The Directorate-General (DG) for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs has set up a forum under the European Cluster Collaboration Platform to support the delivery of humanitarian aid and to support Ukrainian refugees in EU countries. The Intelligent Cities Challenge is targeting the integration of displaced people from Ukraine, in particular entrepreneurs and those wishing to enter the labour market.

We have prepared draft guidelines to facilitate the recognition of professional qualifications of Ukrainian refugees and are working to assist in offering language and basic digital skills training.

EU Clusters Support Ukraine Forum

Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC)

More information on professional qualifications

Campaign for refugee support

How you can help

Information for people fleeing the war in Ukraine

We are closely monitoring any adverse impacts felt by companies in EU countries resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as any policy action taken by EU countries to support those affected. Our Supply Chain Taskforce is collecting information from stakeholders (business associations) to understand the impact of the invasion and identify their needs.

We are working closely with the Directorate-General for Competition’s antitrust team on business-to-business information exchanges. Our input to the state aid temporary framework will provide additional support to the liquidity needs of companies, aid to the food industry and to industrial supply chains in strategic areas, among others.

The Enterprise Europe Network, in collaboration with the European Cluster Collaboration Platform, is helping both EU and Ukrainian SMEs overcome supply chain disruptions through its Supply Chain Resilience platform. It helps companies retain, re-structure or replace existing supply chains, as well as source raw materials, parts, components and/or (semi-)finished goods or services they need to keep production going.

Survey: Identification of disrupted supply and value chains

Enterprise Europe Network ‘Supply Chain Resilience’ platform

The EU and Enterprise Europe Network support to Ukraine

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme (EYE) is an exchange scheme that helps entrepreneurs start and grow their business. The programme is ready to support the participation of more Ukrainian entrepreneurs.

Contingency measures were taken to help the functioning of five EYE local organisations based in Ukraine to allow for a higher number of Ukrainian entrepreneurs to participate in the EYE by addressing their needs. There is currently enough available budget to complement the steady rise of interest by Ukrainians in the programme.

Looking long term, an EYE call to establish a new network of EYE intermediary organisations under the Single Market Programme was launched in March 2022, with provisions to increase the number of Ukrainian entrepreneurs in the programme.

In February 2023, the Commission launched two calls for proposals with the joint title 'ReadyForEU'. The two calls under the single market programme, with a total budget of €7.5 million, aim to help Ukrainian entrepreneurs and businesses to benefit from the single market.

ReadyForEU calls to integrate Ukrainian SMEs into the single market

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

We are closely analysing national measures, such as export restrictions on products (agri-food, fuels etc.), taken as a consequence of the war and the ensuing effects or fears of shortages. We also continuously monitor national measures undertaken by EU countries to address Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

On 2 February 2023, President von der Leyen and the Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal signed the Association Agreement for Ukraine to join the Single Market Programme.

Participation in this programme will provide support to Ukrainian SMEs, facilitating access to markets, a favourable business environment, sustainable growth and internationalisation.

Ukraine will also be eligible for funding to statistics producers for the design, production and dissemination of high-quality statistics to monitor the economic, social, environmental and territorial situation.

Ukraine’s participation in the Single Market Programme is an important step in Ukraine’s European path and will help the country’s economic recovery.

The Single Market Programme

We are working closely with the Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union to deliver information to businesses in Europe.

More information on Restrictive measures (sanctions)

Sanctions Map

EU sanctions against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine

Work is ongoing in a number of areas, including, but not limited to

• finding solutions for critical raw materials and industrial inputs
• reducing dependency on Russian gas and accelerating switch to renewables
• the availability and affordability of fertilizers
• speeding up the process of public procurement for refugee support; exclusion of Russian and Belarus
• export credits, trade finance and investment guarantees

EU solidarity with Ukraine

Stand Up for Ukraine: Global campaign to mobilise support for refugees

Ukraine Monitor set up by IndustriAll to report on what is happening in industries and within the trade union movement

A dedicated website of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency on Ukraine

Your Europe Advice

Europe Direct contact centre – available to answer written questions in Ukrainian and Russian