Three Years of Change: Civitta Ukraine Enhances SME Support under the EU4Business: SME Policies and Institutions Support (SMEPIS) Project

The Civitta Ukraine team, together with partners, has completed the implementation of the EU4Business: SME Policies and Institutions Support (SMEPIS) project, implemented by Ecorys in a consortium with GIZ Ukraine, the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO), and Civitta Ukraine, with financial support from the European Union.

Over three years, Civitta Ukraine experts conducted in-depth analytics, developed practical tools, and supported the institutional development of business associations across the country.

Civitta conducted a comprehensive audit of over 100 SME support programmes — both state- and donor-funded. Analysts identified which tools are currently operational, which have limited reach, and which forms of support are still underrepresented in Ukraine.

Based on the research, five programme concepts were developed to address key gaps:

• A unified system for evaluating the effectiveness of SME support programmes — to standardize the assessment of results, ensure transparency, and improve funding decision-making.
• A support programme for veteran entrepreneurs, focused on educational and mentoring opportunities to unlock their entrepreneurial potential.
• Digitalisation for SMEs — the continuation and scaling of existing business digitalization initiatives.
• Support for mature SMEs in entering export markets.
• Green transition — financial and expert tools for environmentally sustainable SME development.

The project also focused on building the capacity of regional SME support actors, strengthening the communication role of local authorities in informing businesses about available opportunities, and developing innovative infrastructure.

Civitta contributed to the analysis and drafting of regulatory proposals aimed at simplifying the regulatory environment for SMEs. In collaboration with the State Regulatory Service of Ukraine (SRS), the project also assessed the time and financial costs businesses incur to comply with bureaucratic procedures.

The findings revealed that in 2025, micro-enterprises spend 43% less time on these processes compared to 2018 — a result of reviews, digitalisation, repeals, and updates of outdated regulations. The results have already been handed over to the SRS for further implementation and a follow-up review in one year.

Civitta organised seven workshops for business associations and regional entrepreneurship support organisations. More than 400 participants took part, including representatives from local chambers of commerce, business associations, clusters, and SME support organisations.

Ten representatives from these organisations also participated in a study visit to Brussels, where they had the opportunity to learn about the work of European institutions, including DG GROW, DG REGIO, DG MOVE, DG ENER, and the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency.