European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP)
The main objective of the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) is to facilitate the exchange of information and to promote cooperation among the various European actors involved in microfinance in developing countries.
e-MFP members include banks and financial institutions, government agencies, NGOs, consultancy firms, researchers and universities. Its main mission is the promotion of innovative and inclusive financial sectors in developing countries.
The e-MFP is organized in different working groups, each of them focusing on different aspects of microfinance: Research, Capacity Building, Innovation for Rural Outreach, Social Performance of MFIs and Remittances.
Centre for European Research in Microfinance (CERMi)
CERMi (Centre Européen de Recherche en Microfinance / Center for European Research in Microfinance), draws together researchers, involved in microfinance activities, from the Centre Emile Bernheim (Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, Université Libre de Bruxelles) and from the Research Centre Waroqué (Université Mons-Hainaut). The CERMi also collaborates with the European Microfinance Programme.
CERMi aims at developing suitable frameworks to critically examine existing microfinance practices and to promote academic research through the support of doctoral research programmes, international publications and the organization of workshops and seminars.
CERMi focuses his research on four specific microfinance areas:
- new products and innovation (remittances and money transfers, microinsurance and green microfinance).
- corporate governance (governance of savings and credit cooperatives and the influence of investment funds on the governance of microfinance organizations).
- public policy in microfinance (general development strategies and strategies supporting small rural micro-enterprises).
- ethical aspects of microfinance (the fairness of interest rates provided by microfinance institutions, the mission drift in microfinance and the right-based approach)
