SME EUROPE Working Breakfast on “EPP Policy for SMEs – Building Strong and Dynamic Small Businesses”

On Wednesday, the 22nd of January 2014 the SME Europe of the EPP organized an event on ”EPP Policy for SMEs – Building Strong and Dynamic Small Businesses”.

A quick introduction was given by SME Europe President and Co-founder Nadezhda NEYNSKY MEP, EP Committee on Budgets. In her opening statement NEYNSKY pointed out, that the only way out of the current economic crisis are strong SMEs that provide sustainable growth as an answer to youth unemployment.

The Vice-President of SME Europe Pablo ZALBA BIDEGAIN MEP elaborated on the issue of education, which, as he explained, is one of the most important factor for innovation and therefore the essential ingredient for sustainable growth. To be competitive amongst others and to overcome challenges in multinational markets SMEs need highly qualified Entrepreneurs and employees.

The Keynote Speaker Gerhard HUEMER, Director of UEAPME, explained the role of SMEs, not only for the economy, but also for aspects of social stability and demographic changes. He advised the MEPs to keep the needs of SMEs in mind, since 70-80% of the daily rules with which SMEs are confronted, are (at least pre-) decided by the EU. He also stated that the number one goal must be to get out of the crises because SMEs can`t develop in recessions. Another point Gerhard HUEMER made, was that EU legislators always seem to only think of big multinational companies when they draft bills. The outcome is that those regulations increase the bureaucracy to a level that is impossible to be handled by small and medium enterprises. Gerhard HUEMER therefore asked to always consider the “think small first principal”.

Bendt BENDTSEN, the First-Vice President of SME Europe, called for deregulation and stressed once more the important role that micro enterprises have for Europe`s economy. He also addresses the topic of limited capital on the market. He was concerned that sound investments don`t happen at the moment because of a general uncertainty among investors and that this problem must be tackled as soon as possible.

SME Europe Vice President Salvador SEDÓ I ALABART MEP lead through the event and moderated the following discussion.

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