KIEV, May 21 – The European Commission at the Eastern Partnership in Riga launched a new 10-year grant facility worth EUR 200 million to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova as part of the agreements on Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas.

This contribution is expected to unlock at least EUR 2 billion of new investments by SMEs in the three countries, which are to be financed largely by new loans supported by the facility. The financial means for the investments will largely come from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank.