EBRD and EU allocate 377 million euros for the digitalization of small and medium enterprises in the Western Balkans

Brussels – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), with the support of the European Union, has developed the “Go Digital” program, worth 377 million euros, aimed at the digitalization of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Western Balkans to encourage innovation and growth in the private sector. 

The program will offer these funds to small and medium-sized enterprises in the Western Balkans region through loans, grants, and technical assistance for investments in digitalization, automation, and green technologies. 

As planned, the EBRD will allocate loans of up to 350 million euros to partner financial institutions in the Western Balkans region, which will then lend the funds to small and medium-sized enterprises. Businesses will have the opportunity to use grant incentives amounting to 10 percent of the loan amount, funded by the EU. In total, the EU will provide 27.6 million euros in grants and technical assistance for the program through the Investment Framework for the Western Balkans (WBIF). 

The program builds on the successful pilot program in Bosnia and Herzegovina, through which investments supported nearly 200 local companies. 

According to the EBRD’s Managing Director, Francis Malige, this program aims to address technological gaps and significantly enhance the digitalization of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Western Balkans, enabling them to become more innovative, more productive, and more competitive globally. 

The Deputy Head of the EU Delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Adebayo Babajide, noted that with the launch of this regional initiative, the European Union reaffirms its strong support for small and medium-sized enterprises, as a pillar of the economies in the region. 

– Through this program, around 750 businesses will receive vital support for innovation, digitalization, and the adoption of green technologies. The initiative builds on the success of our pilot project in Bosnia and Herzegovina worth 11.5 million euros, which has already helped over 200 companies improve their productivity and competitiveness, said Babajide. 

According to him, the grants not only provide technical expertise and incentives but also enable more accessible financing for small and medium-sized enterprises, with a special focus on those led by women. (April 10, 2025)