This fi-compass event aims to bring together financial intermediaries, national promotional banks and institutions (NPBIs), managing authorities and other stakeholders to share their practical experiences in implementing ESIF financial instruments, with a focus on:

• the role of NPBs in implementation of debt instruments in 2014-2020,

• the state of play in implementing ESIF financial instruments,

• practical challenges of implementing financial instruments supporting three different Thematic Objectives (TO):

         -  TO 1: Strengthening research, technological development and innovation,
         -  TO 3: Enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs),
         -  TO 4: Supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors.

During the event, the exchange with financial intermediaries and managing authorities will be based on three pillars:

• Exchange of knowledge and know-how through presentations and plenary discussions with experts from NPBIs and other financial institutions, as well as presentation of case studies of financial instruments in the current programming period with support of financial intermediaries. In to-the-point presentations, financial intermediaries will share their experiences and challenges in setting up loan and guarantee instruments with ESIF in 2014-2020;

• Interactive discussion sessions on practical experiences, where financial intermediaries, managing authorities and other stakeholders will have an opportunity to exchange in smaller groups, with the help of a facilitator, their experience on practical topics related to implementation of ESIF financial instruments supporting TO 1, TO 3, TO 4 as well as successful collaboration between financial intermediaries and managing authorities;

• Networking opportunities, bringing together financial intermediaries, NPBIs, managing authorities and other stakeholders in order to help them understand their roles and responsibilities related to loan and guarantee instruments in the 2014-2020 programming period, and to discuss how to work hand-in-hand to achieve the common goal of successfully deploying loan and guarantee instruments.