ELAN Program (European and Latin American Business Services and Innovation Network) is a EU initiative that seeks to increase and diversify the EU economic presence in Latin America by meeting the Latin America demand for knowledge and innovative Technology.

ELAN  aims to boost the opportunities that both markets offer for European and Latin American SMEs, through two interdependent strategies:

 •  European and Latin American Business Services (ELAN Biz): whose main objectives is to provide up to date and comprehensive information services to  European  SMEs interested in doing business in strategic Latin American countries( i.e. regulatory environment, business opportunities, financing mechanisms) in specific  Latin American countries)

 • European and Latin American Tecnology based Business Network (ELAN Network):  whose main objective is the generation of technology based business opportunities between European and Latin American SMEs. It consists of key European and Latin American research and innovation actors (R&I), who promote technology based transformation processes and economic growth. 

The coordination of both strategies will additionally promote the international competitiveness of Latin American SMEs through innovation, technology transfer and their integration in global supply chains.

In order to fulfil its goal, ELAN Biz platform connects to existing European business service organizations located in the Latin America countries or in the EU (business associations and chambers of commerce, trade promotion agencies, European Enterprise Network, other Member States business service structures etc.) and is open for EU SMEs.

 Objectives

-Set up a network of Country Experts that supply up-to-date and specialized information to EU SMEs through a website platform.

-Connect EU SMEs with EU business services providers and business intermediaries both in the EU and the selected Latin American countries

-Re-enforce existing local EU business services providers structures

Countries

ELAN Business services are provided to EU SMEs who want to do business in the following Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru. A network of Experts in each of these countries will ensure that updated and value-added information is permanently available through ELAN website.

ELAN Business Services provides support for SMEs using the following tools:

“Ask the Expert” service -  available to EU SMEs who seek to export or invest in the Latin American countries included in the program. Through the network of Country Experts, and in co-operation with other EU business services providers, ELAN will supply personalized answers to EU SMEs, using updated specialized and value added information.

Knowledge center- offers EU SMEs information on how-to-do business in specific Latin American countries and how to effectively access those markets. All business sectors and all related issues will be covered, including information regarding goods, services, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS), Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), procurement, regulatory and standards issues, investment, legal issues, administrative procedures related to business activities, social laws, taxes, regulatory environment and standards, specific market information, collection of market studies, business opportunities, financing mechanisms, all kind of issues relevant for doing business, data about relevant local business events such as trade fairs, etc

To know more about ELAN Network please visit  www.elannetwork.org and www.elanbiz.org

Contact :     info [at] elannetwork.org