Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, responsible for enterprise and industry policy, said: "The wealth of projects showcased for these awards demonstrates the wide range of opportunities for public authorities to promote entrepreneurship. Small companies play a major role in creating growth and more and better jobs. Policy makers at all levels should learn from successful projects like these to pass from words to acts.''

Winner of the 2006 competition, Petri Palviainen of Y4, the Finnish action programme for entrepreneurship development, and member of the 2007 jury, said: “Winning the Jury Grand Prize in 2006 has changed our outlook, making our organisation a model on an international scale with demand for training from countries as far apart as the USA, Sweden and Russia”.

More than 300 regional and local authorities – including towns, cities, regions and communities as well as public-private partnerships between public authorities and entrepreneurs, educational programmes and business organisations – competed in the national round of the 2007 Awards. Participating countries could select up to two candidates for the European competition. The final 48 nominees represented a wide variety of projects that are successful in facilitating business and supporting entrepreneurship across Europe.

Short listed for the 2007 awards are :

- Belgium : Cap’Ten, be captain of your project, ICHEC-PME, Brussels
- Denmark : Ethnic coach for ethnic entrepreneurs in the Vejle area, Vejle Business Development, Vejle
- Estonia : Company Registration Portal (CReP), Centre of Registers and Information Systems, Tallinn
- France : Fund for business start-up leave, CAP Création Sarthe, Le Mans
- Germany : XperRegio, Arnstorf
- Hungary : Széchenyi Card Scheme, KAVOSZ, Budapest
- Italy : Fabrica Ethica, Tuscan Region Production Activities Councillorship, Florence
- Luxembourg : 1,2,3,GO, the Greater Region network of experts and its business start-up bonuses, Business Initiative asbl
- The Netherlands : Eigen Werk, Amsterdam Thuishuis Foundation, Groningen provincial centre for social development, Groningen
- Spain : Development of premises for business use in Bilbao, Lan Ekintza-Bilbao, Bilbao
- United Kingdom : Enterprising North Staffordshire, North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone Ltd, Stoke-on-Trent, The Paper Trail, Hemel Hempstead

The objectives of the awards are to :

Identify and recognise outstanding initiatives that promote enterprise and entrepreneurship;
Showcase and share examples of best entrepreneurship policies and practices;
Create a greater awareness of the role entrepreneurs play in society; and
Encourage and inspire potential entrepreneurs.

The award ceremony is being organised by the European Commission, the Committee of the Regions and the Portuguese Presidency in Porto on 6 December 2007. An exhibition of the short-listed initiatives will enable nominees to showcase their projects, while an interactive workshop will offer all shortlisted candidates the opportunity to present their best practices.