EaSI Technical Assistance for Microfinance at a Glance
From mid-2018 to 2019, the EaSI Technical Assistance for microfinance reached more than 2000 practitioners within the microfinance sector in Europe with 175 diverse activities, including 69 microfinance institutions who have benefited from tailored technical assistance.
The services took place in 23 different countries across Europe, namely: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. All activities aimed at improving the microfinance institutions’ operations and widening their outreach.
The key accomplishments of the programme in the areas of trainings; capacity building to implement the European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision; dissemination of best practice events; and institutional assessments, ratings and evaluations in 2019 are summarised in the following figures:
2020 events and COVID-19
The Coronavirus outbreak constitutes a major shock for the European economy, impacting jobs and the livelihoods of citizens. Many small businesses have been hard hit across Europe, including microfinance institutions and in particular their clients – who often represent the most vulnerable groups in society. The Commission is closely monitoring the situation as it evolves together with the microfinance sector in order to support microfinance institutions to respond to the challenges brought by the Coronavirus outbreak.
The EaSI Technical Assistance programme will continue to support microfinance institutions to improve their operations and exchange best practices in the sector. Due to the pandemic and lockdown in many European countries, we have converted many of our planned in-person trainings and workshops into webinar sessions to continue offering relevant support to the microfinance practitioners.
Some of the topics covered by the EaSI Technical Assistance programme include:
· Managing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and how can MFIs build a corporate immune system
· Digitalisation
· Advocacy for Microfinance
· Gender Finance
· Use of algorithms in Credit Scoring
· Guarantee Fund Management
· Social Lending Products
· Investment Readiness Trainings
In response to the Coronavirus outbreak, the following webinars were offered in March and April 2020 to help microfinance institutions in addressing the various challenges:
· Branchless MFI Approach and COVID-19 Actions – watch recording here
· Supporting actions for Roma & traveller populations in the times of corona – watch recording here
· How to build a corporate immune system for the crisis: Business
continuity – watch recording here
· How to build a corporate immune system for the crisis: Stress test for success – watch recording here
· How to build a corporate immune system for the crisis: Loan restructuring and refinancing policies and agreements – watch recording here
For more information about past and upcoming events, please regularly check the EaSI Technical Assistance for microfinance related events page and subscribe to this newsletter.
News on the European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision
An update of the European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision (the Code) involving key stakeholders began in 2018 and was finalised last year. This process aimed to fine-tune the Code to reflect the evolving market realities and take into account the diversity of the European microfinance sector. The updated Code is expected to be published by the European Commission this summer and will enter into force on 1 January 2021.
The Code provides a common set of ethical standards for the provision of microfinance for the benefit of customers, practitioners, funders, investors, regulators and partner organisations in Europe. Complying with or endorsing the Code is a precondition for accessing EU support for microfinance under the EU programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI).
Here, a list with all Code-certified microfinance institutions can be found.
EaSI Technical Assistance Webpage
In July 2019, a new webpage for the EaSI Technical Assistance programme was launched on the European Commission’s website of the. Users can now find information on both financial and non-financial support for microfinance and social enterprise finance in the same place.
The webpage offers a one-stop-shop for institutions interested in learning more about the EaSI Technical Assistance services available to them, additional information about the European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision, access to the Helpdesk tool, as well as an overview of all project Events and News. On the webpage, institutions can also find all necessary documents to express an interest in the EaSI Technical Assistance, as well as a detailed FAQ section.
Apply for EaSI Technical Assistance
The European Commission’s Call for expression of interest in EaSI Technical Assistance for microfinance was launched in June 2019. It is specifically tailored for microfinance institutions wishing to improve their operations, performance and governance. Priority will be given to microfinance institutions in most need of such support, while ensuring a balanced geographical distribution. Selected organisations may be eligible to receive technical assistance services under the EaSI programme, such as trainings, ratings, institutional assessments and Code evaluations free of charge. To find out more about the services offered, eligibility requirements and how to apply, please have a look at the Related documents section on the EaSI Technical Assistance webpage.
About EaSI Technical Assistance for microfinance
EaSI Technical Assistance provides non-financial advisory support to microfinance institutions in EU member states and other EaSI participating countries to help improve their operations, widen their outreach and enable more micro-entrepreneurs to access finance.
It offers services such as institutional assessments or ratings, tailored trainings and investment readiness trainings, and support for the implementation of the European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision.
In addition, the programme funds and implements tailored events and webinars designed to share best practices in the European microfinance sector, as well as a dedicated Helpdesk.
