SME Chamber

Small Business Act Happy Birthday?

 Two years on from the endorsement of the Small Business Act by the Member States, the EESC Employers' Group held on the 2nd of December, in partnership with BUSINESSEUROPE, EUROCHAMBRES and UEAPME, a Seminar to assess the added value of the EU initiative for individual business managers and small and medium-sized enterprises.

 

Adopted by the Council of Ministers in December 2008, the Small Business Act for Europe applies to all companies which are independent and have fewer than 250 employees, i.e. 99% of all European businesses. It lays down a set of 10 principles for improving the overall approach to entrepreneurship both at EU and national level.

GRTU Director General Vincent Farrugia, also member of the EESC Employers Group spoke in this activity. He gave a resume on the developments from the European Charter for Small Enterprises till the SBA. He explained that a particular success of Charter was of holding yearly meetings and deciding on the next year's theme to acheive success on a yearly basis.

On the Lauch of the SBA we were excited because we thought it would be an actual ACT with actual legislative power. During last year's birthday we celebrated for having the basis of the Act and the power of monitoring. Today, even though we have schemes that are assisting business, the results are very poor.

"It is incredible that during a period of recession where most Micro and small enterprises continued to sustain the economy at their own expense, despite of the diminished total economic performance, that rather than strengthening what has been stated in the SBA, the resolve by the EU Commission nd by most EU 27 Governments, rather than increasing has actually diminished. The Member States who are doing well in support of the pillars behind the SBA are doing so because they had the structures already in place without waiting for the advent of the SBA. The Small and Micro enterprises we represent want results. The message I passed to the EU commission is emphasised in this single slogan we want results" said Vince Farrugia.

Andrea Benassi from UEAPME also spoke in this important occation and he strongly backed what Mr Farrugia stated. Mr Benassi said: "We want results on the SBA, should be the slogan for 2011. So that when we meet again next year to celebrate the 3rd anniversary we would really have reason to celebrate.

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