Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-10-22-Speech-1-186-000"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20121022.23.1-186-000"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Mr President, honourable Members, the Commission would like to thank Mr Rübig and also all the other MEPs who contributed to this report, which reflects the great commitment of this institution towards European SMEs. The Commission welcomes the support for its actions announced in the Communications on the internationalisation of SMEs, industrial policy and smart regulation.
To sum up, Commission President Barroso has on several occasions underlined that SMEs are one of the priorities of his mandate, and I can assure you that he is determined to put that into practice using all the EU instruments at his disposal.
You are right. SMEs are the backbone of the economy. They represent around two thirds of all private sector jobs and generate around 58 % of the value added. They have also created 85 % of new jobs in recent years. However, they have been seriously affected by the crisis and need help to face new challenges.
The Commission can assure you that the European strategy for SMEs will focus on the promotion of SME-friendly activities across the full range of EU policies and spending programmes. This includes in particular the simplification of procedures and the creation of one-stop shops. But we will also provide dedicated support and services reflecting the particular needs of the SME community at European level through the Programme for the Competiveness of Enterprises and SMEs (the ‘COSME’ programme).
The report by Mr Rübig calls for an internationalisation strategy for SMEs, and the Commission can only support this idea. Currently, only 13 % of SMEs export to countries outside the Union, and we all know where the future growth opportunities are: in the fast-growing economies in Asia, South America and Africa. The OECD has estimated that 90 % of world growth in 2012 is taking place outside Europe.
The Commission is currently identifying the gaps in the support to businesses abroad. The result of this mapping exercise will be presented in December. Next year we will present concrete action at European level to address the difficulties that SMEs face on the ground. However, I can assure you that we will continue the current successful initiatives such as the partnering services of the Enterprise Europe Network, the China SME IPR Helpdesk and the established SME business centres in third countries.
In this context I would also like to mention the Missions for Growth of Vice-President Tajani. In 2012 missions have taken place to Brazil, the United States, Mexico and Colombia. These missions have been a real success, judging from the positive feedback and the conclusion of political agreements in a number of sectors such as SME policy and industrial cooperation.
Concerning the reduction of the administrative burden, this is a concern for all of us. The Commission is strengthening the application of the SME test in our impact assessment procedure. But, as you know, SMEs still suffer from burdensome regulations. This is why the Commission is currently working in close cooperation with SMEs and SME organisations to identify the ‘top ten’ most burdensome pieces of legislation. An open public consultation is ongoing until Christmas. We have no time to lose, and the result of this consultation will allow us to go to the core of the problems. We will screen these problematic pieces of legislation and analyse where there is scope for introducing lighter regimes for SMEs while preserving the purpose of the legislation, such as health and security aspects.
But in addition, the future EU budget will also provide targeted financial support for SMEs. The COSME programme will cover actions in favour of the competitiveness of SMEs, such as improving access to finance and the Enterprise Europe Network. The COSME programme will also aim at improving the sustainability of EU businesses and improving access to markets within the EU and internationally – all priorities mentioned in your report, Mr Rübig.
COSME will also enhance the Erasmus for Entrepreneurs initiative specifically mentioned by Mr Rübig. Therefore, COSME is
programme to support the political priorities underlined by you. In these times of austerity, we also note the request in the report to significantly increase the budget of this important programme."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata | |
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples