Small Business Act for Europe
UEAPME warmly welcomed the announcement made by the European Commission in October 2007 to examine a range of initiatives to back SMEs, in the form of a Small Business Act for Europe (SBA) in 2008. It is an important step in the continuous engagement of this Commission towards SMEs.
The founding principle of the Small Business Act, which remains a non-binding communication, is the "Think Small First" principle. UEAPME believes that this principle should be put in practice both at EU and national level.
What are governments doing?
Member States committed to implement the SBA by adopting the Competitiveness Council Conclusions of 1 December 2008. The SBA Action Plan, annexed to the Competitiveness Council Conclusions, focuses on short and medium-term measures to improve SMEs’ access to finance, to improve the regulatory environment and to enhance market access for SMEs. These priority measures are an integral part of the Commission’s response to alleviate the negative impact of economic and financial crisis on enterprises, especially SMEs. The European Council on 11-12 December 2008 supported the full implementation of the Action Plan for the SBA adopted by the Competitiveness Council on 1 December 2008.
UEAPME position papers
July 2010:
UEAPME position on the review of the “Small Business Act for Europe”
September 2008:
Small Business Act for Europe: UEAPME proposal for a specific Inter-Institutional Agreement
March 2008:
UEAPME response to the European Commission’s questionnaire on the Small Business Act for Europe
December 2007:
UEAPME expectations on the proposal for a European Small Business Act
December 2007:
Les attentes de l’UEAPME par rapport à la proposition du « Small Business Act » européen
UEAPME press releases
15/12/2009:
Small Business Act: Commission’s report disappoints SMEs
02/12/2009:
Small Business Act: a not so happy birthday, say SMEs
06/05/2009:
Survey shows wide gap between SME policy actions and concrete effects
12/12/2008:
Summit’s green light to recovery plan and SBA action plan pleases SMEs
02/12/2008:
SBA: Competitiveness Council conclusions must be endorsed by Heads of State
03/11/2008:
European SMEs should not pay the price of current economic crisis
03/11/2008:
Die Europäische KMU dürfen nicht den Preis für die derzeitige Finanzkrise zahlen
03/11/2008:
Les PME européennes ne doivent pas payer le prix de la crise économique
03/11/2008:
Le PMI europee non devono pagare il prezzo dell’attuale crisi economica
30/10/2008:
SMEs can lead Europe out of the crisis, says re-elected UEAPME President
16/09/2008:
Small Business Act: SMEs put forward ideas on an inter-institutional agreement
18/07/2008:
Small Business Act: Member States must step up to the plate, say SMEs
07/07/2008:
Commission proposal on reduced VAT rates must now be put into practice
07/07/2008:
Members States must make use of new General Block Exemption Regulation
25/06/2008:
Small Business Act: “Think Small First” at last!
23/06/2008:
Crafts and SMEs react positively to EC proposals for a Small Business Act
13/06/2008:
Crafts and SMEs hand out to-do list to upcoming French Presidency
20/05/2008:
State aid: notice on guarantees must be integrated in “General Block Exemption”
17/04/2008:
Better regulation agenda must move from theory to practice
07/04/2008:
Taxation rules a key barrier to cross-border trade for SMEs
14/03/2008:
Spring Summit: time for action on energy policy and Lisbon goals
13/03/2008:
Tripartite Social Summit: SMEs call for labour markets overhaul
06/02/2008:
Small Business Act: beware of the paper tiger, warn SMEs
23/01/2008:
Small Business Act last chance for EU to deliver before 2009 elections
17/12/2007:
Small Business Act a litmus test for EU’s commitment to SMEs
News and events
18/06/2008: Administrative Council tackles SBA, access to finance
06/02/2008: UEAPME insists on a legally binding Small Business Act at EC public hearing
Other documents
26/02/2008:
Letter from Secretary General Andrea Benassi to Competitiveness Council Ministers
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