On June 26, 2017 in Poltava, a round table "Attract Financing the Resource Efficient Measures for Small and Medium Enterprises" was held. It was conducted within the framework of the demonstration component "Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production" under "Greening Economies in the European Union's Eastern Partnership Countries" programme (EaP GREEN) with the support of the Department of Economic Development, Trade and Investment Attraction of the Poltava Regional State Administration.
The aim of the event was to consider the benefits of implementing the resource efficient and cleaner production, analysis of opportunities and barriers for small and medium-sized enterprises with the implementation of resource efficient measures, discussion of ways to intensify the implementation of RECP options at enterprises.
The round table was attended by about 40 representatives of enterprises, non-governmental organizations, public authorities and experts who are interested in the possibilities of attracting investments to modernize production in the direction of efficient use of resources (energy, materials and water).
The event was opened by the director of the Department of Economic Development, Trade and Investment Attraction of Poltava Regional State Administration Ms Inna Ishchenko and the deputy national coordinator of the demonstration RECP project under EaP GREEN programme Mr Andrii Vorfolomeiev. Ms Ishchenko in her speech announced a new program to support entrepreneurship in Poltava region, which provides reducing the body of credit for businesses when their creating new jobs. Mr Vorolomeiev shared the experience in implementing the resource efficient measures at Ukrainian enterprises in the framework of the UNIDO’s demonstration project. He said that the measures implemented at the enterprises participating in the project allowed to reduce energy consumption by 8,000 MWh per year, water – by 17,000 m3, materials – by 40,000 tons and to reduce emissions by 4,000 t СО2-eq. Their total economic effect was about half a million EUR. Mr Vorolomeiev emphasized that not all the potential of enterprises was used, and one of the obstacles was the lack of financial resources for enterprises to implement resource efficient options.
RECP Clubs Facilitator in Ukraine Mr Ivan Omelchuk presented an overview of existing international and national sources of financing for small and medium-sized enterprises. Participants were acquainted with the terms of cooperation with international institutions that operate in Ukraine. The presentation also used references to guides «Funding options for Small and Medium Size Enterprises to finance Cleaner Production projects and Environmentally Sound Technology investments» and «Environmental Lending in EU Eastern Partnership countries».
Deputy Head of the Regional Development Department of the Poltava Regional State Administration Ms Larysa Antonets more broadly informed on announced possibility of receiving financial assistance for SMEs from budgetary funds. In Poltava region the regional program for the development of SMEs with a total budget of 500-600 thousand UAH has started. It provides the compensation of 10 % of the loan's body for the modernization of the enterprise when creating one job, 15 % – with two jobs and 20 % – more than three. The selection procedure is described on the web page of the State Administration.
The project manager for BETEN International & CEO of Energ'East Consulting Mr Quentin Boulanger in his speech touched upon the issue of facilitating the access of SMEs to the available sources of financing, namely, the ways of eliminating barriers for investments. Mr Boulanger advised to use local assistance projects, and also described the mechanism of risk sharing between local banks and international financial institutions. KIVA works on this principle, it finances interest-free local banks, and then banks finance local consumers. In addition, Mr Boulanger paid attention to describing the use of a hedge strategy in lending, which has the goal of smoothing exchange rate fluctuations. He noted that the financing the implementation of activities has an economic, legislative context, and also depends on the qualifications of the staff. For example, the potential of Ukraine in the Low Carbon Market is used only by 35 %.
The deputy director of Poltava RD for SMB of “Ukrgasbank” Mr Mykola Rylin briefed the participants of the round table on financing the energy saving projects for small and medium-sized businesses. The enterprises of the region have available loans for financing resource efficient activities at 6 % interest rate per annum in foreign currency and 18 % in UAH with a term of up to 5 years. The percentage depends on the gradation of customers, proposed by the National Bank of Ukraine. Mr Rylin said that the most popular in Poltava region among individuals is the implementation of solar panels, and among farmers – biogas plants.
The director of NGO “Eastern European Academy of Sciences” Mr Oleksii Severyn acquainted participants with the financial possibilities of using the market mechanisms of the Paris Agreement on the implementation of energy saving measures for SMEs. He stressed that the company's carbon footprint is becoming one of the important reputation indicators of the modern company.
At the end of the event, during the general discussion, the mentioned topics were discussed in details and it was stressed that the common problem of Ukrainian enterprises is the lack of strategic planning for 15-20 years, and also that currently the main incentive to implement resource efficient measures is not stimulation such as "green tariff" or legislative restrictions, but the cost of resources.