SME and Entrepreneurship
Policy of the EU
Brussels, 7 November 2011
Marko Curavić – Head of the Unit E.1 - Entrepreneurship
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
SMEs - EU’s growth engine
67.4% of private jobs and
80% of new private jobs
58% of total business turnover
33%
29%
SMEs
17%
21%
Micro
Small
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Medium
Large
Large
Difficulties faced by SMEs
•
•
•
•
•
•
Access to finance
Business and regulatory environment
Availability of skills
Access to markets
Access to research and innovation
Networking among companies
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
The “Small Business Act”
• Adopted in June 2008
• Main objective: create a common framework for
SME initiatives and implement the “Think Small
First” principle
• 10 principles and a set of policy actions to
implement them
• About 90 policy initiatives and 5 legislative acts
(national and European level)
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
The 10 SBA principles
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Support entrepreneurship
Give a 2nd chance (failure)
“Think Small First” (reduce burdens)
Public administration responsive to SME
needs (e-government)
Improve access to public procurement & use
of state aid
Facilitate access to finance
Benefit from Single Market opportunities
Access to skills and innovation
Eco-innovation/environment opportunities
Access to external markets
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Why a Review of the SBA?
• Good progress since the adoption of the SBA
but:
 Need to continue improving SME business and
administrative environment to prepare for new
challenges (crisis)
 Need for stronger governance to ensure the
implementation of the SBA at European and national
level
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
The SBA Review
• Four priority areas:




smart regulation
access to finance
access to markets
promoting entrepreneurship
• Enhanced governance
• 48 new actions
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
SBA Review
Examples of actions
• Smart regulation - New goal: start a business
in 3 days for €100
• Access to markets - A new strategy for EU
SMEs going international
• Access to finance - Simplify rules for greater
access of SMEs to EU funds
• Promoting entrepreneurship - Mentoring
schemes for women entrepreneurs
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Enhanced governance
• The network of the SME Envoys: European
and national SME Envoys & SME
representatives at European level meet 2/3
times per year
• SMEs will have their say with the SME
Assembly: representatives of small
businesses from all over the 27 Member
States will gather yearly
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
The perception and attitudes of European
citizens towards entrepreneurship lag most
other countries…
If you could decide between different types of
jobs, which one would you prefer?
100%
80%
60%
40%
71
55
20%
51
45
39
0%
EU27
US
China
self-employed
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Japan
Korea
employee
Source: Flash Eurobarometer 283, 2009
Preference for Self-Employment
in Comparison
80
70
50
40
30
20
Countries
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Source: Flash Eurobarometer 283, 2009
SK
BE
DK
SE
CZ
MT
JN
HU
ES
AT
DE
FI
NL
NO
HR
CH
LU
EE
EU27
UK
LV
SI
IE
LT
BG
TR
PL
FR
KR
PT
RO
IT
US
IS
CY
0
EL
10
CN
Percentage
60
Key Characteristics in Comparison
Comparison EU - US - Asia
80
70
60
50
% 40
30
20
10
0
73
71
55
45
51
49
39
49
38 40
36
40
31
28
23
22
32 30
20
12
Preference for selfemployment
EU27
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Feasibility of becoming Experience of starting
self-employed
a business
US
China
Japan
Favourable image of
entrepreneurs
South Korea
Perceived Risks of Entrepreneurship
Greatest fears when starting up a business – EU27
First mentions
Second mentions
The possibility of going bankrupt
28
The uncertainty of your income
21
22
The risk of losing your property
18
18
19
Job insecurity
9
11
The possibility of personal failure
8
10
Need too much energy or time
8
7
49
40
37
20
18
15
Q14. If you were to set up a business today, which are the two risks
you would be most afraid of? Is it:
Base: all respondents, EU27
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Source: Flash Eurobarometer 283, 2009
Barriers to entreneurship – EU27
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
It is difficult to start one's own business due to a
lack of available financial support
It is difficult to start one's own business due to
the complex administrative procedures
It is difficult to obtain sufficient information on
how to start a business
People who have started their own business and
have failed should be given a second chance
One should not start a business if there is a risk
it might fail
35
46
29
17
10 2 7
42
34
28
19
DK/NA
16 4 9
29
53
31
9 12
10 3 7
33
13 5
Q18. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree with
the following opinion?
Base: all respondents, EU27
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Source: Flash Eurobarometer 283, 2009
Mission Statement – Promotion
of Entrepreneurial Spirit
“Winning the hearts and minds of
European citizens”
 Building knowledge – “know about”
 Building skills – “know how to do”
 Changing attitudes – “wanting to do and
being confident”
 Targeting the general population and
selected groups
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Definition of Entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneurship refers to an individual’s ability to turn
ideas into action.
• It includes creativity, innovation and risk taking, as well
as the ability to plan and manage projects in order to
achieve objectives.
