SMEs in the EU

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

EU acts to protect Ukrainian intellectual property rights — 09 March 2022, 16:57 CET

The EU Commission and the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) agreed Wednesday a joint definition of the first set of measures to safeguard protection of intellectual property in Ukraine.

EU due diligence law to make corporate governance more sustainable — 25 February 2022, 17:09 CET

The European Commission unveiled its long-awaited proposal Wednesday for an EU law that establishes a corporate sustainability due diligence duty on companies over a certain size.

EU proposal fails to make business models sustainable — 23 February 2022, 23:19 CET

After several delays, the European Commission has published its much-awaited Sustainable Corporate Due Diligence legislative proposal.

EU 'due diligence' proposal should be beefed up to deliver more sustainable products to consumers — 23 February 2022, 23:13 CET

The European Commission today proposes a new law that would make corporate governance more sustainable. This law on so-called corporate 'due diligence' would oblige large companies to meet minimum environmental and labour standards in their supply chain.

SMEunited welcomes long-awaited Data Act — 23 February 2022, 23:15 CET

SMEunited warmly welcomes the adoption by the Commission of the proposal for a Data Act. The Act is an important and necessary step towards a fair and balanced legal framework for the data economy as it will guarantee access to and use of data for SMEs.

Data Act important for competition and consumer choice — 23 February 2022, 23:10 CET

The European Commission's proposal published today to set up new rules on data-sharing, including conditions and protections on data portability and accessibility, is essential to consumers.

New Data Act to boost Europe's digital economy — 25 February 2022, 17:09 CET

A new EU Data Act with rules on who can use and access data generated in the EU across all economic sectors will unlock a wealth of industrial data in Europe, the European Commission said Wednesday.

Data Act - guide — 11 January 2024, 22:17 CET

Today, the European Data Act entered into force on 11 January 2024. The new rules define the rights to access and use data generated in the EU across all economic sectors and will make it easier to share data, in particular industrial data.

Barriers to the single market undermine EU recovery and supply chains — 21 February 2022, 14:00 CET

The European Parliament voted on 17 February on its own-initiative report on tackling non-tariff barriers in the single market. EuroCommerce Director General Christel Delberghe said:

Retail and Wholesale need major investment for digital and sustainability transformation — 08 February 2022, 18:47 CET

In the first ever session in the EU Industry Days dedicated to the retail and wholesale ecosystem, EuroCommerce Director General, Christel Delberghe, shed light on the significant transformation underway in the sector and the need to help businesses embrace the digital and sustainability transition. She said:

Decision against IAB Europe consent banners should shake up entire tracking ads industry — 02 February 2022, 18:03 CET

The Belgian Data Protection Authority (DPA) has decided that the IAB Europe data collection system behind more than 80% of websites and apps in Europe is unlawful.

EUR 47m to protect IP of EU SMEs in green COVID recovery — 11 January 2022, 22:28 CET

The European Commission and EU Intellectual Property Office launched the new EU SME Fund on Monday, offering vouchers for EU-based SMEs to help them protect their intellectual property rights.

Recast of the EPBD: on the right track with some drawbacks — 17 December 2021, 00:35 CET

SMEunited is positive that focus is put on ways to remove economic, technical and knowledge-based barriers to renovate as well as to increase skilled workforce in the construction supply chain. However, some of the new proposed concepts could increase complexity and costs for SMEs.

Retail and wholesale need mobility solutions to support local communities — 15 December 2021, 17:29 CET

With the Commission's publication of its proposed Urban Mobility Framework, EuroCommerce Director General Christel Delberghe underlined the importance of retailers and wholesalers as the vital backbone of local communities and in keeping town centres alive.

Non-tariff barriers fragment single market and harm consumers — 24 November 2021, 18:02 CET

The European Parliament's Internal Market and Consumers Committee (IMCO) has adopted an own-initiative report by Kosma Złotowski MEP on tackling non-tariff barriers in the single market. EuroCommerce Director General Christel Delberghe said:

SMEs vital to life of communities in Europe — 18 November 2021, 19:08 CET

Speaking today in the context of the SME Assembly being held in Slovenia, Veronique Willems, Secretary-General of SMEunited and Christel Delberghe, Director-General of EuroCommerce underlined the role of SMEs as the backbone of vibrant town centres and rural communities, made a joint call for action to address the challenges facing small businesses and the communities they serve:

Retailers and wholesalers to engage in Pact for Skills — 09 November 2021, 21:53 CET

On the one-year anniversary of the launch of the Commission's Pact for Skills, EuroCommerce Director-General Christian Verschueren announced today that retailers and wholesalers will accept the invitation to organise the Pact for Skills for the Retail Ecosystem (including wholesale):

EU Strategy for Sustainable Textiles: make it fit for SMEs — 09 November 2021, 21:57 CET

SMEunited and Small Business Standards present their recommendations to ensure the new textile strategy allows SMEs to fully benefit from the green transition.

MEPs strengthen EU-wide requirements against cyber threats — 04 November 2021, 18:18 CET

A new draft law, agreed Thursday by a European Parliament committee, would set tighter cybersecurity obligations in terms of risk management, reporting obligations and information sharing.

Retail alliances - working to get the best deal for Europe's consumers — 25 October 2021, 23:58 CET

With the Commission today holding a workshop on joint purchasing and pursuing its review of horizontal competition rules, EuroCommerce Director-General Christian Verschueren said:

Energy and materials prices endanger SMEs' recovery — 19 October 2021, 18:25 CET

Ahead of the European Council meeting on 21 October, SMEunited spotlights the repercussions of high energy and material prices for European SMEs. It calls for policy actions to mitigate the energy crisis for 22.5 million SMEs, such as cost management and measures to improve energy markets.

Retailers and wholesalers working for sustainable food supply chain — 19 October 2021, 18:16 CET

As MEPs discuss the European Parliament’s report on the Farm-to-Fork strategy, EuroCommerce Director-General Christian Verschueren said:

SMEs recover faster than expected, but uncertainty is rising — 14 October 2021, 22:32 CET

The SME Business Climate Index presented today shows a steep recovery of 16.3 points up to 76.1% after the weak result of 59.8% recorded in Spring 2021. President Maggiar pointed out that the loosening of the tight lockdown measures in Europe, together with the success of the vaccination schemes, have allowed the rapid improvement of the SMEs economic activities.

Brussels funds innovative start-ups with EUR 363m — 14 October 2021, 22:26 CET

65 innovative European start-ups and smaller businesses are to receive EUR 363 million of funding for breakthrough innovations, the EU announced Thursday, under its new 'innovation accelerator'.

Communication on Energy Prices - guide — 13 October 2021, 22:19 CET

The European Commission adopted on 13 October a Communication on Energy Prices, to tackle the exceptional rise in global energy prices, which is projected to last through the winter, and help Europe's people and businesses.