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SMEs ask for quick adoption of SME Relief package

22 March 2023
by smeunited -- last modified 22 March 2023

SMEunited at the Tripartite Social Summit urged to have a strong and impactful SME Relief package no later than summer 2023. For the organisation addressing the regulatory environment, especially for SMEs, to attract investments and increase competitiveness is key.


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"We cannot buy competitiveness, it has to be built. Subsidies, protectionism and trade wars will not get us there," stated Petri Salminen, SMEunited President. "Much has been accomplished in the 30 years of the Single Market. Now we have to ease the regulatory burden for SMEs, and focus on full implementation and enforcement. Instead of adding new rules because the existing ones don't seem to be fully working."

The Commission proposals concerning competitiveness and net zero economy, published last week, are a step in the right direction for SMEs in the EU. However, small companies are unlikely to relocate. Many of them provide our everyday needs and offer a broad choice for consumers. They provide employment in rural areas, support our local cultural and sports associations, promote social cohesion, etc. Therefore, SMEunited calls on the Commission to present a strong and impactful SME Relief Package as soon as possible.

President Salminen in that regard called to improve the regulatory environment. This should be done for all companies, with a specific focus on SMEs. And we have to work on a broader scale, rather than focus only on permitting procedures for some sectors.

Furthermore, insisted Mr Salminen, "the European Union should ensure that the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the NextGenerationEU budget are spent impactfully and effectively. In particular, investment must be guaranteed for the digital and green transition of SMEs, given their precarious investment capacity after the pandemic."

Finally, SMEunited stressed that the SME Relief package should tackle 3 main SME challenges: investment capacity for the transition, regulatory environment and skills development. Especially in 2023, the European Year of Skills, the EU should dedicate targeted activities to close skills gaps. "SMEunited members are jointly working to ensure the development of skills of entrepreneurs and their current and future employees. Investing in green and digital skills is an urgent priority. Concrete support to SMEs for upskilling or reskilling is at stake. Social partners have to be closely involved in the swift adaptation of curricula and in anticipating skills needs," said Véronique Willems, SMEunited Secretary General.

SMEunited is the association of Crafts and SMEs in Europe with around 70 member organisations from over 30 European countries. SMEunited represents national cross-sectoral Craft and SME federations, European SME branch organisations and associate members. Combined, we represent more than 12 million enterprises with around 55 million employees across Europe. SMEunited is also a recognised employers' organisation and European Social Partner. SMEunited was formally known as UEAPME.

SMEunited
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