Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-04-10-Speech-3-305"
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"en.20020410.9.3-305"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Mr Jonathan Evans represents the citizens of Wales, and I represent the citizens of Wels. In both our cities we have strong small and medium-sized enterprises, and that is also Europe's strength. It is because firms with under 250 employees account for two-thirds of jobs that we in the political world must always bear in mind the need to ‘think small first’
First we must think of the ‘small players’ and look to see how we can apply some leverage for them.
It is precisely for the students or workers who want to become self-employed that we have no help to offer by means of functioning instruments. The so-called ‘one man start up’ is a very important area of concern. It must also be possible to make risk capital available in instalments ranging from EUR 5 000 to EUR 10 000 rather than only from EUR 5 million upwards.
In particular, we will have need of that when it comes to the new Member States. We must be aware that they suffer a glaring lack of equity capital, and that even the banks there find this very difficult. If we want to build prosperity there, with a market economy that works, we have to consider how these businesses get their hands on the capital they need once they are working in the European Union.
The second major area is the transfer of businesses. There is at present an enormous tax burden when businesses are handed on from one generation to the next. It is, though, precisely at this stage that the enterprise is at greatest risk, as, on the one hand, the experienced generation is stepping down, and the new generation takes risks in its desire to build something new. I would ask the Commissioner to offer alternatives on this point.
I would like to add, in conclusion, that it is important that we think about fiscal optimisation. Are the rules on depreciation right? Do new businesses and enterprises using risk capital not need new rules on depreciation, new allowances and reserves? How long are time limits to be, and to what should they apply? I believe that tax also plays an enormous role in the accumulation of equity capital. I request the Commission to produce a Green Paper on this issue, because it is in taxation also that Basle II will bring enormous changes, as we can create the conditions for Basle II only if there is massively reduced taxation of business proceeds, especially of undistributed profits from businesses, and then the Finance Ministers really will have to prick their ears up."@en1
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