EaSI Technical Assistance to the European Microcredit Sector

What is EaSI Technical Assistance?

The Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) Programme is an EU level financing instrument. Under fi-compass, a unique platform for advisory services on financial instruments and microfinance, EaSI TA offers institutional assessment and tailored training to selected microcredit providers, workshops to spread good practice in the wider European microcredit sector and a dedicated helpdesk.

How is it funded?

EaSI TA is funded by the European Commission (EC) in partnership with the European Investment Bank (EIB) supported by fi-compass under the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) and under the EaSI Programme.

What is offered?

Two consortia are providing services to implement the EaSI TA project: Frankfurt School of Finance & Management is leading the partnership with the Microfinance Centre (MFC) and the European Microfinance Network (EMN) to provide technical assistance to the microcredit providers and disseminate best practices. MicroFinanza Rating is leading the partnership with Planet Rating and Ecorys to provide rating or assessments to microcredit providers and evaluate their compliance with the European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision.

The project duration is from July 2015 – December 2018.

Who can apply?

All microcredit providers (greenfield microfinance institutions, non-bank microcredit providers and licensed banks) in the 28 member states of the European Union (EU), as well as in Albania, FYROM, Iceland, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia and Turkey may respond to dedicated calls for expression of interest to request technical assistance. Other countries may follow.

How to apply?

The calls for interest are launched regularly by the EIB. fi-compass will select interested microcredit providers from those who respond to the call. To apply, microcredit providers must sign up to the European Code of Good Conduct, a European-wide initiative to promote best practices within the sector.

Download the brochure in English, French & German.