Workshop on EU funding opportunities for the fashion, textiles, and cultural and creative industries

This workshop is aimed at stakeholders in fashion, textiles, cultural and creative industries, to give a better understanding of funding opportunities under the European Fund for Strategic Investment.

The workshop will take place in Brussels on 10 March 2016, from 13.30 to 17.30.

Cultural and creative industries (CCIs) are in a strategic position to promote smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU. They are at the forefront of innovation and its spillovers to other industries. They have shown that they can achieve above-average growth and create quality jobs. Facing worldwide competition, they are confronted with challenges that must be addressed at European level, such as the lack of skills, finance and coordination.

This workshop is aimed at industry representatives from various sectors of cultural and creative industries, representatives of the fashion and textile value chains as well as representatives of regions and EU countries that have developed smart specialisation strategies and other support measures for these sectors. It will be an occasion to get a better understanding about practical ways to participate in the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) in the framework of the Investment Plan for Europe.

EFSI supports strategic investments in key areas such as infrastructure, education, research and innovation, as well as risk finance for small businesses.

The workshop will also provide information about some key EU funding programmes:

• COSME and its financial instruments.
• the European Structural Funds.
• Creative Europe (the Guarantee Facility for Cultural and Creative Industries).
• Erasmus+.