Cork businesses urged to look to Europe for partnerships and growth

The Enterprise Europe Network is hosting its annual conference at Croke Park this November

'Internationalisation is about more than finding new markets. It is about the partnerships, technology, access to funding and expertise,' said Conor Healy, CEO of Cork Chamber. File picture: Larry Cummins

International growth is one of the greatest opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cork, the CEO of Cork Chamber has said.

Conor Healy made this statement ahead of the Enterprise Europe Network annual conference, which takes place from November 11 to 13 at the Croke Park Conference Centre.

The Enterprise Europe Network consists of 450 partner organisations in over 50 countries and is co-funded by the European Union under the single market programme.

More than 700 advisors and partners in the network, along with EU policymakers, will attend the conference in Dublin to share expertise and shape its strategy, under the theme of ‘An Agile Network in a Changing World’.

Discussions will focus on how the network helps SMEs reach markets in Europe and beyond, manage the green and digital transition, and secure the finance and partnerships they need to innovate and grow.

“Internationalisation is about more than finding new markets. It is about the partnerships, technology, access to funding and expertise that make a business more competitive at home and abroad," continued Mr Healy.

"Cork Chamber is proud to be one of the Irish partners supporting this conference, and we encourage businesses across Cork to explore what the network can offer them," he said.

Ireland is hosting the event during its presidency of the Council of the European Union.

It is organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) and the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), and supported by Enterprise Europe Network Ireland, a consortium of Cork Chamber, Dublin Chamber and Local Enterprise Offices.

Since 2008, when the Irish network began, more than 2,000 SMEs have received support.

The Cork Chamber advisor to the European network, Monica Valdes, explained that she and her colleagues “work with businesses to find the right partner, whether that is a distributor in a new market, a supplier, a technology provider or a research collaborator. 

"We also help them navigate the rules and opportunities of the single market and access innovation funding.” The core services of the European network are free.

The conference’s opening and closing sessions will be livestreamed at een.ec.europa.eu, so businesses can follow the discussions.

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