Workshops

To download the presentations, please click on the speakers' names.

Workshop 1: “Including Microcredit in National Action Plans and the Lisbon Strategy”

National Action Plans (NAPs) are key elements in the design of national policies by member States for achieving the Lisbon Strategy. A recent study conducted in 20 countries by the European Microfinance Network on the National Action Plans for Social Inclusion showed that microcredit was not well integrated in the various NAPs as a tool for social inclusion and growth. This workshop will look at how to strengthen microfinance in future NAPs in discussion with representatives from the European Commission and European networks.

Moderator: Peter Ramsden – Director (Freiss Ltd – UK)
Speakers: Fintan Farrell – Director (European Anty-Poverty Network - Belgium); Cindy Foekehrer – Policy Officer (DG Enterprise and Industry – European Commission); Georgiana Pascu – Counsellor (Ministry of Development, Public Works and Housing - Romania); Antoine Saint-Denis – Policy Officer Unit Inclusion (DG EMPL – European Commission)

Workshop 2: “Innovations in coaching microentrepreneurs and developing entrepreneurship”

Since their emergence, European microfinance institutions have provided business development services to their clients along with the provision of microloans. In recent years several new approaches have been developed. In a growing number of these (innovative) approaches special attention is paid to the issue of entrepreneurship development. This is believed to be crucial for people who are setting up their own business. A great deal of expertise has been developed in recent years and the workshop will present new practices in this field from various actors in Europe.

Moderator: Klaas Molenaar - Chairman (Seon – The Netherlands)
Speakers: Ulla Gredemyr – Consultant (Entreprenör Y - Sweden); Emmanuel Landais – Director (Adie - France); Jochen Struck - Director (KfW Bankengruppe - Germany)

Workshop 3: “How to combine and measure social and financial performance?”

As with other microfinance institutions around the world, microcredit programmes in Europe need to be able to measure the performance of their programmes. While measuring financial performances is necessary especially for achieving sustainability, measuring social performances is also becoming a major issue for most programmes. The latest EMN 2006-2007 survey again reveals a weak response rate to questions related to operational performance of the European actors. However, it also indicates that achieving good social performance will be a major goal for EU lenders in the future. This workshop will share the experiences of practitioners on what has been done more recently in this field in Europe and worldwide as well as explore ways to improve European practices.

Moderator: Cécile Lapenu – General Secretary (Cerise – France)
Speakers: – Allan Bussard - General Manager (Integra - Slovakia); Laure Coussirat-Coustère - Credit Development Director (Adie - France); Kenan Crnkic – Director (Prizma – Bosnia and Herzegovina); Geert Jan Schuite  – Consultant (Triodos Facet - The Netherlands)

Workshop 4: “Role of guarantee funds in microcredit”

The latest study from the European Microfinance Network shows that few microcredit programmes / microfinance institutions (MFIs) have counter guaranteed their loan portfolios and therefore bear most of the risk. Indeed, most microcredit programmes face huge difficulties in gaining access to guarantee schemes. Furthermore, 43% of survey respondents in the 2006-2007 EMN study of the sector offer unsecured loans with the aim of providing financial funds to those who lack access to credit owing to their lack of income or assets. However, various credit guarantee schemes are available in Europe. This workshop will explore the main reasons why the offer doesn’t seem to meet the demand and will seek better solutions for tackling this issue.

Moderator: Martin Jung – Director (EVERS&JUNG - Germany)
Speakers: José Fernando Figueiredo – Chairman (AECM - European Mutual Guarantee Association- Belgium); Nicolas Pirotte – Advisor (Sowalfin - Belgium); Karol Sachs – President (Febea - Belgium); Anneli Soppi – Financing Manager (Finnvera – Finland)

Workshop 5: “Howto find capital for MFIs – Equity Investment”

An increasing number of microcredit programmes in Europe are finding a need to gain access to extra sources of funding in order to expand their activities and to reach more clients. With the growing number of microfinance funds created worldwide, this workshop will explore what type of equity investments are available in this part of the world. It will also discuss with both investors’ representatives and practitioners the advantages and the limits of gaining access to such funds.

Moderator: Maria Doicu - Director - Eurom Consultancy (Romania)
Speakers: Georgi Breskovski – Director (Mikrofund - Bulgaria); Adrian Chindris – Director (Capa Finance - Romania); Marc Schublin – Head of Jeremie (EIF - Luxembourg); Pierre Valentin  – Director Delegate (Coopest - France)