The promotion of small and medium sized enterprises was one of the priority areas in the ECPD activities. They were carried out by organizing and conducting international conferences, round tables and seminars.

The ECPD conference: Financing of Small and Medium sized Enterprises, 9 -11 June 1988

During the period 199 –1998, the European Center for Peace and Development organized four international conferences devoted to the impact of small and medium-sized enterprises on the development of underdeveloped and less developed countries in the world. All four conferences had a specific topic in keeping with the main themes. These very important international meetings provided an opportunity for the exchange of experiences, knowledge and ideas about the development of small-scale industry in industrialized countries – Japan, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Holland, on one side, and less developed countries of Europe and underdeveloped countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America, such as Hungary, Poland, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Gabon and Kenya - on the other. In addition to highly qualified experts and speakers from a great number of countries from four continents, these meetings were enriched by the participation of renowned representatives of international and regional organizations, such as the World Bank, UNIDO, UNCTAD, OECD, etc. The conferences were held in Belgrade, in the following chronological order and were devoted to the following topics:

1. The First ECPD International Conference on Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) was held on 14-19 September 1985. The main topic of the Conference was “The Current Situation and Development Prospects of SMEs in Developing Countries”. The Conference was attended by 150 representatives of 39 countries and 6 international and regional organizations;
2. The Second ECPD International Conference on SMEs was held on 22-24 September 1986. It was attended by 132 representatives of 47 countries and four international organizations. The Conference was devoted to “The Technical and Technological Development and Marketing of SMEs in Developing Countries”;
3. The Third Conference was held on 15-19 August 1987. Its participants comprised 200 experts from 50 countries and six international organizations. Its attention was focused on the “Management and Promotion of SMEs”;
4. The Fourth Conference on SMEs, which was held on 9 -10 November 1988, was attended by 160 experts from 53 countries and nine international organizations. The main topic was “Financing the Operations and Development of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in Developing and Transition Countries”.

Table 1 - The report of the participants in the ECPD International Conferences on SMEs ECPD International Conferences on SMEs

In 1989/90, pursuant to the decisions of the International Council of the European Center for Peace and Development, the concept of the ECPD involvement in the promotion of small and medium sized (medium large) enterprises was changed. The concept of holding international conferences in the previous form and at previous time intervals was abandoned, and emphasis was laid on training, particularly postgraduate specialist training. In so doing, the ECPD organized the following meetings on SMEs:

The ECPD conference: Financing of Small and Medium sized Enterprises, 9 -11 June 1988

The ECPD International Round Table on “The Future of SMEs Under Conditions of Technological and Economic Changes in the World” was held in Belgrade, on 3-5 December 1990. The Round Table was organized in cooperation with the UNIDO, OECD and the World Assembly of Small and Medium Enterprises (WASME), New Delhi, India. It was attended by 50 representatives of 17 countries and five international organizations. The Round Table was chaired by Dr. Ronald Gass from the OECD, and the papers were presented by twenty experts from various countries and international organizations;

The ECPD International Informative Seminar on “The Establishment and Operation of SMEs” was held in Miločer, Montenegro, in 1991. It lasted three weeks and was organized in cooperation with Deutsche Augsgleichsbank/Germany, German Government and the Credit Fund for Promoting Employment in Economically Underdeveloped Countries and Distinctly Migration Regions, primarily the Balkans. The Seminar was attended by 25 economists, engineers and jurists, the future instructors, trained for a rational establishment of small - sized enterprises and the management of their activities. The lectures were delivered by experts from several countries – permanent ECPD consultants. The Seminar was led by Dr. Paul - Marc Henry, Ambassadeur de France, while lectures were delivered by ten international experts, including Dr. W. Altheimer, President of Deutsche Ausgleichsbank from Bonn, M.F. Estime, OECD, and others;

ECPD International Round Table on the "Future of S.M.E."

The ECPD International Round Table on “Management of Small-Sized Enterprises...” Miločer, (Montenegro), June 1997. It was a continuation of the ECPD activities relating to the promotion of SMEs. The Seminar was chaired by Prof. Dr Eiji Ogawa, Rector of Nagoya University.

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