| 18/12/2008 |
Parliament praised for including SMEs in revised deposit guarantee rules
Brussels, 18 December 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, welcomed today’s vote at the European Parliament’s plenary on the new rules on deposit guarantee schemes. The minimum coverage level for bank deposits will be raised and payouts will be faster following today’s vote, which also extends the scope of the rules beyond private households, including SMEs. This decision represents a very positive step in restoring SMEs’ confidence in the financial market, which was clearly shaken by the crisis Europe has started experiencing in the last months. UEAPME congratulated the Parliament’s rapporteur and praised MEPs for the stance taken today. It also called on Member States to make full use of the possibilities opened by today’s vote. Read more »
|
| 17/12/2008 |
SMEs condemn Parliament’s plenary vote on working time
Brussels, 17 December 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, was left strongly disappointed by today’s plenary vote at the European Parliament on the Working Time Directive. Despite numerous calls by all employers’ organisations to back the Council’s compromise on the dossier, MEPs decided instead to reconfirm the opposite stance taken by the Parliament’s Employment Committee one month ago. This will certainly complicate the possibility of an agreement on this long-standing dossier and generate more uncertainty both for workers and employers, denounced UEAPME. SMEs cannot accept the fundamental changes introduced today on qualifying “on-call” time as full working time and on the deletion of the opt-out, it stressed. Read more »
|
| 17/12/2008 |
State aid: Barroso gives Member States licence to burn money
Brussels, 17 December 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, was left with mixed feelings by the temporary State aid measures presented by the European Commission as an answer to the economic crisis today (Wednesday). The organisation appreciated the EC’s analysis of the current downturn and the measures it put forward on aid in form of guarantees, subsidised interest rates, subsidised loans for green products and risk capital measures. However, the new rules also foresee an increase of the so-called “de minimis” aid that can be given to private enterprises without prior notification to the European Commission from 200.000 EUR over a three-year period to 500.000 EUR per year for 2009 and 2010. According to UEAPME, such a sudden and steep increase is likely to distort competition both within and between Member States, hide funds from public scrutiny and trigger a subsidy race at taxpayers’ expense with no concrete benefits for SMEs. Read more »
|
| 15/12/2008 |
Stress at work: EU agreement makes a difference
CEEP, BUSINESSEUROPE, UEAPME and ETUC presented their joint report today on the implementation of the autonomous framework agreement on work-related stress adopted at EU level in 2004. Read more »
|
| 12/12/2008 |
Summit’s green light to recovery plan and SBA action plan pleases SMEs
Brussels, 12 December 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, welcomed the conclusions adopted by the European Council today (Friday) on the European Economic Recovery Plan. According to UEAPME, Heads of State and Government gave the green light to a much-needed, coherent and coordinated reaction to the present economic crisis. The SME organisation appreciated the Council’s support for the Small Business Act action plan adopted by the Competitiveness Council, which is now fully endorsed by Member States and given the high political recognition it deserves. UEAPME was also pleased by the possibility opened by the Council to use State aid to guarantee working capital to enterprises, which will ensure the availability of this fundamental financing source for SMEs. It warned, however, that the new and more generous approach to State aid must not pave the way to a subsidy race between Member States. Protecting national champions to the detriment of SMEs and other Member States would wipe out all benefits of the recovery plan, stressed UEAPME. Read more »
|
| 02/12/2008 |
SBA: Competitiveness Council conclusions must be endorsed by Heads of State
Brussels, 2 December 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, welcomed the conclusions on the Small Business Act adopted by the Competitiveness Council yesterday (Monday). According to UEAPME, the document sets the right priorities for a serious and effective SME policy, especially when it comes to access to finance and the reduction of administrative burdens. UEAPME also appreciated the introduction of a specific action plan as an annex to the Council conclusions, which should become part of the European Economic Recovery Plan. UEAPME stressed, however, the need to promote the document at the highest possible political level. The organisation called therefore on the European Heads of State and Government to formally endorse the work of the Competitiveness Council at their next meeting in Brussels on 11 and 12 December. Read more »
|
| 01/12/2008 |
Business organisations sceptical about revision of EUROVIGNETTE directive
Brussels, 1 December 2008 – Ahead of tomorrow’s hearing at the European Parliament on the revision of the EUROVIGNETTE Directive, the European business organisations EUROCHAMBRES, EuroCommerce and UEAPME warn about the risk of triggering a further increase in transport costs without achieving the desired environmental improvements. Read more »
|
| 26/11/2008 |
Economic recovery plan deserves Member States’ full cooperation, say SMEs
Brussels, 26 November 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, welcomed the European Economic Recovery Plan released by the European Commission today. According to UEAPME, the EC communication is a strong signal of its willingness to take decisive action against the deepening economic crisis. A rejection of this plan by Member States would darken Europe’s already bleak economic outlook, warned UEAPME. Commenting on the text, the SME organisation particularly appreciated the EC proposals for additional measures to secure access to finance for SMEs, to speed up the reduction of VAT rates for labour intensive services and to cut labour taxes at the low end of the wage scale. However, UEAPME was less satisfied with the chapter on employment support, which does not mention the consequences of downsizing in large enterprises for smaller service providers, suppliers and subcontractors. It also expressed worries on the links between the plan and the Small Business Act, which is mentioned only in passing in the text. Read more »
|
| 25/11/2008 |
Europe’s economic recovery will not happen without SMEs
Brussels, 25 November 2008 – Despite the undeniable progress made since the last election round, Europe must now do more to foster its SME sector and leverage its potential to find ways out of the current economic crisis, according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Meeting in Prague with Mr Marek Mora, Vice Prime Minister for European Affairs for the Czech government, the UEAPME Board of Directors unveiled a memorandum with concrete proposals to lay the foundations of Europe’s economic recovery. One day ahead of the presentation of the European Commission’s economic recovery plans, UEAPME called on the EU institutions and on Member States to re-stabilise financial markets, secure SME finance and make the Small Business Act commitments a reality. It warned, however, that public interventions must be aimed at the real economy, and that bailouts must not cover up structural problems or overcapacity in some industrial sectors. Read more »
|
| 06/11/2008 |
ECB interest rate cut the right decision at the right moment
Brussels, 6 November 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and employers’ organisation, praised the decision to
further cut interest rates by 50 basis points taken by the European Central Bank at its Governing Board meeting
in Frankfurt today (Thursday). According to UEAPME, the ECB took the right decision at the right moment. On the
substance, UEAPME stressed that today’s interest rate cut will help in stabilising financial markets while also
supporting lending to the real economy, and to small businesses in particular, thanks to reduced borrowing
costs. On the timing, the ECB decision is in line with the downward trend in risk premium rates and short-term
commercial lending rates such as EURIBOR, and is therefore likely to have a real effect on borrowing conditions
and help in keeping these rates at a reasonable level in the next months. Read more »
|
| 05/11/2008 |
Committee vote on Working Time puts a dent on Parliament’s reputation
Brussels, 5 November 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and employers’ organisation, was left strongly disappointed by today’s vote at the European Parliament’s Employment Committee on the Working Time Directive.
MEPs swept away the difficult and reasonable compromise reached at the Council on the dossier, by re-opening
discussions and demanding fundamental wording changes on the issues of opt-out and on the definition of “on-call” working time. UEAPME condemned such a short-sighted and irresponsible behaviour, which will plunge
Europe back into legal uncertainty and damage both employers and employees if confirmed in December.
UEAPME therefore called on the European Parliament’s Plenary to reject today’s amended directive, for the sake
of closing a long-lasting impasse and especially in the light of the deteriorating economic situation in Europe. Read more »
|
| 03/11/2008 |
European SMEs should not pay the price of current economic crisis
Brussels, 3 November 2008 – Policymakers at all levels must ensure that the real economy does not end up paying the price of the current financial crisis. This was the message brought forward by the General Assembly of
UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, which came to a close in Tours last Thursday in
the run-up to the European Conference on Crafts and Small Enterprises. More than 70 delegates from 21 countries, representing more than 12 million SMEs in Europe, gathered to discuss on how best to react to the spillover
effects of the financial crisis on their businesses. Access to finance remains a key concern, participants agreed,
stressing that the money poured recently into the markets must now reach small enterprises instead of being
used to re-adjust banks’ frail accounts. UEAPME and its members will closely follow the developments on the
ground in this respect. Public spending will also play a crucial role, as long as it promotes durable investments
and not short-term consumption. The Small Business Act must now be implemented, warned participants, who
also called on policymakers to further limit red tape and to reassess the impact of past, pending and future legislation on SMEs. Read more »
|
| 03/11/2008 |
Le PMI europee non devono pagare il prezzo dell’attuale crisi economica
Bruxelles, 3 Novembre 2008 – Il mondo politico deve far sì che non sia l’economia reale a pagare il prezzo
dell’attuale crisi economica. Questo il messaggio lanciato dall’Assemblea Generale dell’UEAPME,
l’organizzazione europea dell’artigianato e delle PMI, che si è tenuta giovedì scorso a Tours in occasione della
Conferenza Europea dell’artigianato e delle PMI. Oltre 70 delegati provenienti da 21 paesi, in rappresentanza di
oltre 12 milioni di imprese, si sono riuniti per discutere su come reagire agli effetti della crisi finanziaria sulle
loro imprese. L’accesso al credito rimane la principale preoccupazione a detta dei partecipanti, che hanno
espresso preoccupazione su come i fondi recentemente messi a disposizione siano effettivamente trasferiti alle
PMI e non vengano, al contrario, utilizzati per ripianare i bilanci degli istituti di credito. L’UEAPME ed i suoi
membri monitoreranno che i fondi siano ad effettivo beneficio delle PMI. La spesa pubblica giocherà un ruolo
importante, ma deve promuovere investimenti duraturi piuttosto che incoraggiare consumi di breve durata. Lo
Small Business Act deve essere messo in pratica, hanno sottolineato i partecipanti, che hanno inoltre lanciato un
appello affinché la legislazione attuale, futura ed in preparazione venga rivista, in particolare per quanto riguarda
l’impatto sulle piccole imprese. Read more »
|
| 03/11/2008 |
Les PME européennes ne doivent pas payer le prix de la crise économique
Bruxelles, le 3 novembre 2008 – Les décideurs politiques européens doivent agir pour éviter que l’économie réelle paye le prix de la crise financière. Tel est le message de l’Assemblée Générale de l’UEAPME, l’organisation
représentant l’artisanat et les PME en Europe, qui s’est tenue jeudi dernier à Tours à l’occasion de la Conférence
européenne de l’artisanat et des petites entreprises. Plus de 70 participants provenant de 21 pays et représentant
12 millions de PME en Europe se sont réunis pour discuter de la meilleure façon de faire face aux effets de la
crise financière sur l’économie réelle et sur leurs entreprises. L’accès au crédit reste le principal souci pour les
participants, qui ont souligné la nécessité de vérifier que les sommes récemment mises à disposition des marchés soient utilisées pour favoriser le crédit aux PME et non pour redresser les bilans des banques. L’UEAPME
et ses membres vont agir pour vérifier les conditions sur le terrain et qu’il n’y ait pas de restrictions inacceptables de crédit. Les dépenses publiques joueront un rôle fondamental dans la crise, pour autant qu’elles promeu-
vent des investissements durables plutôt que des dépenses à court terme. Le SBA pour l’Europe doit être mis en
pratique, ont averti les participants qui ont aussi souligné la nécessité de réduire la paperasserie et de réévaluer
sérieusement l’impact des initiatives législatives passées, présentes et futures sur les petites entreprises. Read more »
|
| 03/11/2008 |
Die Europäische KMU dürfen nicht den Preis für die derzeitige Finanzkrise zahlen
Brüssel, 3. November 2008 – Die politsche Entscheidungsträger auf allen Ebenen müssen dafür sorgen, dass die
Realwirtschaft nicht am Ende den Preis für die derzeitige Finanzkrise zahlt. Dies betonte Präsident Toifl auf der
Vollversammlung der UEAPME, der europäischen Arbeitgeberorganisation für Handwerk und KMU, die am
vergangenen Donnerstag in Tours im Vorfeld der Europäischen Konferez für Handwek und Kleinbetriebe
stattfand. Mehr als 70 Delegierte aus 21 Ländern, Vertreter von 12 Millionen KMU in Europa, diskutierten wie am
Besten auf die Auswirkung der Finanzkrise zu reagieren sei. Der Zugang zu Finanzierung bleibt ein Kernanliegen,
stellten die Teilnehmer fest und forderten, dass das Geld, das jetzt in den Markt geflossen ist, auch den
Kleinbetrieben zu Gute kommen muss und nicht dazu genutzt werden darf, die Banken zu sanieren. UEAPME und
ihre Mitglieder werden die Entwicklung vor Ort sehr genau verfolgen. Konjunkturprogramme sind richtig und
wichtig, solange damit nachhaltige Entwicklung und nicht kurzfristiger Verbracuh gefördert wird. Der Small
Business Act muss jetzt umgesetzt werden, verlangten die Teilnehmer und warnten vor weiteren Belastungen.
Die Auswirkungen früherer, derzeitiger und zukünftiger Gesetzgebung auf KMU muss überprüft werden. Read more »
|
| 30/10/2008 |
SMEs can lead Europe out of the crisis, says re-elected UEAPME President
Brussels, 30 October 2008 – The General Assembly of UEAPME unanimously re-elected Georg Toifl, a successful entrepreneur and Chairman of the Crafts and Trades Division of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ), as its President for a second two-year term. Mr Toifl singled out the effects of the current financial and economic crisis European SMEs as main concern for his mandate to come. He called on the European institutions and on Member States to restore confidence in the markets, to secure access to finance for small enterprises and to fully put into practice the measures contained in the Small Business Act. The economic potential of SMEs cannot be thwarted by a crisis that they have not created nor contributed to, stressed UEAPME’s reconfirmed President. Read more »
|
| 14/10/2008 |
Tripartite Social Summit: no more time for words, say SMEs
Brussels, 14 October 2008 – The European Union and its Member States must shelter the real economy from the
negative spill-over effects of the financial crisis and prioritise access to finance for their most dynamic enterprises, according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Speaking tomorrow at the
traditional Tripartite Social Summit taking place in Brussels ahead of the European Council, UEAPME President
Georg Toifl will put forward a series of proposals to ensure that Europe’s small enterprises are not caught in the
financial turmoil that is currently affecting the continent. At European level, SMEs expect the European Invest-
ment Bank to ensure the refinancing of SME loans in a flexible way, increased means to back national counter-
guarantee schemes for SMEs and sufficient liquidity by the European Central Bank for drying up money markets.
At national level, UEAPME will urge Member States to extend to small enterprises the bank deposit guarantees
currently reserved to private households and concertedly raised to a minimum 50.000 EUR per account, and to prepare well in advance the economic measures to apply once the financial markets are stabilised. Read more »
|
| 05/10/2008 |
Summit gives hope that consumers and SMEs will be sheltered from financial crisis
Brussels, 5 October 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, welcomed the outcomes of the “mini-summit” on the current economic and financial crisis between the EU members of the G8, the
European Commission and the Eurogroup that took place in Paris yesterday (Saturday). According to UEAPME,
urgent actions are needed to shelter private households and small enterprises from the effects of the financial
crisis, which is worryingly starting to impact on Europe’s real economy. In such a serious downturn, access to
finance for SMEs must be a priority. UEAPME therefore called on the European Investment Bank to inject up to 20
billion EUR on the market to refinance SME loans in Europe and on Member States to tackle rising loan-related
costs for SMEs by doubling their counter-guarantee schemes. Both measures will not affect taxpayers, stressed
UEAPME, which also called for more coordination between Member States and flexibility in the EU Stability Pact and State aid rules, while fully respecting European competition rules. Read more »
|
| 03/10/2008 |
EC “family package”: SMEs wary on maternity leave, pleased on self-employed workers
Brussels, 3 October 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, expressed concerns
on the European Commission’s initiative to revise the EU directive on maternity leave announced today (Friday).
