SMEs in the EU

News and information about the European Union's policies for small and medium-sized businesses.

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Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan sets right priorities, say SMEs — 09 January 2013, 13:53 CET

UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers' organisation, welcomed the "Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan" unveiled today (Tuesday) by the European Commission. According to UEAPME, the action plan sets out the right priorities to put entrepreneurship back on the agenda, giving Member States a clear signal to act in this respect.

Entrepreneurship Action Plan: motivating potential new entrepreneurs the no. 1 priority — 10 January 2013, 22:57 CET

While fully endorsing the Entrepreneurship Action Plan’s aim of re-igniting entrepreneurial spirit, EUROCHAMBRES called for implementation to focus heavily on the challenge of motivating and equipping more young Europeans to become entrepreneurs. The many other objectives set out in the communication – which cumulatively resembles a second Small Business Act - must not undermine the pursuit of this primary objective.

Entrepreneurship Action Plan — 09 January 2013, 13:48 CET

The Entrepreneurship Action Plan is a blueprint for decisive action to unleash Europe's entrepreneurial potential, to remove existing obstacles and to revolutionise the culture of entrepreneurship in Europe. Investments in changing the public perception of entrepreneurs, in entrepreneurship education and to support groups that are underrepresented among entrepreneurs are indispensable if we want to create enduring change. Only if a large number of Europeans recognise an entrepreneurial career as a rewarding and attractive option will entrepreneurial activity in Europe thrive in the long term.

Western Balkan companies moving forward on road to the EU — 20 December 2012, 23:56 CET

While Member States delayed important decisions on EU enlargement at last week's European Council, a recent EUROCHAMBRES analysis highlights that businesses in the Western Balkans are moving forward on their way to the EU.

European Insolvency Law — 13 December 2012, 18:21 CET

European Insolvency Law is laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1346/2000 on insolvency proceedings (the "Insolvency Regulation"), which has applied since 31 May 2002. The Regulation contains rules on jurisdiction, recognition and applicable law and provides for the coordination of insolvency proceedings opened in several EU Member States. The Regulation applies whenever the debtor has assets or creditors in more than one Member State.

New European approach to business failure and insolvency — 13 December 2012, 17:32 CET

Businesses hit by the economic crisis will be thrown a lifeline under a new proposal from the European Commission today to modernise Europe’s rules on cross-border business insolvency, helping to give otherwise viable businesses a ‘second chance’. The Commission is proposing to modernise the current rules on cross border insolvency which date from 2000. Benefiting from ten years of experience, the new rules will shift focus away from liquidation and develop a new approach to helping businesses overcome financial difficulties, while at the same time protecting the right of creditors to get their money back.

Company Law and Corporate Governance — 12 December 2012, 17:09 CET

Harmonisation of the rules relating to company law and corporate governance, as well as to accounting and auditing, is seen as essential for creating an EU Single Market for Financial Services and products. In the fields of company law and corporate governance, objectives include: providing equivalent protection for shareholders and other parties concerned with companies; ensuring freedom of establishment for companies throughout the EU; fostering efficiency and competitiveness of business; promoting cross-border cooperation between companies in different EU Member States; and stimulating discussions between Member States on the modernisation of company law and corporate governance.

Action Plan on European company law and corporate governance — 12 December 2012, 17:09 CET

The European Commission has adopted an Action Plan outlining future initiatives in the areas of company law and corporate governance.

EU patent: SMEs welcome unitary system, urge Italy and Spain to join — 11 December 2012, 17:41 CET

UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers' organisation, warmly welcomed the votes at the Competitiveness Council yesterday (Monday) and at the European Parliament today (Tuesday) paving the way to a unitary patent system in the EU.

Single European Patent — 11 December 2012, 14:24 CET

EU inventors will soon be able to get a unitary patent at last. After over 30 years of talks, the European Parliament put its stamp to a new regime which will cut the cost of an EU patent by up to 80%, making it more competitive vis-à-vis the US and Japan. In the compromise deal with the Council endorsed by Parliament on 11 December 2012, MEPs cut costs for small firms and tailored the regime better to their needs.

Youth Guarantees: a valuable measure if member states deliver — 06 December 2012, 23:02 CET

EUROCHAMBRES welcomed today’s Communication by the European Commission on Youth Employment, and particularly the proposal for a Council Recommendation on Youth Guarantees*, but stressed the need for national governments to commit resources to its delivery. It also insisted on Chamber involvement in discussions on a Quality Framework for Traineeships.

2013 Annual Growth Survey — 29 November 2012, 00:25 CET

The European Commission on 28 November adopted the 2013 Annual Growth Survey (AGS), setting out five priorities designed to guide Member States through the crisis to renewed growth. The AGS kick-starts the European Semester for economic policy coordination, which ensures Member States align their budgetary and economic plans with the Stability and Growth Pact and the Europe 2020 strategy.

Annual Growth Survey 2013 reflects weak delivery and governance of Europe 2020 — 28 November 2012, 21:39 CET

The 2013 Annual Growth Survey (AGS) published today by the European Commission confirms EUROCHAMBRES’ views that many member states are failing to deliver the reforms needed to create growth and jobs.

