The European Progress Microfinance Facility (EPMF), as part of a package of measures set up by the European Commission in response to the financial and economic situation, will be launched on 9 and 10 November during the conference 'Microfinance in Europe' taking place in Brussels.

Promoting entrepreneurship and financial inclusion is indispensible to a European economic recovery. The Facility provides microcredit to SMEs and to vulnerable groups (the unemployed and disadvantaged, young people, immigrants, etc.) who want to start their own businesses.

Anyone who wishes to start a small business could from now on benefit from micro-loans of up to €25,000 under this EU programme, funds to be distributed through national financial intermediaries (banks, microfinance institutions, etc.).

Microfinance is considered by the EU as a crucial tool for achieving the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy, which aims for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

For journalists interested in covering microfinance activities, we offer:

• Topical footage illustrating the EU microfinance policy through two concrete examples:
  
  
  
  
  • a restaurant in London, United Kingdom, benefiting from EU funding
  
  
  • a pet care business in Barcelona, Spain, able to grow with microfinance loans
  
  
  
  


• Exclusive interviews with:
  
  
  
  
  • Laszlo Andor, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion;
  
  
  • Klaas Molenaar, President of the European Microfinance Network;
  
  
  • Two of the multiple beneficiaries of the European Microfinance Policy.
  
  
  
  


• An extensive B-roll with a wide range of additional images and extracts from interviews.