By the end of June 2024, eleven Georgian start-ups were selected for a short-term mobility programme in Belgium. This followed a highly competitive selection process that evaluated sectoral matchmaking potential between the two countries. The call for applications was announced in the framework of the “Strengthening the Partnership between Belgium and Georgia through the Temporary Mobility of Entrepreneurs (EMLINK)” project, implemented by ICMPD.
Countries
Belgium / Georgia
Status
Ongoing
Duty Stations
Tbilisi, Georgia
Duration
September 2023
to
February 2025
Donors
European Union through MPF of ICMPD
Partners
Immigration Office within the Federal Public Service Home Affairs (FPS) of Belgium
Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia (MoLHSA)
Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia (MoESD)
Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia (MoLHSA)
Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia (MoESD)
Funding
500,000 EUR
Objective:
The general objective of the action is to establish an enabling environment for a mobility scheme involving Georgian start-ups and Belgian counterparts in the innovation and entrepreneurship sector.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between Belgium and Georgia by designing a pilot temporary mobility scheme for outstanding entrepreneurs. By promoting the managed mobility of businessmen and women, the initiative is designed to facilitate access to new markets and business opportunities, all while increasing the competitiveness of the private sector, incentivising job creation, and increasing foreign investments. As a consequence, the initiative will lead to improved economic and political cooperation between the two countries, as well as a better migration management framework. In addition, this pilot initiative is targeted to promote a safe environment for institutional dialogue around professional mobility between Georgia and Belgium paving the way for exploring more avenues for cooperation modalities between the countries in focus.
Further, the action envisages the establishment of stakeholders’ cooperation and exchange platform including public and private sector representatives, to foster trust and understanding of entrepreneurial mobility as a safe channel for temporary migration, focusing, in particular, on start-ups both in Georgia and in Belgium. Consequently, in addition to enriching the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Georgia, the action foresees the minimisation of irregular migration from Georgia by prioritisation of legal migration channels for business development.
The specific objectives are:
- To increase cooperation and exchange of state institutions, private sector representatives, and start-ups, both in Georgia and Belgium, focusing on temporary entrepreneurial mobility development
- To increase the capacity of Georgian start-ups to grow and support skills and talent retention.
The EMLINK Project is funded by the European Union through the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF) and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) on behalf of Belgium.