A UEAPME delegation met with the Austrian Economics Minister Martin Bartenstein in Vienna on 14 November to outline the priorities for SME policy on which the forthcoming Austrian Presidency should focus.

The delegation, which was led by President Paul Reckinger and Secretary General Hans-Werner Müller highlighed the need to put the economic reform agenda back on track, following the UK Presidency. The Austrian Presidency was also called on to make progress on key legislative proposals, such as the Working Time Directive and the Services Directive, and to take account of the real concerns of SMEs with these draft laws.