The European Union funded five online workshops, under the EaSI Technical Assistance Programme, which took place during the European Microfinance Network’s EMN Annual Conference 2020.

The conference Working together in the new normal included a series of webinars, which brought together various stakeholders for an exchange of views and practices, to challenge long-standing preconceptions about remote work and digitalisation, as well as to discuss recovery measures for microfinance sector. All sessions took place on 13-15 October 2020, over the Cisco WebEx platform.

Five EaSI Technical Assistance for microfinance events took place within the three conference days.

Watch the EaSI sessions and view presentations on the conference website

Day 1 - Tuesday, 13 October 2020

EU response to COVID-19 context and the future of the EaSI programme under MFF 2021-2027, 10.00-11.00 (CEST)

Representatives from the European Commission and the European Investment Fund presented the amendments to the EaSI Guarantee in response to the pandemic, as well as other tools and support programmes. In addition, microfinance practitioners shared two examples of resilient measures implemented to face the effects of COVID-19.

Deepening the data on microfinance: the ATLAS project, 11.30-12.30 (CEST)

This session focused on the importance of data for successful decision-making and investment in the microfinance sector, and the recent development of the ATLAS platform, promising the most granular data available on the European microfinance sector.

Day 2 - Wednesday, 14 October 2020

Delinquency Management and Collection Techniques, 14.00-15.00 (CEST)

This webinar was the platform for a discussion on delinquency management and collection techniques in the new COVID-induced market reality, with specific experiences from the field. The interactive session looked at relevant and current COVID relief measures and their effectiveness, as well as best practices in delinquency management.

Day 3 - Thursday, 15 October 2020

Contracts and signature digitalisation, 10.00-11.00 (CEST)

This session aimed to boost MFIs’ digital transformation, in particular in the current pandemic conditions, when it’s not always possible to meet clients in-person, remote working is the norm, and digital channels are the new preferred medium for communication. The session offered tips on how to choose a trusted service provider for new digital solutions and what are the steps to follow for a successful implementation.

Update on the European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision: What next?, 11.30 - 12.30 (CEST)

This session offered an overview of the status of the Code implementation by MFIs in Europe and referred to the results of the consultation and following reforms, which entered into force in January 2021. The most relevant changes from different perspectives (Code Evaluator and MCPs) and the next steps for MFIs that would like to comply with the updated Code were presented.

All web sessions were designed and tailored to the needs and expectations of microfinance practitioners, service providers, academics and researchers who are interested in the recent developments in the sector, as well as representatives from other interested parties, including policy makers, NGOs and public institutions supporting the microfinance sector in Europe.

For more information about the overall conference and to register for the EaSI Technical Assistance digital workshops, please visit the official event page or send us an email.