Progress report on the status of the portfolio

Progress report on the status of the portfolio of programs to support microenterprises Francisco Pilotti Chief of the Division of Social Development and Labor Office of Education, Science and Technology of the ESID IACML Working Groups Second Meeting Buenos Aires, April 11 - 13, 2005

Micro, Small and Medium-sized enterprises in the OAS framework The Chiefs of State and Government, through the Summit of the Americas, compromised themselves to promote, strenghten and support the micro, small and medium companies “We recognize that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises constitute a fundamental component on economic growth, employment creation and poverty reduction in our countries. We will support micro, small and midium-sized enterpises through policies and programs that facilitate their consolidation and integration into the formal sector, allow their effective access to markets and to government procurement (…) Additionally, we will promote greater international cooperation in order to foster the sharing of best practices for the development of micro, small and medium -sized enterprises. ” Declaration of Nuevo Leon, Special Summit of the Americas, January, 2004

Protfolio of Programs to support Microenterprises IACML Mandate "The Working Group requests the OAS to incorporate in its Portfolio of Consolidated Programs in the area of labor, governmental programs that promote and strengthen micro, small and medium enterprises; particularly regarding professional training, access to credit and adoption of economic and fiscal incentives. " Preliminar Conclusions, Meeting of the Working Group 2 Washington, DC - May 13 and 14 , 2004

Proposal to Support Micro, Small and Mediumsized Enterprises Work proposal with the support of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI) “Development of micro and small enterprises as a stratergy to generate employment and confront poverty in the Americas. ”

Proposal to Support Micro, Small and Mediumsized Enterprises Specific Objectives: • Identify, organize and systematize the best experiences in the creation and development of micro and small enterprises • Prepare a conceptual document on the situation in the Americas and develop a virtual space to present the best experiences • Contribute to the hemispheric dialogue on the topic through a Technical and Political Meeting

Proposal to Support Micro, Small and Mediumsized Enterprises Programmed Activities: 1. Organize a Portfolio of Programs to generate employment and develop micro and small enterprises 2. Develop and maintain a web page and a consultation forum 3. Propose lines of action and stratergies to fulfill the objetive of the Special Summit of Monterrey. 4. Draft a conceptual document 5. Carry out a technical-political meeting to present the results.

Proposal to Support Micro, Small and Mediumsized Enterprises Activity 1: Portfolio of Consolidated Experiences • Identification and systematization of programs and/or stratergies of social development and employment creation been based in the promotion of micro and small enterprises, with special emphasis in young people, women and indigenous groups. • With the compilation of this information, a Portfolio of Practices will be prepared. It will be available to all Member States of the OAS with the purpose of starting horizontal cooperation processes.

Proposal to Support Micro, Small and Mediumsized Enterprises Activity 1: Portfolio of Consolidated Experiences Metodology • La OEST will consult the ministries and inter-american commisions, as well as the Trade Union Technical Advisory Council and the Business Technical Advisory Committee On Labour Matters (COSATE and CEATAL) - as formal organs of the Conference of Ministers of Labou - and the Network of Representatives of the Indigenous Peoples, so that they can identify the experiences that they may wish to add to the Portfolio. These programs must fulfill the following minimum criteria

Proposal to Support Micro, Small and Mediumsized Enterprises Activity 1: Portfolio of Consolidated Experiences Minimum Criteria 1. That it has had a significant impact in employment creation or in the fight against poverty 2. That it has been external and/or internally evaluated 3. To scale: With municipal, state, provincial and/or national coverage and that it can demonstrate efficiency, adaptation to context and the potential to expand. . . Cont

Proposal to Support Micro, Small and Mediumsized Enterprises Activity 1: Portfolio of Consolidated Experiences Minimum Criteria 4. That the institution presenting it is capable of offering assistance to other countries 5. That it is effective: that it has accomplished the established objetives 6. Sustainable: that it has the capacity of sustainibility and developing through time (political, financially and socially)

Proposal to Support Micro, Small and Mediumsized Enterprises Activity 1: Portfolio of Consolidated Experiences Steps to follow • The programs or stratergies that follow requirements, must complete a Technical Form this • The OEST will present a first portfolio in the preparatory meetings of the IACML • The Final Portfolio will be available by the end of July of 2005 and published in a virtual space that will be opened to follow up on this project