Environmental Policy Toolkit for SME Greening in EU Eastern Partnership Countries

Description

This toolkit, based on existing good practice, aims to help governments in the EU’s Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) to design and implement key instruments to promote environmental compliance and green business practices among small and medium-sized enterprises. Reducing the environmental impact of SMEs in both manufacturing and services is a key success factor in greening the economy. At the same time, improving environmental performance is a significant business opportunity for SMEs as important suppliers of goods and services. Developed under the EaP GREEN project, this report will be of interest to environmental and economic ministries, as well as business associations and non-governmental and academic institutions in EaP countries.  Read more... Intro Table of contents Foreword Acronyms Executive summary Part I. Policy tools for supporting SME greening Chapter 1. Greening SMEs: Opportunities and challenges in EaP countries Definition of SMEs Role of SMEs in greening the economy Box 1.1. Policy initiatives for SME greening in the EU Obstacles to improving environmental performance of SMEs Table 1.1. Internal barriers in SMEs that prevent the adoption of environmental improvements Figure 1.1. Barriers to green practices among SMEs in EaP countries, percentage of respondents Conclusion Note References Chapter 2. Environmental compliance progress and challenges for SMEs in EaP countriesRegulatory regimes Figure 2.1. How SMEs learn about environmental requirements, percentage of respondents Existing policy incentives Current implementation of green practices Figure 2.2. Resource efficiency actions undertaken by SMEs in EaP countries, percentage of respondents Figure 2.3. Reasons to undertake resource efficiency measures, percentage of respondents Technical and financial support for green practices Figure 2.4. Percentage of SMEs receiving support for resource efficiency actions Institutional challengesConclusion References Chapter 3. Environmental regulatory tools in OECD and EaP countries Introduction Shifting approaches to environmental regulation of SMEs in OECD countries Box 3.1. General binding rules in the Netherlands Better regulation initiatives for small businesses Incentives for environmental management certification Sectoral approach to compliance assurance Conclusion Notes References Chapter 4. Information-based instruments and improved messaging around SMEs' environmental requirements Introduction Designing effective messages Table 4.1. Cost savings from environmental improvements in SMEsProactive information dissemination Web-based guidance tools Box 4.1. NetRegs: An internet-based compliance assistance tool in the UK Box 4.2. GreenEcoNet: The first pan-European website for SME greening Direct capacity building Box 4.3. Green Offer by Enterprise Ireland Recognition of green practices Simplified environmental management systems Box 4.4. Environmental certification of SMEs in Norway Sector-specific green certifications Eco-labels Figure 4.1. Manufacturing of certified green products in Korea Environmental recognition awardsConclusion Note References Chapter 5. Economic incentives to encourage greening of EaP SMEs Introduction Tax privileges Box 5.1. Financial incentives for environmental investments in the Netherlands Grants and free consultancy services Box 5.2. Subsidies for environmental technology investments in Belgium Role of supply chain management and public procurement Box 5.3. OECD recommendation on the environmental performance in public procurement Figure 5.1. Size of the green product market and public procurement in Korea Conclusion Notes References