"Enterprise Experience" is a project developed by the European Commission in partnership with EUROCHAMBRES and two other companies. The creation of this programme exposes EU officials to the daily activities and challenges of these small businesses and provides a unique opportunity to gain a clear insight into their requirements. Since 2006, a series of in-house placements have been organised for officials from DG Enterprise and Industry. By 2009, all 350 administrators in DG Enterprise should have spent a week in an SME, shadowing key personnel and seeing how the company works.

The overall objective is to improve policy making, by educating the decision-makers that work on enterprise policy. It is essential to establish effective communication within the EU, by intensifying its relations with the public and encouraging SMEs to actively participate in the policy process.

Why participate?

Taking part in this project generates mutual benefits for both the European Commission and the business world. Commission officials gain a valuable insight into the workings of an SME and are given the opportunity to obtain concrete experience in the business world. Businesses benefit from direct and personal contact with Commission representatives and are given the opportunity to learn more about the European Union, the European Commission's role, the activities of DG Enterprise and Industry, and EU policies affecting SMEs. Above all, the programme allows SMEs to draw the Commission’s attention to their specific needs and queries regarding relevant topics, and to provide practical input for future policy making.

Further information concerning the application procedure and comments from programme participants are available on the following websites:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/exp_prog/index.htm
http://www.eurochambres.eu/activities/EnterpriseExperience.shtml