The following report investigates and emphasizes the role of microfinance using European Social Fund (ESF) funding. The main role of the ESF is to support the creation of jobs, improve working conditions and ensure fairer job opportunities for European citizens. The ESF offers both financial and non-financial services, and it has been used to co-finance entrepreneurship activities and guarantee funds around Europe.

In recent years, microfinance has garnered attention as a tool to improve the work possibilities for those who are considered “un-bankable”, i.e. people who do not have access to commercial banks and therefore cannot ask for a loan to finance their business activities. As a result, microfinance is seen as a tool to boost entrepreneurship around Europe and corresponds to the aim of the ESF.

This report was prepared in the framework of the ATM for SMEs project (Interreg Europe programme) and the research activities have been coordinated and performed by Microfinanza Srl, a fully independent company specialized in providing qualified services and technical support to the microfinance sector worldwide.

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