The Community of Practice on Inclusive Entrepreneurship (COPIE) is a learning network of ESF Managing Authorities and Implementing Bodies at national and regional level in Europe.

As recession bites all of the Member States of the European Union are looking for new solutions to create jobs that are being lost across the economy. Stimulating entrepreneurship is one part of a coordinated response.

The COPIE partners share a common concern to widen entrepreneurship and make support systems work better across diverse populations. They have demonstrated that it is possible to make it easier for people from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds or places to engage in setting up businesses .

With the right conditions and policies, the members of COPIE believe entrepreneurship has the potential to unleash the creativity and energy of millions of people in Europe. The ESF (and ERDF) can play a much stronger and more coherent role in supporting this.

COPIE is focused on presenting solutions on how to make this happen.