BRIDGES OF TRADE

Major challenge, common for all the participating areas (Greece, Romania, Armenia, Moldova, and Turkey) in the BRIDGES OF TRADE project, is to bridge the gap and assist enterprises of the agricultural and connected sectors to develop trading links with importers from the other partners’ regions. In parallel, the project contributes in the modernization and the sustainability of the participating enterprises and, consequently, to the local development.

Objectives

Ø Provide training in the field of international trade to staff of agricultural Micro – Small – Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Thus, it makes the trained staff familiar with this subject, enhances their skills and makes it ready to face the challenge of international trade. It includes: (a) Training of 230 enterprises (At least 6 buyers from each region, 30 in total – 40 sellers from each region, 200 in total) in topics of international trade, necessary for effective trading transactions (b) Development of an ICT training tool Links to overall objective: – The training the SMEs’ staff creates conditions for the development of effective & sustainable international trade links & partnerships – The ICT training tool ensures sustainability and transferability External factors: Lack of confidence among SMEs’ staff concerning the effectiveness of training

Ø Bring together sellers/ producers of agricultural products with buyers/ importers with same interests from the other partners’ countries. In this way, it gives the opportunity to both sides to examine the potential of their collaboration and to develop sustainable transnational trading links. Organization of 5 BRIDGES events (1 per partner). Participation of 300 sellers and at least 30 buyers in total, taking part in effective pre-arranged meetings based on mutual interests. Creation of trade links Links to overall objective: By bringing together buyers and sellers with same interests (matching), the BRIDGES events are the first and effective step of creating international trade links and partnerships External factors that may affect outcome-impact linkage: Interests’ mismatching

Ø Create a transnational network having as members the project partners, the participating agricultural MSMEs and other stakeholders, ensuring sustainability and transferability of its results. Achievement of a strong interregional partnership & cooperation (cross-border impact) by creating a network that will maintain & expand the trading links established in the future and in a wider area (sustainability – transferability – multiplier effect) Links to overall objective: – Maintenance & expansion of international trade links and partnerships – Sustainability and transferability External factors that may affect outcome-impact linkage: Deactivation of the network after the project

Actions

Ø Identification of the agricultural and connected products to focus on

Ø Initial recording the potential beneficiaries (buyers and sellers) in each partner’s region

Ø Launch of an open call for expression of interest in participating by each partner, addressed to potential beneficiaries

Ø Conference to recruit beneficiaries, questionnaire to identify their specific interests and selection procedure

Ø Buyers – sellers matching and organization of the meeting events (“BRIDGES” events)

Ø On-the-spot assessment (at the end of the “BRIDGES” events)

Ø Ex-post assessment 4 months after each event

Ø Network creation (Trading Bridges Network)

The project approach is SYSTEMATIC: the project is designed in a way that ensures sustainability and transferability. The objective is not only to help the beneficiary enterprises to start international trading activities, but also to create the conditions that will facilitate the long term and continuous extroversion and orientation of the agricultural and connected sectors to international trade.