The European Small Business Act
The Regional Dimension
EER 2016 Info Day
Brussels, 23 October 2014
Christian WEINBERGER,
Senior Adviser - Entrepreneurship & SME Policy
European Commission - DG Enterprise
Why are SMEs important ?
Stock Exchange Listed
7.000
100 %
Large
70.000
99,97%
Medium
250.000
99,7%
Small
1,600.000
98,7%
Micro
5,700.000
91%
OPE
13,000.000
57%
SMEs play a significant role
90
80
70
60
50
SMEs
Large
40
30
20
58% of total turnover
= €14.000 billion/a
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SMEs provide employment
SME employment share
Share of private employment
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
33%
29%
17%
Micro
Small
21%
Medium
Large
EL
PT
IT
ES
EE
LV
BG
LT
HU
PL
NO
CZ
IE
NL
BE
AT
DK
SI
SE
DE
FR
RO
FI
SK
UK
SMEs create employment
Gains and losses
in employment (in
%)
30,0%
25,0%
15,0%
10,0%
5,0%
0,0%
Micro
Small
Medium
 85% of new jobs are created by SMEs
Large
Business
Services
Transport &
Communication
Tourism
Distribution
-20,0%
Construction
-15,0%
Energy
-10,0%
Manufacturing
-5,0%
Mining
% change over 3 years
20,0%
What is the SBA?
+ A set of politically binding principles
+ A package of concrete measures (legislative and
non-legislative)
+ An implementation mechanism embedded in the EU
2020 strategy
in order to
1 - Improve the overall policy approach to entrepreneurship
2 - Anchor the “Think Small First” principle in policy-making
3 - Promote SMEs’ growth
10 politically binding principles
1.
Create an environment for entrepreneurs and family
businesses to thrive and entrepreneurship to be rewarded
2.
Ensure that honest entrepreneurs who have faced bankruptcy
quickly get a second Chance
3.
Design rules according to the “Think Small First” principle
4.
Make public administrations responsive to SMEs’ needs
5.
Facilitate SMEs’ participation in Public Procurement and
better use State Aid possibilities for SMEs
10 politically binding principles (ctd.)
6.
Facilitate SMEs’ access to finance and support timely
payments in commercial transactions
7. Help SMEs to benefit more from the opportunities
offered by the Single Market
8. Promote the upgrading of skills in SMEs and all forms of
innovation
9. Enable SMEs to turn environmental challenges into
opportunities
10. Encourage and support SMEs to benefit from the growth
of markets
The SME Envoys
The 28 national SME-Envoys
(incl. HR)
EU SME-Envoy
Role and Tasks
Inside
• watchdog function
(Think Small First)
• burden reduction
( SME Test)
• Co-ordination of
Public Services
• Identify and spread
Good Practices
• Build links
Outside
• Dialogue with SME
organisations
• Inform and Communicate with "SME Public"
• Focal point for complaints & suggestions
• Collect Feedback on new
initiatives & legislation
• Facilitate Access to SME
Programs & Support
SBA Fact sheets
SME Performance Review
• Annual Report
• SBA Fact Overview of size
and structure of SMEs in EU
• Trends, short-term outlook
and benchmarking
• Fact Sheets
• Monitoring SBA implementation in MS
• Input to EU2020 / Competitiveness reporting
• Stimulate policy debate in MS between administration and
stakeholders
SBA Profile for Slovakia
SBA Performance in Spain
SME Test
The new SBA
Proposal for a "New" SBA with actions for
coming years
Four priority areas confirmed plus skills/training
as fifth priority
Open consultation running until 15/12/2015
(http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/small-businessact/public-consultation-sba/index_en.htm)
Proposal to be submitted to the new Commission
in 2015
 Concrete recommendations &
inspiration
 Describing Example Regions
 Listing Good Practices
 Advising on actions to be taken
 Listing links with the Thematic
Objectives
 Explaining the background to
the regional SME Policy
dimension
Regions play a key role in the SBA implementation
Regional/local authorities are closer to SME
Main Regional challenges
 creating a business environment with positive
conditions
 creating tailor-made infrastructure
 innovation-orientated funding
 supporting the development of networks
 supporting lifelong learning
SBA - Actions at regional level
1) Creating an environment for entrepreneurship
 link businesses and schools
 supporting entrepreneurial activities
 mentoring measures for start-ups
 create business transfer advisors
2) Ensure a Second Chance
 information & promotion of a positive attitude
 early warning system
SBA - Actions at regional level
3) Implement the "Think Small First" Principle
 reducing administrative burdens
 make it easier to start-up a company
 Introduce SME Test for regional regulation/programs
4) Public administration responsive to SME needs
 Single points of contact
5) Improve SME Access to Public procurement
 Simplify public procurements below the threshold
 facilitate the participation of SME
SBA - Actions at regional level
6) Access to finance
 implement the late payments directive (30 days !)
