While at the UEAPME Administration Council meeting in Vienna discussing Access of SMEs in Localities and Regions to EU Funds and Financing Programmes, following the address by Commissioner Johannes Hahn, Vince Farrugia Director General GRTU, raised the issue of the low level of funds reaching business in the localities to help them finance trade missions and marketing in the rest of the Internal Market and on Internationalisation.
"Last year Commissioner Kroes told us in an answer to my question that 95% of State Aid in all of the EU goes to large businesses and not to SMEs, who represent 98% of all enterprises in the EU. Now the recession has thought many businesses who are traditionally depended on local markets to look elsewhere but if we look at the Internal Market we still find burdens that the Commission is not successfully overcoming.
Indeed the Monti Report on the Development of the Internal market is an exercise that leads from somewhere to nowhere and leaves much to be desired. Businesses in the localities want action to enable them to really enjoy the benefits of the large internal market. There is tremendous potential for internationalisation. I speak with my experience of leading business delegations seeking new opportunities in countries outside the EU. The money spent on supporting SMEs to find new markets is money well spent but we need more funds and we need to improve accessibility to funds and support through mentoring to help firms acquire the skills needed to expand and reach out to new markets" explained Vince Farrugia on behalf of SMEs in the Regions and Localities.
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