The new European Community framework program, Horizon 2020, launched in January 2014, will regulate EU funding for the next seven years. There are many novelties, especially for small and medium enterprises. There are new complex and interesting guidelines on the basis of which loans will be dispensed.

This is a delicate and articulated subject which cannot be improvised. We interviewed Mr Paolo Neri from Warrant Group srl, the largest and most important Italian company, whose 140 employees deal with public financing to businesses.

Again there are many questions concerning the difficulties that domestic companies experience in order to access European funds and regarding the behaviour of politicians and lobby groups in this area.