[{"bbox": [96, 152, 1134, 365], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will focus on the priority sectors in line with the objectives of the MIP 2021-2027: sustainable agri-food systems, renewable energy, creative industries, information and communications technologies (ICTs) and biotechnology. The action will equally support the functioning of the circular economy and the empowerment and leadership of women and young people. The action will also support capacity building and create development opportunities by strengthening the enabling environment for entrepreneurship and innovation, and by supporting MSMEs and PDLs from the early stages of conceptualisation and creation of innovations and prototypes, through the process of training, business planning, formalisation and registration, and, where relevant, their internationalisation and linkage with European, Latin American and Caribbean economies."}, {"bbox": [96, 390, 1134, 578], "category": "Text", "text": "The action is aligned with the EU Decent Work and Sustainable Growth agenda, with the different European strategies that make up the EU Green Deal (Circular Economy; Sustainable food systems, from farm to fork) and with the external dimension of the new EU Adaptation Strategy. It will also contribute to the objectives of cooperation in education, pointing together to SDGs 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 13 and 17. By focusing on digital entrepreneurship, supporting economic actors, especially MSMEs, in the ICT sector, while acting in synergy with the eGovernment and eCommerce programme (*Support to the Public Administration - Modernisation of the Economy*), it responds to the Digital Compass Communication and the Digital4Development Strategy."}, {"bbox": [96, 603, 1134, 737], "category": "Text", "text": "The prioritisation of women-led or owned MSMEs is in line with the EU's gender priorities and in particular with the Gender Action Plan III (2021-2025)¹ regarding its thematic areas of engagement “Promoting economic and social rights and empowering girls and women” and “Addressing the challenges and harnessing the opportunities offered by the green transition and the digital transformation.” It also contributes to the realisation of the EU's Circular Economy Action Plan - For a cleaner and more competitive Europe”²."}, {"bbox": [96, 761, 1134, 843], "category": "Text", "text": "It also responds to Cuban strategies such as *Tarea Vida*, the Cuban State Plan for Combating Climate Change, and the National Programme for the Advanced Women (PAM), which governs the institutional mechanisms for directing and coordinating gender equality policies in Cuba."}, {"bbox": [85, 855, 341, 886], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [96, 903, 1134, 1063], "category": "Text", "text": "In the context of the general challenges of the Cuban economy described above, the new economic actors face specific problems by their nature. While Cuba has generally prioritised access to higher education and scientific development, the innovation ecosystem and university-business nexus (a government priority) needs further development. Public entities often face challenges to support relevant processes due to a lack of capacity on their human resources, funding and infrastructure, including digital ones. In particular, government portals are insufficient for the services and formalities needed for the new economic players."}, {"bbox": [96, 1088, 1134, 1302], "category": "Text", "text": "Among the main challenges faced by MSMEs is the lack of access to finance. Not only is the overall supply of loans and credits limited, but also loan maturities are often too short to allow business to develop and so far loans have only been issued in CUP (Cuban peso), with no access to foreign currencies, preventing the import of goods and equipment needed for many of the productive processes. Although an offer of foreign currency loans in Cuba's convertible currency (MLC) has recently been created by foreign commercial banks, no MSME has yet been able to obtain such a loan as loan applications typically lack the evidence/guarantee of profitability required by the few financing institutions. The limited ability to create business plans and to submit financing proposals adds to still nascent knowledge of corporate and financial administration."}, {"bbox": [96, 1327, 1134, 1382], "category": "Text", "text": "Identification of main stakeholders and corresponding institutional and/or organisational issues (mandates, potential roles, and capacities) to be covered by the action:"}, {"bbox": [96, 1406, 1134, 1487], "category": "Text", "text": "The primary public counterpart to the action will be the Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP) with close links with the Ministry of Higher Education (MES) and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment (MINCEX), and in synergy with the other relevant institutions in the e-government and e-commerce programme (MINCOM,"}, {"bbox": [85, 1548, 1140, 1622], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹ https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/gender-equality/gender-equality-and-empowering-women-and-girls_en#:~:text=The%20Gender%20Action%20Plan%20III%20focuses%20on%20five,more%20actions%20including%20it%20as%20a%20main%20objective"}, {"bbox": [85, 1621, 460, 1646], "category": "Footnote", "text": "² Circular economy action plan (europa.eu)"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1680, 1144, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 22"}]