UEAPME was particularly wary of the European Commission’s proposal to extend the duration of the minimum
period of maternity leave in the EU27 from 14 to 18 weeks. There is no evidence that the current rules are not sufficient, said UEAPME, which stressed that the EC initiative will create new difficulties and costs for small employers and called for a broader approach on work-life balance combining other forms of leave, affordable childcare facilities and flexible working arrangements. UEAPME also criticised the timing of the initiative, which might
jeopardise the European Social Partners’ negotiations on the revision of the existing parental leave directive. On
the positive side, UEAPME appreciated the efforts made by the European Commission to present a new reasonable directive on equal treatment between self-employed men and women, which rightly gives assisting spouses
the possibility to request the same level of protection enjoyed by self-employed workers. Read more »
|
| 26/09/2008 |
Competitiveness Council conclusions do not live up to SMEs’ expectations
Brussels, 26 September 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, was left disappointed by the political debate on the Small Business Act that took place at the Competitiveness Council yesterday (Thursday). On one hand, UEAPME welcomed the increased focus on access to finance and better regulation, especially in the light of the worsening economic outlook in Europe. On the other hand, Member States preferred once again future promises to concrete commitments on public procurement and on State aid, two areas
which could dramatically increase SMEs’ contribution in terms of growth and jobs created as of today. Read more »
|
| 24/09/2008 |
Competitiveness Council: SMEs expect concrete results on access to finance
Brussels, 24 September 2008 – The European Union and its Member States must act quickly and effectively to
improve small businesses’ access to finance, according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’
organisation. Higher interest rates and tighter credit conditions triggered by the current financial crisis are put-
ting a severe strain on SMEs’ growth potential, warned UEAPME, and this is a dangerous development at a time
when Europe’s economic outlook is clearly deteriorating. Ahead of the Competiveness Council meeting in Brus-
sels tomorrow to discuss what Europe can do to stimulate growth, UEAPME called for a fast renewal of several
pending counter-guarantee schemes run by the EIF, and for the development of new financial products to back
riskier projects such as start-ups, innovation and business transfers. Moreover, it urged Member States to make
full use of the code of good practices on public procurement and of the new block exemption rules on State aid.
The goal of better access finance for SMEs cannot be achieved without additional funding, UEAPME concluded. Read more »
|
| 16/09/2008 |
Small Business Act: SMEs put forward ideas on an inter-institutional agreement
Brussels, 16 September 2008 – An inter-institutional agreement (IIA) between the European Parliament, the European Com-
mission and the Council is the best way to put into practice the policy principles of the recently launched “Small Business
Act”, according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. To speed-up this debate on an IIA, which
already started at the Informal Competitiveness Council in July (Jouy-en-Josas), Secretary General Andrea Benassi put for-
ward a wording proposal for an IIA that should serve as a basis for negotiations in the coming months, speaking today at
a round table discussion organised in Brussels by BusinessEurope. The text stresses once again the importance of translat-
ing into action the “Think Small First” principle and contains pledges from the EU institutions to increase consultation with
representative stakeholders, carry in-depth impact analysis studies, improve the quality and reduce the volume of legislation
affecting SMEs. A swift signature of such an IIA would demonstrate Europe’s commitment to small businesses, stressed Mr Benassi, who called for a standalone, independent text to be agreed upon as soon as possible. Read more »
|
| 15/09/2008 |
SME finance: good news from the ECOFIN must not be offset by the EC
Brussels, 15 September 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, welcomed the
announcement of an increase in the European Investment Bank’s lending capacity towards SME finance made at
the informal ECOFIN Council that came to a close in Nice this weekend. According to UEAPME, the Ministers’
decision is a step in the right direction to improve credit conditions and overcome the current financial crisis.
UEAPME warned, however, that the benefits of this increase must be passed on to SMEs. It also expressed wor-
ries that these positive news might be counterbalanced by the European Commission, which is currently refusing
to renew several counter-guarantee schemes for SMEs run by the European Investment Fund that have proved to
be very successful so far. Read more »
|
| 03/09/2008 |
Compromise on labelling of substances hits hard on small scale manufacturers
Brussels, 3 September 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, reacted cautiously
to the institutional compromise on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures voted
upon today at the European Parliament. The new rules will bring EU legislation in line with the United Nations’
General Harmonisation System (GHS) for labelling, and represent therefore a crucial step towards the creation of
a truly international and multilateral labelling system. According to UEAPME, MEPs introduced a regulation that
is capable of contributing to the protection of health and environment, while facilitating the free circulation of
goods both inside and outside the EU. UEAPME regretted, however, that substances produced in small quantities
(below 1 tonne) will be subject to notification requirements under the terms of today’s agreement. This will create
administrative and legal burdens for small scale manufacturers, warned the organisation. Read more »
|
| 02/09/2008 |
Joint advice by the Social Partners on the European Works Councils “recast” directive
On 29 August, in a joint letter, BUSINESSEUROPE, UEAPME, CEEP and ETUC
agreed to take the Commission’s 2 July proposal for a directive on councils (recast) as the basis for the revision of the 1994 directive. Read more »
|
| 18/07/2008 |
Small Business Act: Member States must step up to the plate, say SMEs
Brussels, 18 July 2008 – The main principles of the recently launched “Small Business Act” and in particular the
“Think Small First” principle underpinning the text must now be made fully applicable and legally binding, ac-
cording to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Speaking today at the informal Com-
petitiveness Council in Jouy-en-Josas (France), Secretary General Andrea Benassi urged Member States to
commit themselves and suggested an Inter-Institutional Agreement between the Council, the Parliament and the
Commission to firmly anchor the “Think Small First” principle in policymaking at European, national and local
level. UEAPME put forward today a short assessment on the SBA state of play so far, including positive and
negative points in the current text, which Mr Benassi illustrated to all Ministers attending the Council meeting. Read more »
|
| 16/07/2008 |
EC plans on sustainable consumption and production a worrying signal for SMEs
Brussels, 16 July 2008 – The action plan published today by the European Commission to improve the energy
and environmental performance of products and to foster their uptake by European consumers might put small
businesses at a competitive disadvantage and in some cases price them out of the market, according to
UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. While agreeing with the general objectives of the
plan, UEAPME expressed worries on the revised “Ecodesign Directive”, which will now cover a larger number of
so-called “energy-related” products and set compulsory minimum marketability standards. It also voiced its con-
cerns on the labelling criteria that the EC plans to introduce, which will be used to set a minimum level for public
procurement below which goods and services will be excluded from public tenders, a sensitive market for SMEs. Read more »
|
| 16/07/2008 |
French MEP Jacques Toubon receives 2008 “Protypos” award
Brussels, 16 July 2008 – The “Protypos – personality of the year” award, which celebrates and recognises the
activities of personalities who played a significant role in promoting the cause of SMEs in the standardisation
arena, was assigned in Brussels yesterday (Tuesday). Sponsored by NORMAPME, the organisation representing
small businesses in the European standardisation and certification systems, the 2008 Protypos prize went to
French MEP and member of the Internal Market Committee Jacques Toubon, in recognition of his long-standing
commitment towards European crafts and SMEs. Mr Toubon’s dedication to Europe’s small enterprises was re-
confirmed once again last February, when the Parliament dramatically improved the so-called “goods package”,
a framework on various horizontal legislative aspects of marketing of products, including CE marking. Read more »
|
| 07/07/2008 |
Joint letter from the European social partners on childcare
If EU Member States continue to invest in childcare infrastructures at the current pace, they
will fail to meet the Barcelona targets which they set for themselves in 2002 regarding the
provision of childcare – 33% of 0-3 year olds and 90% of 3-6 year olds. This is the main
message voicedon 7 July 2008. Read more »
|
| 07/07/2008 |
Members States must make use of new General Block Exemption Regulation
Brussels, 7 July 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, warmly welcomed the
“General Block Exemption Regulation” (GBER) on State aid presented today by the European Commission as
part of its “Small Business Act” package. UEAPME was particularly pleased by a series of new provisions spe-
cifically targeted to SMEs in the GBER, which allows increased aid intensities and makes it easier for small busi-
nesses to benefit from public support for investments in training, innovation, energy efficiency and other impor-
tant areas. UEAPME warned, however, that none of these provisions would bring about concrete advantages for
European small businesses unless they are properly used by Member States in the next months. Read more »
|
| 07/07/2008 |
Commission proposal on reduced VAT rates must now be put into practice
Brussels, 7 July 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, warmly welcomed the proposal on reduced VAT rates presented today by the European Commission as part of its “Small Business Act” package. The text put forward by the EC regroups a number of existing sector-specific and country-specific rules, and provides a permanent legal framework to introduce reduced VAT rates in labour-intensive sectors, which are currently applied in 18 Member States as an “experiment”. The proposal also extends the scope to other services provided locally, i.e. those that do not impact on cross-border trade and do not distort competi- tion. According to UEAPME the text, if approved by the Council and thoroughly applied at national level, will be a boon for SMEs, especially those operating in labour-intensive sectors. Read more »
|
| 03/07/2008 |
ECB’s interest hike must not be the first of a series
Brussels, 3 July 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, reacted cautiously to
European Central Bank’s decision to raise interest rates by 25 basis points, taken today (Thursday) by the ECB
Governing Council meeting in Frankfurt. According to UEAPME, a hike in interest rates is not the correct way to
tackle the rising inflation in the EU, which is mainly due to external “shock factors” such as high oil and com-
modity prices. Today’s decision is likely to put pressure disproportionately on the real economy, a worrying sig-
nal for European crafts and SMEs at a moment when the Eurozone is day’s decision must not be the first of a series, warned the organisation. Read more »
|
| 02/07/2008 |
Renewed social agenda: a forward-looking approach with some limits
Brussels, 2 July 2008 – The “Renewed social agenda” presented by the European Commission today is a step in
the right direction towards the right balance between the economic and social pillars of the Lisbon agenda, ac-
cording to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. UEAPME welcomed the holistic ap-
proach taken by the Commission to tackle social and societal challenges through a variety of legislative and non-
legislative tools. It also praised the EU commitment to support Member States in their efforts for reforms in the
fields of pensions, health and education. UEAPME was pleased by the particular focus put by the EC on the need
to invest more on youth, skills and employability to improve inclusive labour markets, although it would have
preferred a stronger focus on flexicurity and active labour market policies. Moreover, it criticised the initiative to
review the existing rules on equal treatment for the self-employed. Finally, it warned against new burdens and
costs for SMEs possibly arising, even indirectly, from a new directive to tackle discrimination in all its forms. Read more »
|
| 25/06/2008 |
Small Business Act: “Think Small First” at last!
Brussels, 25 June 2008 – Despite some shortcomings to be redressed in the next months, the “Small Business
Act” published by the European Commission today (Wednesday) has the potential to shift SME policy up a gear,
according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. The organisation praised the cen-
tral role given in the Commission’s proposal to the “Think Small First” principle, and announced its plans for a
“Think Small Test” assessing the progress made every year by the EU institutions and by Member States in this
respect. It was also pleased by the ten policy principles underpinning the package, which are largely in line with
its requests in the past months. However, UEAPME was less satisfied with the minimum stakeholder consultation
periods, which were reduced to 8 weeks, and with the perfectible wording of the SBA on environmental chal-
lenges and on innovation. Moreover, UEAPME warned about the lack of financial support to back the Act’s ambi-
tious aims, which will have to be attained largely through pre-existing instruments such as CIP and FP7. Read more »
|
| 23/06/2008 |
Crafts and SMEs react positively to EC proposals for a Small Business Act
Brussels, 23 June 2008 – The “Small Business Act” to be unveiled by the European Commission on Wednesday
is a good working basis to improve SME policy in Europe and firmly put the “Think Small First” principle at its
heart, according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. However, its success will
largely depend on Member States and their commitment to act before the 2009 elections, stressed Secretary
General Andrea Benassi, speaking alongside the EC SME Envoy Françoise Le Bail and the French Minister for EU
Affairs Jean-Pierre Jouyet at a conference organised by UEAPME’s French member CGPME today in Brussels. Read more »
|
| 18/06/2008 |
European Social Partners work together on restructuring
On 19 and 20 June 2008, the four European cross-industry social partner
organisations, ETUC, BUSINESSEUROPE, UEAPME and CEEP are holding a synthesis
seminar “Joint study on restructuring in the EU-15” with the objective of exchanging
views on the role of social partners in restructuring processes. Read more »
|
| 17/06/2008 |
Waste Directive compromise less than ideal for European SMEs
Brussels, 17 June 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, was left unimpressed
by the European Parliament’s second reading compromise vote on the Waste Framework Directive, which took
place in Strasbourg today (Tuesday). Despite a somewhat softer stance, MEPs confirmed the introduction of le-
gally binding, EU-wide quantitative targets that will be particularly burdensome for small enterprises in some
countries and sectors. Moreover, the Parliament renounced to a proposal for a consultative “Waste Forum” open
to all stakeholders, and left important procedural aspects to be dealt with through “comitology” behind closed
doors. On the positive side, the compromise text now includes a clear definition of “by-products”, which are ex-
cluded from the scope of the Directive, and foresees a simplified “waste list” that will be of great use for SMEs. Read more »
|
| 14/06/2008 |
Irish referendum: crafts and SMEs urge Member States to avoid deadlock and suggest enhanced cooperation
Brussels, 14 June 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, deplored the negative
results of the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland. Read more »
|
| 13/06/2008 |
Crafts and SMEs hand out to-do list to upcoming French Presidency
Brussels, 13 June 2008 – The upcoming French Presidency of the EU will have the unique opportunity to reshape
SME policy and place the “think small first” principle at the heart of the EU decision-making process, according
to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Secretary General Andrea Benassi met today a
high-ranking representative from the French Government and presented him with a paper outlining the main pri-
orities for crafts and SMEs in the run-up to the “Small Business Act for Europe” to be adopted in the second half
of the year. The document identifies six key areas where immediate action is needed: encouraging entrepre-
neurship, completing the internal market, creating an SME-friendly fiscal and financial environment, promoting
sustainable development among crafts and SMEs, supporting innovation and fostering cohesion. Read more »
|
| 10/06/2008 |
SMEs satisfied with Council agreement on working time and temporary work
Brussels, 10 June 2008 – UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, welcomed the political
agreement reached by the Employment Council yesterday (Monday) on working time and temporary work. The
organisation congratulated the Slovenian Presidency of the EU for managing to unlock the long-lasting stalemate
on working time. It was also pleased by the terms of the agreement, which foresees a 12-month reference period
to calculate the average 48-hour working week and stipulates that the “inactive” part of on-call time is not work-
ing time. UEAPME also reacted positively to the deal struck on temporary agency workers, which provides a rea-
sonable balance between flexibility and security through equal treatment after a set “qualifying period”. Read more »
|
| 09/06/2008 |
Energy package: Luxembourg deal a bow to monopolistic national champions
Brussels, 9 June 2008 – The deal reached last week by the EU Energy Ministers on the so-called “energy pack-
age” is a huge step back compared to the initial EC proposals, a bow to Europe’s energy giants and a blow to
small businesses’ hopes for a competitive internal market in the sector according to UEAPME, the European craft
and SME employers’ organisation. The Transport Council, meeting in Luxembourg last Friday (6 June), found
consensus on a “third way” to deal with ownership unbundling, i.e. the complete separation of distribution and
transmission from production and supply of energy. According to the compromise, energy behemoths will be
able to retain control on both aspects through a watered-down alternative inserted by the Council in ato save national champions from the break-up originally suggested by the EC and backed by UEAPME. Read more »
|
| 03/06/2008 |
Charter conference: small enterprises must not be treated as second-class
Brussels, 3 June 2008 – A strong legal framework based on the “Think Small First” principle is the best policy the
EU can adopt towards its small enterprises, according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ or-
ganisation. Speaking at a Conference on the European Charter for Small Enterprises opening today (Tuesday) in
Brdo, Slovenia, Secretary General Andrea Benassi called on the EU and its Member States to build on the posi-
tive results brought about by the Charter in the run-up to the “Small Business Act for Europe” due to be pub-
lished in a matter of weeks. Read more »
|
| 27/05/2008 |
Energy efficiency: State aid a crucial tool to achieve SMEs’ huge savings potential
Brussels, 27 May 2008 – Awareness raising activities, consulting services and innovative financial instruments
are crucial to help crafts and SMEs achieve their enormous potential to increase energy savings and energy effi-
ciency, according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Speaking today (Tuesday)
at a round table on environmental protection and climate change hosted by Competition Commissioner Neelie
Kroes, Secretary General Andrea Benassi warned that Europe will not be able to reach its ambitious targets on
environmental protection and climate change unless the attractiveness of investing in energy efficiency and en-
ergy savings is dramatically improved. UEAPME therefore called on the European Commission to fine-tune its
