In Romania, for 2014-2020 the internationalization of SMEs is addressed through 2 policy instruments:

The 1st one is addressed by the Competitiveness Operational Programme 2014–2020 and envisages soft measures by providing support to transnational cooperation between SMEs and R&D institutions from abroad, through action 1.1.3 Create synergies with the HORIZON 2020 RDI actions and with others RDI programs. Thus, through COP, SMEs will be assisted to write and successfully implement projects financed by Horizon 2020 and others RDI programs financed by European Commission.

The 2nd policy instrument is addressed by the Regional Operational Programme 2014–2020 that intends to increase the competitiveness of SMEs and envisages measures to support SMEs older than 1 year to grow in the value chain, gain access to finance, assistance and new markets. The main challenges faced by SMEs are related to the rapid adaptation to the market, continous improvement of delivered products and services.

Thus, ROP 2014–2020 will support companies with potential to develop/maintain its position on the market by supporting their business operations. ROP proposes interventions to support the access to international markets.

This last policy instrument will be addressed through this project, since South Muntenia RDA is acting as Intermediate Body for Regional Operational Programme 2014–2020 and can improve this policy. 

The specific policy instrument called “Groen Werkt!”by the Municipality of Leeuwarden with support of the Province of Fryslân. Especially the internationalisation and Leeuwarden European Capital of Culture 2018 paragraphs will be addressed. “We want to help our SMEs to export goods and services, to tie knowledge and to learn together with other governments.” The current internationalisation policy instruments are primarily focused on the Watercampus and water (technology) sector specifically as can be seen in the policy instrument “Groen Werkt!”. This is functioning well, valuable lessons have been learned and international contacts, relations and networks are set up. Other sectors, clusters and individual SMEs are also in need of internationalisation support. Currently they are served with a rather fragmented entrepreneurship support approach. This needs a more strategic, structural, cross-sectoral , coordinated and internationally oriented effort. The „Kanselarij” and „Blokhuispoort” entrepreneurship centers and the concentration of SMEs connected to them are vital partners in this process. “Groen Werkt! seeks affiliation and wants to contribute to KH2018. Bottom-up innovation and international cooperation are principles of Groen Werkt!” We want to create critical mass and create international market opportunities for our SMEs. In the process we will take into account the diversity of these SMEs and benefiting from cross sectoral collaboration.  

The Land of Baden-Württemberg, more precisely the Ministry of Finance and Economics Baden-Württemberg, has created the function of the Commissioner for Europe under Public Mandate in order to improve and support the internationalization of the SMEs. The Commissioner for Europe is in permanent contact with the Ministry through frequent meetings and services provided to the Ministry of Finance and Economics of Baden-Württemberg who finances directly this function. The Commissioner for Europe offers many services for the SMEs of Baden-Württemberg especially dedicated to support the internationalization of SME in the region. Among the most important services are consultancy & assistance regarding European Funding and Research Programmes, Technology Cooperation, Participation at and organization of Brokerage Events, Company Missions and Information Days as well as Trainings. These services have to be improved given the structural change towards a digitalised economy for a faster know-how transfer and market uptake of innovation at the European level. The operational unit of the Commissioner for Europe of the Ministry of Finance and Economics Baden-Württemberg is the Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum (SEZ).

Despite the northern region, in Portugal, have an important export tradition and be, really, the best Portuguese region on export goods, in fact the vast majority of North companies, that are obviously SMEs, has no sales activity in foreign markets. Only 13,2% of the northern SMEs have export activity, so the SME’s internationalisation has a greater possibility of increasing. The aim is to support actions that promote extroversion of the regional economy by increasing the share of exports in turnover of companies, by promoting entrepreneurial initiatives, individual and collective, to approach to international markets and empowering companies to a growing participation in European networks.

The policy instrument corresponds to priority 3.4 of the ROP which aims at increasing the capacity of SMEs to grow in regional, national and international markets, and in innovation processes. Under this priority, main objectives will be to promote the growth and consolidation of the SMEs by improving access to finance, technology and knowledge-intensive support services, and to promote innovation and cooperation for innovation among the SMEs. Measures that will be implemented under this priority will help SMEs to improve their productive capacity and to access advanced services to increase their productivity and competitiveness, as well as their innovation capacity. The rationale of the policy instrument is that the improvement of competitiveness will in turn improve their position in international markets. It pays particular attention to help companies to access advanced knowledge-based services. Fomento de San Sebastian (FSS) will contribute to the improvement of the policy design and the appropriate implementation by ensuring the connection between local SMEs and the knowledge and innovation providers, through the local innovation network. Very often, local SMEs find it difficult to know about and to access technology centres innovation offer, and that leads to a poor implementation of the support measures.