ABBA collects data on how many Belarusian companies and private enterprises are currently working in the European Union, how many jobs were created. We survey Belarusian businesses in the EU regarding the current assessment of the state of business and the main problems , especially financial. These data will be used in the development of recommendations regarding business conditions for officials and institutions from countries that receive business migrants from Belarus. You can find more detailed information in the publications below.
>9 300
companies
with Belarusian
shareholders in the EU
80% of them are in Poland
Wholesale and retail,
Transporting and storage,
Construction in top3
73% registered after 2020
>25 800
jobs created by
companies with
Belarusian
origin in the EU
68% of them are in Poland
self-employed not included
>20 000
individual entrepreneurs
Belarusians in the EU
4% of Belarusians abroad
estimated to be business
owners
14% of Belarusians abroad
estimated to be
self-employed/freelancers
>€2.6 bln
revenue of companies
with Belarusian owners
in Poland in 2023
40% growth in revenues
comparing to 2022
29% of revenues generated
by top20 companies
This Belarusian Business Barometer (BBB) provides an estimate of Belarusians’ entrepreneurial activity in the EU. ABBA analyses two types of business activity: businesses with Belarusian shareholders, and sole proprietorships run by Belarusian citizens. BBB presents the number of Belarusian enterprises in the EU, their dynamics and economic impact on the host countries, as well as the key problems these businesses face. Also, BBB covers the number of Belarusians in the EU and estimates the number of Belarusian citizens active as sole proprietors. Finally, BBB investigates the revenues of companies with Belarusian shareholders in Poland, focusing on various industries and countries.
In a series of policy papers written together with CASE - Centre for Social and Economic Research, we examines financing options for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) owned by Belarusians in the European Union through alternative to traditional banking loans. The policy papers note that Belarusian entrepreneurs in Europe face restricted access to traditional bank loans, mainly due to a lack of collateral, sanctions, and short credit histories. For these businesses, credit guarantee schemes, equity markets, and crowdfunding platforms are considered as an alternative way to raise capital from a broader base of investors. Proposed solutions aim to integrate Belarusian entrepreneurs into the EU economy, bolster their impact, and support economic reforms in Belarus.
