Financial Inclusion for Green Inclusive Growth in Europe (FIGIG)

Financial Inclusion for Green Inclusive Growth in Europe (FIGIG)

MFC’s new 4-year Programme Financial Inclusion for Green Inclusive Growth in Europe aims at advancing the EU green, inclusive finance agenda for the development of EU microenterprises and social businesses. This Programme is building on the MFC successful experience in developing a sustainable microfinance sector in Europe, the current partnership with the European Commission (in force since 2014) and will align with the EU policy areas underpinning the Invest EU, ESF+ Programme and in particular its EaSI strand. It is also providing links to the EC social economy planning, EU’s Green Deal and other relevant policy areas. MFC’s programme gives priority to supporting the EC in its outreach levels and raising understanding about the EU policies and support tools. To achieve this goal, MFC has created four Action Groups, three of them have already started to meet regularly. 

Microfinance Centre (MFC) is  in a strategic partnership with DG EMPL:

1. Supports the EC in its outreach activities at EU, national and local levels in order to increase awareness about EU policies and funding regarding:

• Social Economy Action Plan (SEAP)
• investEU
• EaSiTechnical Assistance
• European Pillar for Social Rights
• Pact for Skills
• Green Deal

2. Reinforces the capacity of the MFC network’s members, through the exchange of good practices and raising their awareness about relevant EU policies

• Provides input for policy design and implementation by voicing the concerns and expectations of Social Enterprises, microenterprises and their support organisations/financial intermediaries in the various European countries
• Provides data/research on developments in the field of microfinance and Social Economy finance which can serve as input for evidence-based policy making at EU, national and local levels

To advance the EU green, inclusive finance agenda for the development of EU microenterprises and social businesses, MFC leads:

1. Local Action Group is carrying out this year its activities in Romania in cooperation with Romanian Microfinance Association in order to:

• Map national social economy actors/initiatives in cooperation with the national associations/other members
• Organize country level policy roundtables on 29th September
• Conduct feedback sessions with Members on the priority policy topics for the EC
• Promote & support Members in the country level implementation of the European Microfinance Day campaign in cooperation with EMN (European Microfinance Network)
• Support MFC members in implementation of the Borrow Wisely Campaign (new edition)

2. Trends & Good Practices & Clients Needs Action Group focuses on:

• Feeding information to the Sector Overview Survey undertaken annually in cooperation with EMN
• Mapping current trends and good practices in cooperation with MFC members and partners
• Developing learning agenda and implement the annual virtual Social Finance Vibe conference

3. Capacity Building Action Group aims at:

• Mapping the needs for technical assistance among MFIs and SEF organizations 
• Building awareness and know-how of MFC members and partners in digitalization & other hot topics through webinars and other online sessions in cooperation with IT providers, UNHCR, social investors and other EU level networks
• Organizing webinars on key EU Programsand initiatives in cooperation with the EU institutions and other EU level networks

4. Partnership Action Group  aims at:

• Strengthening EU level cooperation between MFC, EU level networks and institutions as well as other organizations across program activities 
• Carrying out meetings with EU institutionsand various sector stakeholders, participate in the sector events,
• Contributing to EMN advocacyand research working groups, the green working group of e-mpf, participate in the expert group advising on social economy (GECES),
• Carrying out joint initiatives of MFC and other organizations to address common policy issues, coordinate capacity building activities and spur cross-sector learning

The following experts are consulting MFC on the action group’s activities: