General Assembly, 23 September 2025
On 23 September 2025, SME Europe held its General Assembly in Brussels under the chairmanship of President Jörgen Warborn.
In his opening, President Warborn higlighted the importance of continued cooperation among national delegations and partners within the EPP family. The General Assembly confirmed that several centre-right parties across Europe are progressing toward joining SME Europe, reflecting growing interest in strengthening the voice of small and medium-sized enterprises at the European level.
A key topic of discussion was the need to expand organisational capacity, particularly in support of event organisation, documentation and compliance. The group agreed that ensuring a stable and well-supported administrative structure is essential to maintaining the quality and visibility of SME Europe’s activities.
The members reviewed preparations for upcoming major initiatives. Women Entrepreneurship Day will be held in cooperation with EPP Women and is planned as a high-profile gathering celebrating women leaders in business and innovation. The SME Europe Awards were also discussed, with a renewed focus on sectors that reflect current European priorities, including security and resilience. Additionally, early planning is underway for the SME Economic Forum, intended to bring together SMEs and larger industry stakeholders in an environment of responsible and transparent cooperation.
Updates were also provided on working group representation within the EPP. President Warborn will contribute to the EPP Competitiveness Working Group, while Vice President Riho Terras will represent SME Europe in the EPP Security and Defence Working Group. These roles ensure that SME interests remain central to discussions on Europe’s economic resilience, innovation capacity, and strategic autonomy.
Throughout the meeting, members reiterated that the strength of SME Europe lies in the combination of political leadership and practical engagement with entrepreneurs. Strong cooperation with the Committee of the Regions, the EESC, and partner organisations remains a core pillar of this work.
The General Assembly concluded with a shared commitment to expanding outreach, strengthening visibility, and supporting policies that enable Europe’s small and medium-sized enterprises to grow, innovate, and compete globally.