 develop financial instruments to provide loan
guarantees and equity
 Support Business Angel and VC activities
7) Access to Market
 Promote the activities of the EEN (Enterprise Europe
Network)
 Support internationalisation (see also GB 7)
SBA - Actions at regional level
8) Skills, Innovation, Access to knowledge
 Support & training programs to strengthen the
ability to innovate
9) Support "greening" of SMEs
 Information campaigns
 Grants for ressource efficiency
10) Encourage growth
 Offer coaching and mentoring programs
The regional SME Envoy
 In addition (and co-operation) with the national SME
Envoy
 Tasks are similar but for the domain of the regional
activities
 Use existing structures to the extent possible
 Co-operate and synergize with the existing actors
 Create specific governance cycle for implementation
monitoring
Starting Export Programme in Catalonia
Designed to help SME that start exporting
One year support for internationalisation with:
_ developing an export strategy
_ Workshops
_ 50 hours from a senior consultant
_ 25 hours digital marketing consultant
_ support in implementing the export plan
More than 550 companies have participated
SBA Lombardia Lab
Discussion platform for SMEs
Objective is analyse the environment for SME
Six working goups produce proposals that will be
implemented in regional SME policy:
_access to finance
_internationalisation
_product innovation
_process innovation
_start-ups and entrepreneurship
_relations with the EU
Working groups also monitor the implementation
 www.sbalombardialab.it
SME Alarm and Red Tape MOT
Baden-Württemberg
SME organisations assess the administration burdens of
new regulations on EU, national and regional level
Region incorporates the concerns in the legislation
process
SME can express their concerns about administrative
procedures in a red tape MOT
Concerns will be reviewed as part of the complaint
management
Early Warning System
Southern Denmark
Combination of professional B2B-Service and a network
of economic experts operating on a voluntary basis
Offers help to companies in crisis
Five regional centres
Consultants screen the company
2800 companies received assistance since 2008
Junior and Young Entrepreneur Programme
County Kerry, Ireland
Junior programme teaching the basics of
entrepreneurship to children 8-12 years old
Promote and awareness and understanding of the role
of entrepreneurs in society
Make pupils think entrepreneurially
Young entrepreneur programme is designed for older
pupils 13-18 years old
SME Policy Guidebook Series
 Different SME Policy topics
 Short layout of the relevant EU Policy
 Presenting a number of actions to be taken
 Potential for funding from EU Structural Funds

All based on existing verified good practices
1) Building Entrepreneurial Mindsets and Skills in the EU
2) Using Standards to Support Growth, Competitiveness and
Innovation
3) Facilitating Transfer of Business
4) The Smart Guide to Service Innovation
5) SBA Implementation at Regional Level
6) How to Use Structural Funds for SME & Entrepreneurship
Policy ("Cookbook")
7) Supporting the Internationalisation of SMEs
8) Public Procurement for SMEs
9) Fostering Investments into SMEs by Business Angels
Available in different formats and languages
• PDF
• eBook
• Printed copy
EN - FR - DE - IT - ES - EL - BG - CS - DA - ET - LV - LT - HU - NL - PL
- PT - RO - SK - SL - FI - SV - HR
Download & Ordering :
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/regional-sme-policies/index_en.htm
Also available in reasonable quantities for conferences
• SBA
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/sba_en.htm
• SME Portal
http://ec.europa.eu/small-business
• SME Performance Review
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/facts-figuresanalysis/performance-review/
• SME Policy Good Practices Catalog
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/best-practices/index_en.htm
• SME Policy Guidebooks
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/regional-smepolicies/index_en.htm
Entr-sme-envoy@ec.europa.eu