Marketing scams: SMEs welcome Commission's communication — 27 November 2012, 13:32 CET

UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, warmly welcomed the communication on misleading marketing practices adopted by the European Commission today (Tuesday) after years of insistence from our association and its members.

ETS-Backloading: wrong signal at the wrong time — 15 November 2012, 22:45 CET

EUROCHAMBRES has criticised the Emissions Trading System backloading proposal published yesterday by the European Commission for adversely affecting the recovery of the European economy and its industrial base. The proposed amendment to the auctioning regulation, which allows withholding 900 million units of carbon emission allowances in order to artificially increase the price of ETS certificates, would jeopardize growth and employment at a time when Europe is striving to bring an end to the economic downturn.

Small Business Act: commitments are finally becoming actions, survey finds — 14 November 2012, 00:12 CET

Similar average but different performance on administration for Commission and Parliament; all 10 SBA policy areas trending upwards

Macroeconomic Dialogue: SMEs call on unions to stop opposing reforms — 12 November 2012, 19:00 CET

UEAPME calls for policy mix to restore confidence, undertake reforms and support growth; criticises unions’ resistance to reforms

Improved access to EU funds for European businesses, towns, regions and scientists: rules of application for the New Financial Regulation — 30 October 2012, 17:53 CET

Following the recent entry into force of the new Financial Regulation the European Commission has adopted new detailed Rules of application. The delivery of EU funds to businesses, NGOs, researchers, students, municipalities and other recipients will be improved as of 1 January 2013 thanks to simplified procedures. The new legislation increases transparency and introduces higher accountability for anyone dealing with EU finances. It includes wider possibilities to use lump sums and flat rates for smaller amounts, eliminates the need to fill in the same details every time you apply for EU funds and introduces on-line applications as well as many other new features.

ESBA welcomes the adoption of the report on Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs): competitiveness and business opportunities — 24 October 2012, 13:25 CET

Yesterday, the European Parliament, assembled in Plenary sitting, adopted the report by Dr Paul Rübig MEP (EPP, AT) on SME competitiveness and business opportunities.

Business confidence slides down as recession hits SMEs, survey finds — 16 October 2012, 15:38 CET

European SMEs have moved from high uncertainty to downright pessimism as the economic outlook has worsened towards a full-fledged recession, according to a survey conducted by UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, and its members.

European Council: financial and human capital liquidity key to growth and jobs — 16 October 2012, 15:35 CET

In view of its participation in the Tripartite Social Summit which will precede the European Council on 18 October, EUROCHAMBRES calls on EU leaders to shift their focus from repeatedly redefining priorities towards implementation. Chambers in particular highlight the importance of businesses’ access to finance and to a skilled workforce as two of the key conditions for growth and job.

SME Performance Review - guide — 16 October 2012, 14:18 CET

The European Commission on 15 October released results of the SME Performance Review 2012 report, together with fact sheets describing SMEs' progress in all EU Members States. Despite the challenging environment, SMEs stood their ground as the backbone of the European economy, accounting for more than 98% of all enterprises with some 20.7 million firms and more than 87 million people employees. The lion’s share (92.2%) of SMEs is represented by micro firms with fewer than ten employees. It is estimated that SMEs account for 67% of total employment and 58% of gross value added (GVA). Trends in Member States are increasingly divergent and there has yet to be a positive signal on the employment front. In this fragile situation, decisive policy action to tackle the factors that determine SME growth may tip the balance.

SME Performance Review — 16 October 2012, 14:08 CET

The SME Performance Review represents one of the main tools employed by the European Commission to monitor and assess EU Member States’ performance in implementing the Small Business Act. Launched by the European Commission in 2008, it represents a comprehensive source of information on the performance of SMEs in Europe and uses a wide range of success indicators, focusing most notably on the measures in the SBA Action Plan.

New industrial revolution communication — 10 October 2012, 17:42 CET

Europe needs to reverse the declining role of industry for the 21st century with the aim to deliver sustainable growth, create high-value job and solve societal challenge that we face. Immediate action should contribute to reverse the current downward trend from its current level of 15.6% of EU GDP to as much as 20% by 2020. Therefore the Commission proposes a number of priority actions to stimulate investments in new technologies, to improve the business environment, to access to markets and to finance, particularly for SMEs, and ensure that skills meet industry’s needs. Europe's industry is well placed to assume this role: Europe is a world-leader in many strategic sectors such as automotive, aeronautics, engineering, space, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Industry still accounts for 4/5 of Europe's exports and 80% of both Europe's exports and of private sector R&D investment comes from manufacturing. If confidence comes back, and with it new investments, Europe's industry can perform better and start growing again. This is the core message of a communication tabled by European Commission Vice President Antonio Tajani in Brussels today. The actions proposed by this Communication should also contribute to reduce competiveness gap across Member States and EU regions.

EU late payment campaign — 05 October 2012, 17:48 CET

Every year across Europe thousands of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) go bankrupt waiting for their invoices to be paid. Yet late payment of bills is often seen by many as a perfectly acceptable practice. To end this damaging culture of late payment in Europe, European Commission Vice President Antonio Tajani launched today in Rome an information campaign across all 27 EU Member States and Croatia, to encourage speedy incorporation of the Late Payment Directive into national law, even before the absolute deadline on 16th March 2013.