReSt@rts Project: Reinforcing Med Microfinance Network System for Start-ups

On the 2nd of December 2021, the partners of the EU-funded ENI CBC MED Programme 2014-2020 of the project “Reinforcing Med Microfinance Network System for Start-ups” (hereinafter “ReSt@rts”) will meet at the headquarter of the Calabria Region (Viale Europa, 35 – Catanzaro) for the kick-off meeting that will remark the launch of the project.

The one-day event is organized in two parts. The morning part of the event will be dedicated to the official institutional meeting and press conference. The welcome speech will be given by Ms. Giusy Princi Vice-President of the Calabria Region, followed by the introduction of Mr. Roberto Cosentino General Manager Department of Work of the Calabria Region. Following the official introduction, the programme overview will be given by Mr. Vincent Ernoux who is Coordinator for ENI CBC MED Branch Office for the Western Mediterranean.

Afterward, Ms. Alessandra Feola as Project Manager for the Lead Beneficiary Arab-Italian Cooperation Chamber will provide the presentation of the project ReSt@rts. Successively, the ENI CBC MED 2014-2020 implementing rules will be presented by Ms. Valeria Vibrario, representing the ENI CBC MED Programme Managing Authority Joint Technical Secretariat. In the second part of the kick-off meeting, the round tables will be organized, in which the project implementation, financial procedures, and communication activities will be explained.
About the ReSt@rts

The ReSt@rts project is funded with € 1,106,559.76 by the EU-funded ENI CBC Programme and aims to increase employment opportunities for young people and improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable, facilitating access to finance. The objective of the intervention is to create a continuity with the previous project MEDSt@rts: with an approach inspired by the principles of ethical and solidarity finance and public-private collaboration, it is intended to bring support to subjects generally not bankable through the instruments of microfinance, with the structuring of a Marketplace platform and technical assistance service.

The initiative will last 24 months, will be led by the Arab-Italian Cooperation Chamber, and will involve as partners: Calabria Region (Italy), Chamber of Commerce of Achaia (Greece), Chamber of Commerce of Sfax (Tunisia), Ager Sarl (Tunisia), LEADERS (Palestine), Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture of Sidon and South Lebanon (Lebanon), Cyprus Chamber of Commerce (Cyprus), Federterziario (Italy) and as Associate Partner the ECN – European Crowdfunding Network AISBL.