Matching businesses, public support and sustainability ambitions

In a context where sustainability goals become overarching principles, what then distinguishes public support instruments to business that are more development-oriented from those that are more commercially-oriented, along economic diplomacy objectives? To shed light on this process, ECDPM mapped instruments focused on engaging the private sector for development, and those supporting own businesses with commercial objectives in order to better understand their challenges, opportunities and synergies. We also examined EU matchmaking instruments with development cooperation and commercial interests. This synthesis note summarises some of the key findings of our analysis so far, and presents implications and an outlook on what that means for public support instruments to better engage businesses for inclusive and sustainable development. It provides policy recommendations along the dimensions of institutions, instruments and criteria.