State aid rules to allow a better financing for energy-related consultancy services and leaner procedures to calcu-
late eligible costs for aid to energy saving measures. Both issues must be fixed in the upcoming “General BlocExemption Regulation”, said UEAPME, in order to maximise the contribution of SMEs to the EU energy strategy. Read more »
|
| 20/05/2008 |
State aid: notice on guarantees must be integrated in “General Block Exemption”
Brussels, 20 May 2008 – The potential benefits of the “Notice on State aid in form of guarantees” adopted by the
European Commission today (Tuesday) will remain on paper unless its principles are integrated in the upcoming
“General Block Exemption Regulation” (GBER), according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’
organisation. The new text sets out a realistic and practical method to calculate the aid component of guarantees,
said UEAPME, which welcomed the introduction of a “safe harbour grid” to this end. The organisation was also
pleased by the inclusion of provisions for start-ups and of simplified, “single premium” rules for low-amount
guarantees typically used by SMEs. UEAPME warned, however, that none of the measures introduced today will
bring about concrete improvements for SMEs unless guarantees are included in the scope of the GBER. This will
ensure that Member States can use this ever more popular instrument without unnecessary administrative bur-
dens, thereby making it more attractive for aid providers, stressed UEAPME. Read more »
|
| 28/04/2008 |
State aid: SMEs call on Member States to improve General Block Exemption
Brussels, 28 April 2008 – Despite significant improvements over the existing version, the latest
“General Block Exemption Regulation” on State Aid does not yet meet small businesses’ needs,
according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. The UEAPME
Economic and Fiscal Affairs Committee, meeting in Brussels today (Monday), put forward a
series of remarks (1) ahead of a crucial meeting between the European Commission and Member
States on the same day. UEAPME called on Member States to support the inclusion of State aid
in form of guarantees, aid for innovation support services and aid for the hiring of highly
qualified personnel in the scope of the GBER, which specifies the forms of aid that must not be
notified to the EC. It also insisted on the need to extend the coverage for State aid for business
transfers, and stressed the necessity to simplify aid requirements for energy saving investments. Read more »
|
| 17/04/2008 |
Better regulation agenda must move from theory to practice
Brussels, 17 April 2008 – Although “better regulation” regularly tops the list of the most
recurring buzzwords in Brussels, much remains to be done to ensure that its benefits finally
reach European small entrepreneurs, according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME
employers’ organisation. Speaking today at a conference on “the reduction of administrative
burdens on SMEs” organised by the Slovenian Presidency of the EU and UEAPME’s Slovenian
member OZS in Bled, Secretary General Andrea Benassi stressed that the SME dimension
should become the rule, rather than the exception in European policymaking, and called once
again on politicians at all levels to make better regulation a tangible reality for European SMEs. Read more »
|
| 11/04/2008 |
European employers regret ETUC’s decision to reject negotiations on European works councils
On 11 April, BUSINESSEUROPE, UEAPME and CEEP have informed Commissioner Spidla
that they regret the decision of the European Trade Union Confederation to reject the
opening of negotiations on European works councils. Read more »
|
| 09/04/2008 |
Waste Directive: no targets without impact assessment, say SMEs
Brussels, 9 April 2008 – The European Parliament’s Environment Committee delivered once
again a negative message to small businesses when voting in second reading on the Waste
Directive yesterday (Tuesday), according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’
organisation. MEPs reinserted quantitative, legally binding and EU-wide targets for the recycling
of waste and rejected sensible amendments aiming at carrying out an impact assessment study
before setting goals. While UEAPME is not opposed to targets in principle, it had repeatedly
called for a prior feasibility study, especially since large differences remain between and within
Member States as far as the existing recycling facilities and rules are concerned. Moreover, the
Committee voted down the creation of a consultative “waste forum” open to all stakeholders. On
the other hand, UEAPME was pleased by MEPs’ support for a simplified “waste list” for SMEs. Read more »
|
| 07/04/2008 |
Taxation rules a key barrier to cross-border trade for SMEs
Brussels, 8 April 2008. Different tax systems triggering high compliance costs are a barrier for
small businesses wishing to trade their goods and services cross-border in the EU, according to
UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Speaking on the occasion of the
European Commission’s “Tax Forum 2008” coming to a close in Brussels today (Tuesday),
Secretary General Andrea Benassi called for SME-friendlier rules on company taxation and
VAT. Schemes such as “one-stop shops” for VAT, “home state taxation” and a common tax base
on company profits would provide SMEs with the right incentives to go international and make
the most out of the single market. Read more »
|
| 14/03/2008 |
Spring Summit: time for action on energy policy and Lisbon goals
Brussels, 14 March 2008. UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, was
pleased by the focus on concrete actions put by today’s Spring Council conclusions on critical policy
dossiers such as energy and climate change and the new “Lisbon strategy cycle” for 2008-2011. It
warned, however, that it is now more than ever time for action to transform commitments into results. Read more »
|
| 13/03/2008 |
Tripartite Social Summit: SMEs call for labour markets overhaul
Brussels, 13 March 2008. Urgent reforms at national level are needed to improve the functioning of
Europe’s labour markets and make the most out of small businesses’ growth and employment potential,
according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Speaking at the
Tripartite Social Summit ahead of the Spring Council today (Thursday), President Georg Toifl urged
Member States to act swiftly through the “flexicurity” approach with the aim of broadening the skill set
of workers and jobseekers, increasing the availability of qualified staff and fighting undeclared work. Read more »
|
| 05/03/2008 |
ICT sector crucial for better, faster, more competitive SMEs
Brussels, 5 March 2008. New technologies such as e-invoicing, the uptake of “e-skills” and SME-
friendly standards are the main opportunities and challenges ahead in the ICT sector for Europe’s small
companies, according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Speaking
today at a conference organised by UEAPME’s partner organisation PIN-SME at CeBIT, the world’s
largest ICT trade fair, Secretary General Andrea Benassi stressed the need to promote ICT as a means
to enable European SMEs to be better, faster and more competitive. Read more »
|
| 21/02/2008 |
Marketing of products: EP puts “new approach” on the right track
Brussels, 21 February 2008. The European craft and SME employers’ association UEAPME and its
sister organisation NORMAPME, which represents SMEs’ interests in the European standardisation
and certification systems, warmly welcomed today’s vote at the Parliament’s plenary in Strasbourg on
the so-called “goods package”, a framework on various horizontal aspects of marketing of products,
including CE marking and other general requirements for a product to be placed on the market.
According to the two organisations, today’s vote brings the package closer to the needs and
expectations of European small companies, by enforcing the proportionality principle and facilitating
conformity assessments for small series and made-to-measure products, which often represent crafts’
and SMEs’ core business. UEAPME and NORMAPME praised the EU institutions for reaching
consensus on this crucial dossier, and encouraged all EU policymakers account in the upcoming revision of sector regulations and directives. Read more »
|
| 12/02/2008 |
EU economic slowdown: stability must prevail over interventionism
Brussels, 12 February 2008. Stabilising financial markets, providing sufficient liquidity and
continuing wage moderation are the crucial answers to the current economic uncertainties, according to
UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Speaking at the Macroeconomic
Dialogue ahead of the Eurogroup meeting yesterday (Monday), Secretary General Andrea Benassi
encouraged the ECB to pursue its policy to limit inflation and provide sufficient liquidity, and stressed
that UEAPME sees no need for an immediate interest rates cut. Wage increases at the lower end of the
market would not decrease precarious jobs but rather cut the overall job offer, said Mr Benassi, who
called instead a the reduction of non-wage labour costs in this sector. “Wage growth”, he said, would
only result in a wage-price spiral and more inflation. Read more »
|
| 06/02/2008 |
Small Business Act: beware of the paper tiger, warn SMEs
Brussels, 6 February 2008. The “Small Business Act for Europe” due for adoption in June must shift
SME policy up a gear and provide added value for all the legislative initiatives in the coming years,
according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Speaking in front of
Vice-President Verheugen and President Barroso at a public hearing organised by the European
Commission today, Secretary General Andrea Benassi reinstated UEAPME’s calls for a solid, legally
binding document based on the “think small first” principle. According to UEAPME, the Small
Business Act must create the best possible environment for micro and small enterprises and give
concrete answers to the diverse challenges they face along their lifecycle. A bland repackaging of the
existing rules is by no means sufficient to achieve the Commission’s ambitious aims, stressed Mr
Benassi, who called for more attention to small businesses’ needs across all relevant EU policy areas. Read more »
|
| 01/02/2008 |
Crafts and SMEs denounce dangers of “employment dilemma”
Brussels, 1 February 2008. European crafts and SMEs are the hardest-hit by the “employment
dilemma” facing European companies, which increasingly suffer from a lack of workforce and
qualified staff while unemployment remains unacceptably high for categories such as young people,
women and older workers. Speaking at the “Social Ministers Troika” with the European Social
Partners, the European Commission and the European Parliament that took place yesterday (Thursday)
in Brdo, Slovenia, Secretary General Andrea Benassi denounced the present risks and put forward the
SME perspective on the dangers of segmented labour markets, which arcompetitiveness to be tackled at European, national and local level. Read more »
|
| 28/01/2008 |
SEPA not yet mature enough to be used by SMEs
Brussels, 28 January 2008. The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) is a positive step forward but it is
not yet mature enough to be used in practice by small and medium-sized businesses, according to
UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Ahead of the official launch
ceremony for SEPA, which will take place in Brussels later today (Monday), UEAPME warned that
several flaws exist in the bank-to-customer interface foreseen by the new system. For instance,
UEAPME stressed the absence of rules concerning remittance information, which is crucial for tools
such as e-invoicing and e-accounting, as well as on the practicalities surrounding debit transfers.
Moreover, UEAPME criticised the lack of adequate information to end users, and insisted on thto ensure competition both on SEPA-related services and on hardware/software infrastructures. Read more »
|
| 23/01/2008 |
Small Business Act last chance for EU to deliver before 2009 elections
Brussels, 23 January 2008. The plans to release a “Small Business Act for Europe” in 2008 are the
last chance for the EU to deliver a concrete answer to small businesses’ needs before the Parliamentary
elections and the European Commission’s renewal in 2009, according to UEAPME, the European craft
and SME employers’ organisation. Speaking in front of representatives from the European Parliament,
the European Commission and the French Presidency at a breakfast meeting jointly organised by
UEAPME and the SME Union of the EPP today (Wednesday), Secretary General Andrea Benassi
stressed once again that small businesses will not settle for anything less than a legally binding act
providing a solid basis for SME policy in the coming years. He also insisted on the application of a real
“think small first” principle, by which small businesses are treated as the rule rather than the exception
in policymaking at EU and national level. Mr Benassi then called on the European institutions and on
the forthcoming French Presidency to close the legislative dossier by the end of the year. Read more »
|
| 23/01/2008 |
Climate change and energy package: mixed results for SMEs
Brussels, 23 January 2008. UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, gave a cautious
welcome to the package of measures implementing the EU climate change and energy strategy unveiled by the
European Commission today (Wednesday). UEAPME was pleased by the revised code governing State aids for
environmental purposes, and said it would accept the principles underpinning the EC proposals to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. The organisation supported a broader and stronger Emissions Trading System (ETS),
although it warned that compensation measures must be foreseen for some industry sectors. It also backed the
EC proposals on renewable energy, but stressed that these measures, including possible trading mechanisms,
must promote competition and the use of the economically most efficient sources, thereby leading to the best
possible prices for end users. In this respect, UEAPME regretted that no mention was made by the EC to
decentralised or micro generation schemes, which are particularly helpful to small businesses. Read more »
|
| 22/01/2008 |
Lisbon guidelines: SMEs call for a more focused implementation
Brussels, 22 January 2008. The EU “Integrated Guidelines for Growth and Jobs” have clearly
demonstrated their added value in terms of improving the EU economic performances and creating a
better employment situation. While continuity must be ensured, their implementation must be improved
on a number of priority aspects of particular relevance for European small businesses, according to
UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Speaking at a hearing of the
European Parliament’s Economic Affairs and Employment Committees today (Tuesday), Director for
Economic and Fiscal Policy Gerhard Huemer singled out undeclared work in the services sector, the
lack of risk finance and unfair competition at global level as threats hampering European SMEs’
potential to fully deliver on the EU ambitious “Lisbon goals”. Read more »
|
RSS feed