Europe is for Entrepreneurs like the Aphrodite Rock Brewery Company

The Entrepreneurs that did not fit into the #Cy2012eu Agenda is the story we picked up recently about entrepreneurs in Cyprus struggling with opening new businesses and fighting against excessive red tape by administrations overtaken by approval and unclear license processes.

Microbreweries are hardly a novelty these days, and for more than a good 30 years,  their installations has spread at all corners of the world, to a point that actually thought it, as a business concept that would be in decline, but not in Cyprus!! 750.000 Euros later, the last resort attempt by the entreprising family, after 2 years awaiting permits, demonstrates that we live in times of certain unreasoning.

Just as the online petition has been gaining supporters, (707 potential clients)  it would be logical to ask  what will an online petition achieve, beyond asking for Governmental benevolence?

And  actually, is using mass media an adequate tool for forcing decision-making?

But from our perspective, this being a Euro-friendly blog, believing that Europe can help in eliminating certain internal market dysfunctions – what is it that we can do or that could be done from our perspective?

First instinct is to set the scene and thought that re-reading the all too famous priorities and agenda as set by the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union (Cy2012Eu), would be useful.  Also a review of  certain developments  published by the council itself have been enlightening – so we’ve highlighted elements below, all which are quite pertinent to the case at hand:

• The Business Competitiveness and the SME programme for 2014-2020 (Consilium)
• European Innovation Partnerships
• Adoption of rules for relieving micro-enterprises from red tape (Consilium)

Then this morning we also say that the OpenCyprus Daily published recent briefing update by Spokesperson Nikos Christodoulides @cy2012eu_NC

Assembly of European Regions breakfast briefing on ‘What will the #Cyprus Presidency bring the regions’, aer.eu/evenements-are… #cy2012eu

— N. Christodoulides (@cy2012eu_NC) June 18, 2012

Discovering that the Assembly of European Regions (AER), has actually an important Cypriot member as the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, which just concluded the SUSTAIN project brings added hope.

Last but not least it is also known that the Informal Competitiveness Council will be celebrating an event in Nicosia next month – a perfect occasion to understand and explores realistic opportunities of entrepreneurship in Europe.

So this is the context that we’ve managed to put together – a context which has all the elements to be supportive enough, proving that the project called Europe,  is actually an effective tool to accelerate go-to market initiatives by Entrepreneurs today.

If you have suggestions as to other smart strategies that could accelerate the process of getting permits for the Aphrodite Rock Brewery – we would welcome your contributions with your comments.

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Update Jan 11, 2013 On the eve of packing for Malta > The Aphrodite Rock Brewery Company have announced that final permit has been granted for brewing upon reviewing license requirements and the Bradford family who moved to Cyprus to set up a brewery in traditional hand crafted ales & “Island Beers” have also reviewed their decision to move to Malta – so some good news on the horizon for beer enthusiasts in Cyprus – Kissonerga-Skalia Pale Ale can become a reality after all.

Update April 22, 2013 The Aphrodite Rock Brewery Company have announced that brewing has begun and bottles will be distributed locally within 3 weeks but direct sales from the brewery will be allowed. Keep yourselves posted