SME Union demands quick, tangible actions for Better Regulation

"The SME UNION fully supports the Better regulation initiative of the European Commission", emphasizes SME UNION President Christoph Leitl. He welcomes the progress in the reduction of bureaucracy confirmed in the interim report published today. But there is still a long way ahead until European business will be eased from administrative burdens that hinder their capacity to grow and innovate. Leitl demands „quick, tangible actions and measures".

"The time is ripe to act. Now the Commission has to walk the talk", said President Leitl. He demands to cut the administrative burden by 25 percent until 2010. "This would really boost growth and innovation in Europe. European business need a long-term, predictable, transparent and easy regulation framework to be able to face  the challenges of the future." Too many rules hinder entrepreneurial action: "Especially small and medium-sized enterprises suffer disproportionately from administrative burdens because they dispose of limited ressources to break through the jungle of complex rules", said SME Union President Leitl. 
 
To support and stimulate the Commission's "High Level Expert Group" for Better Regulation, the SME UNION of the European People's Party - together with EUROCHAMBRES (The Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and Jade (The European Confederation of Junior Enterprises) - has set up a  "Low Level Group" of real entrepreneurs. "It is extremely important that the Commission takes into account and responds to the actual concerns of European small businesses," President Leitl pointed out. The core of the group consists of seven entrepreneurs. It will detect the  fields where quick action is needed and work out concrete measures. "They will complement the work of the Commission with their own hands-on experience," concluded President Leitl. "We do not aim at deregulation, but at qualitatively better legislation." It makes sense to combine different  political instruments to reach that aim, for example a slimmer legislation and voluntary measures by European businesses.

The SME UNION (Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Union) of the EPP (European People's Party) is the business organization of the EPP and network of pro-business Christian-Democrat, Conservative and Center Right politicians and political organizations. As officially recognized EPP Association its main objective is to shape EU policy in a more SME friendly way.