Evaluation of AL INVEST PHASE IV

Since 1993, the AL-INVEST Programme has facilitated the internationalisation of Latin American small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through the development of a network of Latin American and European business organisations providing business services and technical assistance. Following a Pilot Phase (1993-1995), Phase I of AL-INVEST was carried out between 1996 and 2000. In light of the successes achieved in terms of company participation and business transactions concluded, the European Commission (EC) decided to finance a second phase of the Programme from 2000-2004. Although business meetings continued to constitute the core of the Third Phase, a variety of services linked to the internationalisation of SMEs were supported: seminars, trade missions, technical assistance to conclude business transactions, as well as activities aimed at strengthening the institutional capacity of the business organisations implementing the Programme. Phase IV proposes solutions to the difficulties and distortions recorded and, what is more, takes into account the objectives and dispositions stipulated in the regulation (EC) 1905/2006 of the European Parliament and the Council of the 18 December 2006, by which a financing instrument for Development Cooperation was established. Launched in 2009 with an EU contribution of 50 M EUR, Al-Invest IV aims to fulfill its objectives through a strategy articulated on three levels: • Benefit SMEs that directly participate in funded activities (micro level); • Improve support instruments and SME development policies of the business organizations interested in the programme (meso level); • Contribute to SME internationalisation and consolidation processes that in turn improve local development in the communities concerned (macro level). The mid-term evaluation provided the decision-makers in the governments of EU Member States and Latin America, the relevant external co-operation services of the EC and the wider public with sufficient information about the performance of the programme. This enabled the relevant services to take informed and efficient decisions in the future planning of the cooperation strategy with Latin America.


Project Details
Country LATIN AMERICA
Start date 2011.08.08
End date 2011.11.30
Client EC
Sector FRAMEWORK CONTRACTS
Sub-sector Support to SME & Private Sector Development
Ref. ADE A449-041