The European Entrepreneurial Region (EER) award is an initiative of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) that identifies and rewards EU regions and cities with outstanding, future oriented entrepreneurial strategies. The territories with the most visible, forward-looking and promising political vision are granted the EER label for a specific year.

To date, thirty EU regions and cities have been awarded the EER label, including two Irish winners – the Northern and Western Region (2018) and Kerry County (2011).

EER Award reopened

This special edition of the EER aims to encourage EU regions and cities to develop strategies for boosting entrepreneurship and SMEs, taking into account the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. The applications have been reopened and merged 2021 application process with the next one, extending the implementation of the EER label over two years – 2021 and 2022. The lead theme is Entrepreneurship and sustainable recovery and deadline for applications is 28 October 2020.

The EER label helps regions and cities support SMEs and entrepreneurship by implementing the new EU SME Strategy at local and regional level, building on the continuity of the previous initiatives such as the Small Business Act (2009) and the Start-up and Scale-up Initiative (2016). The EER label is an opportunity for local and regional actors to demonstrate how SMEs and entrepreneurs can increase the resilience of their economy, embracing today’s challenges that will shape the world of tomorrow: demographic change, digitalisation and a transition to a sustainable and low-carbon economy.

Further details on how to apply can be found here as well as on the EER page.