This EU4Business report provides an in-depth analysis of the economic situation in Azerbaijan, as well as presents the EU4Business projects currently being implemented in the country. It also focuses on current national policies and future measures planned in the national strategy for SMEs.
Azerbaijan has taken a number of steps to strengthen the institutional, regulatory and operational environment for SMEs, particularly by easing company registration and developing e-government services. However, a comprehensive SME strategy has yet to be adopted to address policy fragmentation, improve inter-agency coordination and enhance public-private dialogue.
The level of SME development in Azerbaijan is lower than other EaP and EU countries. According to the 2016 OECD SME Policy Index, Azerbaijan has made substantial improvement over the last 4 years, but still needs improvement in the regulatory framework, access to finance, and SME internationalisation.
