Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-05-11-Speech-3-530-000"
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"en.20110511.34.3-530-000"2
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"Mr President, many thanks to the honourable Members for this important oral question and your debate. I will respond to the question on behalf of my colleague, Vice-President Antonio Tajani.
In fact, small and medium-sized enterprises account for 99% of all European enterprises and generate most of the value-added of the real economy and create two-thirds of the jobs in the private sector. The EU is relying on SMEs and is creating the conditions under which they can develop and grow in order to create jobs in competitive markets. SMEs need less red tape, easier access to finance green markets and skills that match the needs of the real economy. These are the principles behind our SME policy as presented in the review of the Small Business Act for Europe. I will outline five avenues of work in the frame of your five questions in the oral question in my response on behalf of the Commission.
In the review, the Commission invites the Member States to systematically assess the impact of the legislation on SMEs by using the SME test. The European Parliament and the Commission are working together on a study of the application of the SME test in the Member States and at European level. The Commission will use this test as a basis for planning additional measures to support implementation and the exchange of best practice. We are also currently completing a study on the problems associated with licensing and official authorisation, company transfer and bankruptcy procedures in the Member States. The study will enable the Commission and, in particular, the Member States, to plan appropriate measures for applying the ‘think small first’ principle to administrative services. This will be made possible in particular by expanding online administration and the one-stop shop in line with the recommendations made in the review.
Secondly, a new system of governance will be introduced. The Commission has invited the Member States to appoint a SME representative – ‘Ms or Mr SME’ – to monitor the implementation of the SBA at national level. The national representatives will be members of a consultative group for the SBA which will help to assess and disseminate information concerning the measures taken to support SMEs. They will meet for the first time at the SBA Conference in Budapest on 24 and 25 May this year.
Thirdly, SMEs are intended to be the main beneficiaries of the European programme to reduce the administrative burden. The Commission has submitted to the Council and the EP proposals for reducing administrative costs very substantially – by up to over 30% when they are implemented – while the proposals already adopted will reduce administrative costs by 22%.
The Commission is relying on the Parliament to ensure that our proposals are adopted as soon as possible. Certain proposals, such as the review of the Fourth Accounting Directive, will benefit SMEs in particular. When it has been adopted by the Council and Parliament, the review of the Fourth Accounting Directive will enable Member States to exempt very small enterprises from certain accounting obligations.
Fourthly, the SBA has also created a framework to enable SMEs to take up the challenge of energy efficiency by improving their energy management and seizing the opportunities presented by the environmental market. The action plan to encourage eco-innovation will also be implemented, paying particular attention to SMEs by promoting networking, low carbon technologies and efficient management of the use of resources. We will also continue developing action specifically devoted to environment and energy experts within the Enterprise Europe network.
Finally, as part of the flagship initiative on the Agenda for new skills and jobs, the Commission will assess future skills needs in micro- and craft-type enterprises. An initial study on identification of future skills requirements in micro- and craft-type enterprises up to 2020 has just been published. It identifies the actions which need to be taken to meet future skills requirements, promote them more effectively and include them more systematically in training programmes for both micro-enterprises and craft-type enterprises."@en1
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