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MSME Clearinghouse: Newsletter |
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COVID-19 Policy Responses (as of November 16, 2020): |
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This is the eighth special edition of the OAS MSME Newsletter dedicated to measures recently announced by OAS Member States to mitigate the economic
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). As we highlighted in the first edition of March 31, 2020, the
policy responses vary from country to country and are specific to the economic circumstances and public health of each Member State. Given that every
day produces new developments, this inventory is in no way exhaustive.
Antigua and Barbuda
The Cabinet took a decision to extend the Pandemic Barrel Relief Initiative until December 31, 2020
Barrels containing foodstuff, toiletries sanitizing materials, and clothing are allowed to enter Antigua and Barbuda without
having any duties and other taxes imposed, except for a $10.00 processing fee and the Revenue Recovery Charge calculated at 10% of the value of the items.
Argentina
Emergency Assistance Program for Work and Production (ATP)
This is one of the tools to take care of work, guarantee production and cushion the economic impact generated by the Covid-19 crisis.
It is intended for companies of all sizes, employees, and self-employed.
Plan 1000: The Ministry of Productive Development will strengthen the wine industry
The Plan is intended to strengthen the productive and export capacities of this value chain, through different tools such as financing, training
and technical assistance.
The Ministry of Productive Development launched the SME Exporter Federal Development Plan with an amount of more than $ 20 billion
The Ministry of Productive Development, through the Secretariat for Small and Medium Enterprises and Entrepreneurs, launched the Federal SME Exporter
Development Plan which, with an investment of 20 billion pesos, seeks to boost the export capacities of 15,000 SMEs of all country.
$11,800 M will be allocated in a transversal development plan with a gender perspective
The Ministry of Productive Development announced his transversal productive development plan with a gender perspective, a package of initiatives that
represent an investment of $11,800 million, which is equivalent to 6.37 percent of the budget of the productive portfolio.
COVID-19: More than $140 MM to the scientific and university system for health solutions
The Government supported, through the National Productive System Support Program, with support from FONDEP and the IDB, projects and technological
solutions generated by 16 universities and scientific-technological institutions to provide health solutions in the context of the pandemic.
Virtual Course Launch on Open Innovation for Cooperatives
The Ministry of Productive Development launched the virtual course "Open Innovation for cooperative areas and organizations of the social and solidarity
economy", which seeks to train capacities to implement digital transformation processes, generate participatory solutions, catalyze the creative energies
of society in relation to common problems and encourage active collaboration in organizations.
New credit line for tourism SMEs
The financing line, channeled through Banco Nación, will be for a total amount of $ 3,000 million, with a term of up to 24 months, a subsidized rate and
a one-year grace period on capital.
Brazil
BNDES - Maquininhas Credit Access Program (PEAC - Maquininhas)
The Maquininhas Credit Access Program (PEAC Maquininhas) of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development - BNDES aims to finance MEI,
Micro Enterprises - ME and Small Enterprises (with income of up to R $ 4.8 million/year) accepting future transactions to be collected through
digital payments as credit guarantee, regardless of the bond and collateral requirements.
Cooperative transform
Transforma Cooperado is a strategy that combines the best commercial solutions from Sebrae based on the challenges of each cooperative and its members.
Tax privileges due to the Covid-19 pandemic
During the pandemic, the Federal Government and Congress created measures and legislation that facilitated access to aid and financing for entrepreneurs.
Emergency credits for companies and entrepreneurs
During the pandemic, the Federal Government and Congress created measures and legislation that facilitated access to aid and financing for entrepreneurs.
Canada
Government of Canada announces support for small businesses through the Canada United Small Business Relief Fund
Ministry of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, announced an investment of $12 million in the Canada United Small Business Relief Fund.
Canada United is a national fundraising campaign created by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) in collaboration with private sector partners and provincial and
territorial chambers of commerce, including the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC). The campaign has been rallying support from Canadians for local small
businesses in every corner of the country.
Chile
Tourist Marketing
A new course, aimed mainly at companies in the tourism sector, which seeks to provide tools and concepts that allow visualizing the company's value
offer along with offering a unique experience to the traveler.
Colombia
3,496 participants in the first Virtual Fair of the Trade, Industry and Tourism sector
A total of 3,496 people from 155 cities - from Colombia and 16 other countries - visited the Mincit 2020 Virtual Fair, which presented the
institutional offer of the Commerce, Industry and Tourism sector, on November 11.
During the 10 hours that the platform was active, businessmen and entrepreneurs connected to the 7 pavilions, attended the 17 talks on
the academic agenda and held individual meetings in 40 chat rooms with officials from the twelve exhibiting entities.
In first debate, Economic Commissions of Congress approved the Entrepreneurship Law project
The initiative has five main axes that include support measures for entrepreneurs, access to the public procurement market, financing
decisions, reform of the regulatory framework and education for entrepreneurs.
Dominican Republic
Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs Launched Virtually the Platform "Checking Digital"
The Dominican Government modernizes and benefits MSMEs with the launch of a platform built together with the Inter-American Development
Bank (IDB) and the Fundación País Digital.
SIDOCAL encourages industries and MSMEs to invest in certifications that guarantee the quality of products
The Vice Minister of Industrial Development of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM), and Acting General Secretary of the Dominican Council for Quality
(Codoca) indicated that industries and MSMEs need to invest in certifications that guarantee the quality of the process and the final product, to compete in the local
and international market.
Ecuador
Issuance of the Single Register of MSMEs
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) that carry out economic activity, will be able to obtain the categorization through the Unique Registry of
MSMEs - RUM (for its acronym in Spanish), a valid document that provides access to benefits offered by the Ministry of Production, Commerce Exterior, Investments and Fishing.
El Salvador
Agreement on Logistical benefits plan for Salvadoran MSEs signed between UPS and CONAMYPE,
The National Commission for Micro and Small Enterprises (CONAMYPE, for its acronym in Spanish) together with UPS will sign an agreement to benefit MSMEs in the
distribution of their products nationally and internationally.
Salvadoran MSMEs participate in Panama Fashion Week
As part of the implementation of the MSMEs internationalization strategy, eight MSMEs from the textile and clothing sector supported by the National Commission
for Micro and Small Enterprises (CONAMYPE) participated in the Panama Fashion Week.
Guatemala
A group of 220 entrepreneurs will benefit from the second cycle of the Project "Strengthening MSMEs through the establishment of Entrepreneurship
Incubation in Guatemala"
The project, which aims to strengthen the capacity to support incubation and entrepreneurship, integrates private, academic and government resources; It will
be launched in the sectors of commerce, industry, services, handicrafts, tourism and in the information and communication technologies (ICTs).
Tourism Commission of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala presented Draft Law Initiative, prepared with the support of the Ministry of Economy
(MINECO), to allocate the remainder of the Employment Protection Fund to the tourism sector and national artists
Considering that resources have remained available, there is a window of opportunity to support workers in tourism activities, as well as national artists,
as they were seriously affected and continue to suffer the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jamaica
Government committed to supporting the MSME sector
The government has long recognized that in order to achieve growth it must be done from the ground up and develop the MSME sector. The MSME
Entrepreneurship Policy 2018 was crafted with that goal in mind, which is geared towards improving the efficiency and competitiveness of MSMEs.
Mexico
MujerExportaMx, first multisectoral virtual business conference for Mexican businesswomen
Organized by the Government of Mexico, MujerExportaMx, the first multisectoral virtual business roundtable for Mexican businesswomen, seeks to link
its micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MiPyMEs) exporting women with importers from the United States and Canada, within the framework of the
entry in force of the T-MEC
Paraguay
Winners of the 2020 National MSMEs Award
The winning MSMEs of the 4 categories carry a technical assistance award worth $4750, while the MSME national winner of Excellence has an additional technical
assistance valued at $3500, thus adding a total of technical assistance valued at $5000.
MSMEs and Entrepreneurs will receive support from cooperatives
The closing and delivery of seed capital of the last Business Plan organized with the Sagrados Corazones Cooperative was carried out, and on the occasion, the
results of the alliance were presented by the vice minister of MSMEs.
They pre-selected MSMEs to access benefits that will contribute to their development as a company
To participate in this contest, some 1,200 MSMEs were registered, of which 140 were shortlisted, 40 of which were from Asunción and the Central Department,
and 40 from the interior; in the small companies category, 40 were shortlisted, and in the medium-sized companies category, 20 of them were selected.
Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) signs agreement with Misiones region to support MSMEs
With the objective of establishing an inter-institutional relationship between the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC), through the Vice Ministry of MIPYMES,
and the Government of Misiones, signed an agreement focused on mutual cooperation aimed at development of programs and / or projects, mainly for the further
development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the area.
Peru
Produce will recognize MSMEs that implement Good Practices in the improvement of their processes
The purpose of the measure is to promote, particularly in micro and small companies (MSMEs), the implementation of actions aimed at fulfilling their auditable
obligations and improving their processes, products and/or services offered.
Produce: MSMEs that generate around 60% of the Economically Active Population (EAP) will strengthen capacities through the homologation of suppliers
The measure, framed in the National Competitiveness and Productivity Plan, proposes the development of the strategy for the strengthening of MSMEs that generate
around 60% of the EAP that are suppliers of the mining, food, metalworking, textile, and clothing sectors.
The Bahamas
$25M set aside for entrepreneurship programs geared toward youth and women
As part of the Government’s $250 million five-year commitment for small business development, a minimum of $25 million will be set aside specifically for entrepreneurship
programs geared toward Bahamian youth and toward women.
Trinidad and Tobago
The SheTrades T&T movement is here
Trinidad and Tobago is the first country in the Caribbean to officially launch a SheTrades Hub. It is now part of a community of over 25 countries working
towards connecting over 3 million women entrepreneurs to global markets by 2021.
United States
SBA Express Bridge Loans
Enables small businesses who currently have a business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 quickly.
Uruguay
The Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining (MIEM) launched an energy efficiency campaign aimed at MSMEs
The Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining (MIEM) presented its campaign of energy efficiency. The aim is to inform micro, small and medium-sized
companies about the measures and tools available to make their energy consumption more efficient, which aims to help them reduce costs and increase
their competitiveness. MSMEs will also have the possibility of carrying out their self-diagnosis, while the MIEM will continue to offer and enhance
existing tools for these companies to obtain non-reimbursable funds to implement energy efficiency measures.
International and Regional Organizations
Caribbean Export
Caribbean Export Builds a Services Supplier Registry for the Caribbean
Caribbean Export Development Agency has developed an online registry for the Caribbean based services suppliers. The Caribbean Export Services Registry
will enable Caribbean suppliers to be found by regional and international audiences.
Regional Center for the Promotion of MIPYME (CENPROMYPE, for its acronym in Spanish)
$120,000.00 dollars for MSMEs in the region for economic recovery
CENPROMYPE and the Department of State of the United States contribute to the economic reactivation of the MIPYME segment through a non-reimbursable
fund for a total of $120,000.00 US dollars for Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama called «E-commerce Reactivation, SICA Emprende».
Vital Voices Grow Fellowship: Catalyzing the Global Economy Through Women-Owned Businesses
By supporting women at the helm of SME businesses, the VV GROW Fellowship helps women create jobs, catalyze economic growth and drive social change around the world.
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