This
• supports everyone in day-to-day life at home and in
society,
• makes employees more aware of the context of their work
and better able to seize opportunities,
• and provides a foundation for entrepreneurs establishing a
social or commercial activity
(2006 Commission Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning)
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Entrepreneurship Education
• Commission
Communication
entrepreneurial mindsets” (2006)
on
“Fostering
• Oslo Agenda on Entrepreneurship Education in Europe
(2007): a detailed menu of actions
• Call for proposals on “Entrepreneurial Culture (2009)
• High Level Reflection Panels on Entrepreneurship
Education (5 Panels in 2009/2010),
• Symposium "Teacher Education as a critical success
factor” (April 2011)
• Teacher Training Laboratories to exchange methods
and good practice (4th quarter 2011 – 2nd quarter 2012)
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Activities at EU level
Efforts focus currently
coordination so as to
strategies.
on increasing European
develop more systematic
Present goals:
1) Increase the exchange of experiences and practices
across Europe, particularly among policy makers:
-
Expert Groups, High Level Reflection Panels, Symposium,
Teacher Training Laboratories
2) Promote European projects that will become a model
or a reference for the multiplication and dissemination of
activities in this field:
- 9 European projects currently funded under the CIP for EUR 3.2
million, second call planned for 2012
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Entrepreneurship Education – Key Issues
• High importance of involving teachers
• Make entrepreneurship an integral part of
the Curriculum
• Engage businesses
• Engage non-profit / intermediary
organisations
• Besides formulating a national strategy,
link entrepreneurship education into local
and regional strategies
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
European network of female
entrepreneurship ambassadors
• Aim: Role models to inspire other women to
become entrepreneurs by "telling their story".
• 270 ambassadors in 22 European countries
• In 2010, 141 events and workshops with over
8300 participants in 10 countries.
• First results from 6 countries: 101 new
women-led companies have been created.
• 20 grants for EUR 976 000.
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Female Entrepreneurship Ambassador –
Dr. Karin Uphoff / Germany
Uphoff pr & Marketing GmbH is a full-service agency,
with a focus on small and medium-sized businesses
as well as on companies and organisations in the
healthcare industry. In 2003, Dr. Karin Uphoff set up
her own business, and today has ten employees. Her
company has received several awards, among them
awards for “innovation”, “entrepreneurship”, and
“family-friendly policies”.
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Female Entrepreneurship Ambassador –
Susanne Rostmark / Sweden
Susanne Rostmark founded FriGeo in 2003 to
commercialize the results from her research in
environmental soil science. The technology is patented by
Susanne and her co-workers.
Freeze-Dredging is a technique used for uptake of
contaminated sediments and objects. Firstly it stabilizes
the contaminated sediment by freezing and then the
frozen segment is lifted up and above the water. While
the contaminated soil is frozen when lifted there is a very
small risk for redistribution of contaminated sediment
during uptake.
Susanne lives in far north of the Arctic Circle in the cool,
cold and creative, Kiruna and uses the joy of frozen water
not only for business but also as an enthusiastic skier.
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
European Network of Mentors for
Women Entrepreneurs
• Call for proposals
• Budget: EUR 1 million
• Aim: coverage of 15 countries. Received 53
proposals. Evaluation report: 17
• AL, BE, CY, ES, FYROM, GR, HU, IRL, IT,
MNTG, NL, RO, RS, SI, SLO, TUR, UK.
• Objective: Mentors to assist women
entrepreneurs by providing advice and
support with the establishment, management
and growth of their enterprises.
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Other ongoing activities
• The European Network to Promote
Women’s Entrepreneurship (WES)
 31 members - government
representatives
 Annual activity report
• Women Enterpreneurship Portal
 Women entrepreneur organisations,
projects, conferences for WE
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
New and host entrepreneurs benefit from
Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs
Benefits for Host
Entrepreneurs
•
•
•
•
Access new skills
and innovative
knowledge
Work with a young
fresh mind
contributing new
ideas
Gain knowledge and
intelligence about the
foreign markets
Opportunity to
establish a new
business partnership
with an entrepreneur
from another country
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Benefits for New
Entrepreneurs
•
•
•
•
Get experience &
advice from seasoned
entrepreneur
Develop international
contacts
Get knowledge about
foreign markets
Providers, clients, coventuring
opportunities
How does Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Work?
European Commission – definition of strategic and financial framework
Support Office: day-to-day operational management of the programme
Intermediary
organisations
Local and national
business support
organisations active in
business support (e.g.
Chambers of
Commerce, Regional
Development Agencies,
Innovation Centres…)
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
Manage
and
promote
• Recruit and assess
entrepreneurs
• Proactively look for
exchanges
• Support new
entrepreneurs before &
during the stay
• Promote Erasmus for
Entrepreneurs at
national, regional
and local level
• Co-financing of max 90% of
eligible costs in accordance
with the regulations for
Erasmus for Entrepreneurs
The Exchanges
Between
Entrepreneurs
Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs
So far:
• Almost 4000 accepted candidates from all
over the EU (Spain and Italy are the main
actors in EYE)
• Approx.800 on-going or finished relationships
• 80 grants for EUR 11.3 million
• Positive feedback from entrepreneurs:
 90%: exchange fulfilled objectives;
 85% of NE recommend the programme;
 85% of HE ready to repeat the experience.
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry
For more information
SBA and SBA Review
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/small-business-act/index_en.htm
European Small Business Portal
http://ec.europa.eu/small-business/index_en.htm
SME Performance Review
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/facts-figures-analysis/performance-review/index_en.htm
Eurobarometer on entrepreneurial attitudes:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/facts-figures-analysis/eurobarometer/index_en.htm
Entrepreneurship education:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/promoting-entrepreneurship/education-trainingentrepreneurship/index_en.htm
Female entrepreneurship:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/promoting-entrepreneurship/women/index_en.htm
Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs:
www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu
European SME Week:
http://ec.europa.eu/sme-week
Marko.Curavic@ec.europa.eu
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry