Ecorys selected to continue supporting EU private sector development in Lebanon

Ecorys has been selected by the European Union to continue monitoring and strengthening support to MSMEs in Lebanon, helping improve evidence-based programming, policy dialogue and private sector development outcomes.

Ecorys has been awarded a new European Union contract to deliver the second phase of the Third-Party Monitoring (TPM II) programme for EU support to Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Lebanon. Building on previous successful monitoring and evaluation work, the project will provide strategic evidence, monitoring support and policy insights to strengthen the effectiveness, visibility and sustainability of EU-funded private sector development initiatives across the country.

Lebanon continues to face significant economic challenges, with businesses operating in a context characterised by prolonged economic instability, limited access to finance and ongoing recovery needs. MSMEs remain a vital source of employment and economic activity, yet many continue to face constraints related to competitiveness, market access and business growth.

To support economic resilience and recovery, the European Union has invested in a diverse portfolio of programmes covering areas such as microfinance, innovation, green economy, industrial development, creative industries and social entrepreneurship. However, the increasing number and complexity of interventions require robust monitoring systems capable not only of verifying results but also of generating strategic intelligence to inform future programming and policy dialogue.

Building on the foundations established through TPM I, Ecorys will support the EU Delegation in maintaining and expanding a geo-referenced database of beneficiary enterprises, conducting field monitoring activities, organising stakeholder consultations and generating evidence-based recommendations for future interventions.

Although implementation has yet to begin, the TPM II project is designed to deliver several important outcomes for the European Union’s private sector development portfolio in Lebanon:

• Strengthening the evidence base for EU private sector support through improved monitoring, field verification and continuous data collection.
• Expanding and maintaining a geo-referenced database of EU-supported enterprises, building on the monitoring systems established during the first phase of the programme.
• Providing strategic analysis and forward-looking recommendations to support EU programming and policy dialogue.
• Supporting stakeholder engagement through sector consultations, outreach activities and structured dialogue with public and private sector stakeholders.
• Enhancing the visibility of EU support through business events, trade fairs and communication activities that showcase the results achieved by beneficiary enterprises.
• Monitoring at least 210 beneficiary enterprises across seven EU-funded programmes during implementation, generating actionable insights on resilience, innovation, competitiveness and sustainable growth.

By combining monitoring, strategic analysis and stakeholder engagement, TPM II will provide the EU Delegation with an integrated decision-support platform capable of informing both ongoing programme management and future private sector development investments in Lebanon.

This new assignment reinforces Ecorys’ strong track record in monitoring, evaluation, learning and private sector development. It also demonstrates the trust placed in Ecorys by the European Union to deliver evidence-based insights in complex and fragile environments. By helping transform monitoring data into strategic intelligence, the project will contribute to more effective support for Lebanese businesses, stronger stakeholder engagement and better-informed future investments aimed at fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth.