Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-01-18-Speech-3-423"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20060118.25.3-423"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, it is important to discuss the issue of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises. More important still is to put into practice measures to provide effective support for micro-, small- and medium-sized businessmen, which is something that has not happened; far from it. Neoliberal policies have created enormous difficulties for micro and small enterprises.
As the report says, it is not enough simply to have a European Charter for Small Enterprises. The Charter’s actions for small businesses should be incorporated in, and supplemented by, the general policy for SMEs on the basis of binding measures, not only at Community level but also within Member States. It is especially important that small and micro enterprises have recourse to European programmes. Accordingly, conditions must be in place to facilitate the access of such businesses to Community funds, either by amendments to be introduced to the regulations, or by setting up mechanisms of direct, unequivocal support for their associations, in order to help them overcome continuing financial, bureaucratic, tax and other obstacles.
It is also important to strengthen financial instruments for small and craft enterprises, particularly mutual guarantee systems, and to set up flexible microfinancing systems, aimed at family businesses, those set up by women and young people, helping to cofinance projects and making relevant information available. It should not be forgotten that if the EU does not take measures now, it will be confronted in ten years’ time with millions of small and craft enterprises going out of business, with the attendant risk of millions of job losses, which will exacerbate poverty, the desertification of rural areas and social exclusion.
Accordingly, as the report says – and I take this opportunity to congratulate Mrs Vlasto on her work – it is crucial that the European institutions and the Member States implement and develop the actions laid down in the European Charter in full. This must be binding, and not just a matter of paying lip service to the Charter. Furthermore, it must not lose its content on account of its inclusion in the Lisbon Strategy, as Mr Verheugen suggested just now, a prospect that I find worrying."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples