The Syrian Enterprise & Business Centre (SEBC) is in large measure a European styled Syrian operated and managed business institution with roots stretching back to the first EU programme implemented in Syria after the Barcelona Declaration, namely the Syrian-European Business Centre (1996-2006).

Evolving as a smooth transition from that “Five-A” extremely successful EU programme, SEBC is now the leading organization supporting the Syrian economy by serving as an implementation agency for projects aimed at developing the private sector and the evolution of Syria into market economy. In other words, SEBC is the catalyst institution for private sector development and growth in Syria.

Leading by example and serving as a role model, SEBC adopts innovative styles, bottom up approach and demand driven techniques to achieve its set objectives; these are:

• Increase the Syrian private sector competitiveness in local and international markets
• Assist Syrian private sector enterprises to access international markets
• Enhance the business community through increasing the number of enterprises with high growth potential and evolving capability in addition to providing them with required support
• Promote the positive development of the Syrian organizational and financial frame work to uphold development of private sector enterprises
• Facilitate the establishment of an efficient network of business support institutions

SEBC Today

From its head office in Damascus and a branch in Aleppo, and with two business incubators and an affiliated training centre, SEBC is currently

Implementing:

• The SME Support Programme: a 15 Million Euro EU-funded programme that focuses assistance on six areas: improving the efficiency and competitiveness of SMEs; development of local consultancy; access to medium and long term finance; promotion of exports; institutional strengthening and promoting the sustainability of the SEBC; policy enabling environment.
• The Trade Enhancement Programme: a 15 Million Euro EU-funded programme which has a strong component on customs facilitation and streamlining of trade-related legislation
• The Business Environment Simplification Programme: a 5 Million Euro EU-funded programme which aims to achieve a drastic simplification of the regulatory and administrative procedures for doing business

Hosting:

• The Quality Infrastructure Programme: a 12 Million Euro EU-funded programme with the overall objective to increase the share of Syrian products and services in international trade through better conformity with technical requirements and international standards. Additionally, the safety and health of consumers will be better protected by quality control of imported and locally manufactured products
• The National Competitiveness Observatory: Acting on behalf of the Syrian Ministry of Economy as the partner institute of the World Economic Forum, SEBC is hosting the National Competitiveness Observatory, a national initiative mandated to promote the competitiveness of the Syrian economy and the continual presence of Syria in the International Competitiveness Report.
• The Enterprise Europe Network: which is made up of close to 600 partner organisations in more than 40 countries, promoting competitiveness and innovation at the local level in Europe and beyond
• SKILLS: a worldwide business school developed in Syria by the successful initiative of the European Training Foundation (ETF) and the SME Support Programme. Hosted by the SEBC, SKILLS aims to smartly bridge the gap between educational accumulation and the professional requirements of the Syrian job market.

Processing:

• The Loan Guarantee Institution of Syria (LGIS): the LGIS is a major result of the dedicated efforts of SME Support Programme to facilitate access to finance for Syrian SMEs. It provides assistance to viable businesses that cannot meet banks' collateral requirements.
• The Companies House: a business register that will enable an easy registration of companies in a relatively short period of time.

Networking:

SEBC enjoys strong business relations with a number of International Development Partners, including but not limited to:

• The European Union (EU)
• The World Bank (WB)
• The World Economic Forum (WEF)
• The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
• Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ)
• United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)
• Global Association of Intellectual Capital Practitioners
• International Trade Centre (ITC)