Boundless entrepreneurship

In this study we examine the support needs of small and medium-sized companies regarding borderless entrepreneurship in the Euregio Scheldemond. Throughout the study, we identify the core activities of doing business across borders. We do this by means of a review of the international literature, supplemented by the results from 28 interviews with Zeeland and Flemish entrepreneurs and from a workshop with entrepreneurs and various representatives of policy bodies from both sides of the border.

The survey shows that entrepreneurs primarily use their own existing employees, supplemented by an independent foreign agent or representative and, in specific cases, external legal or tax specialists. Initial foreign contacts are usually made by the entrepreneur himself and by his employees, based on his own experience and existing contacts.

The perception of our interviewed entrepreneurs regarding the existing support offer for cross-border entrepreneurship brings up some clear bottlenecks. First of all, we find that most entrepreneurs do not have a clear idea of where to go for specific information on the possibilities of cross-border entrepreneurship. Partly because of this, many Flemish entrepreneurs look over Zeeland when it comes to the Dutch market. Moreover, the information available is often fragmented and spread across different support agencies. All this means that entrepreneurs often have to invest a lot of time and effort to find suitable information.