Today the industry, energy and research committee backed the report drafted by S&D MEP Patrizia Toia which calls for stronger support for European Small and Medium Enterprises.
The report calls for the next the Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027) to prioritise the EU programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (COSME) and to double the amount of funds to be allocated to SMEs, compared to the European Commission proposal, going up to €2.7 billion.
Patrizia Toia MEP said:
“SMEs are the engine of the European economy, and they are at the core of Europe’s creativity and innovation. However, they are also more difficulties to profit from the EU Internal Market and to face transnational big corporations.
“This report restores the visibility of the actions for SMEs and the added value of the current COSME programme. One of the new elements we are calling for is the support for Social Economy Enterprises, which bring an added value to our societies. They qualify as SMEs and face similar problems, while being able to reinvent new and original economic and business models.
“The new programme will also pay more attention to women and to the young, establishing better synergy with other EU programmes such as InvestEU and Erasmus for young entrepreneurs.
“We hope that the Council will listen to what the Parliament said today and take our proposals on board.”
The S&D spokesperson on industry, energy and research, Dan Nica MEP, said:
“Up to 99% of all enterprises in the EU are SMEs, employing fewer than 250 persons. Unlike bigger companies, they have been negatively affected by globalisation, the financial crisis and digitisation. The economic environment has become more complex and the need for innovation more pressing.
“The EU should provide measures to promote technological and organisational transition, to make sure that EU businesses can cope changes and be competitive in the global market. It is crucial for institutions and enterprises to adopt a collaborative philosophy, pooling their know-how and resources. They should help to create a specialised network of support for independent entrepreneurs and make sure that no one is left behind in the transition to a global and digitalised economy.”
