The European Small Business ActFocus on Implementation

Christian WEINBERGER, Senior Adviser - Entrepreneurship & SME Policy European Commission - DG Enterprise

Conference on SBA implementation in SlovakiaBratislava, 11 October 2013

Why are SMEs important ?

7.000

70.000

250.000

1,600.000

5,700.000

13,000.000

Stock Exchange Listed

Large

Medium

Small

Micro

OPE

100 %

99,97%

99,7%

98,7%

91%

57%

SMEs play a significant role

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

SMEs

Large

58% of total turnover = €14.000 billion/a

SMEs provide employment

SME employment share0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

ELPTIT

ESEELV

BGLTHUPLNOCZIE

NLBEATDKSI

SEDEFRRO

FISKUK

Share of private employment

29%

21%17%

33%

Micro Small Medium Large

SMEs create employmentGains and losses in employment (in

%)

-20,0%

-15,0%

-10,0%

-5,0%

0,0%

5,0%

10,0%

15,0%

20,0%

25,0%

30,0%

Mining

Manufacturing

Energy

Construction

Distribution

Tourism

Transport &

Communication

Business

Services

% change over 3 years

Micro Small Medium Large

85% of new jobs are created by SMEs

What is the SBA?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 entrepreneurship2 - Anchor the “Think Small First” principle in policy-making3 - Promote SMEs’ growth

10 politically binding 10 politically binding principlesprinciples

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 10 politically binding principles (ctd.)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 Communi-

cate with "SME Public"• Focal point for com-

plaints & suggestions• Collect Feedback on new

initiatives & legislation• Facilitate Access to SME

Programs & Support

Guidebook Series

• Short layout of the relevant EU PolicyEU

• Presenting a number of actions to be taken

• Potential for funding from EU Structural Funds

• List of Current topics :• How to support SME Policy from SF• Transfer of Businesses• Entrepreneurship Education• Service Innovation• SME Standardisation• Regional SBA implementation

SME Test

SBA implementation at regional level

• A number of regions have indicated their intentions

• Only one region has a full implementation : Catalunya (ES)

• 11 regions had signed up for regional implementation of the Small Business Charter

• Guidebook in preparation

SBA Fact sheetsSBA Fact sheets

SME Performance Review 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 SlovakiaSBA Profile for Slovakia

SBA Performance in SBA Performance in SlovakiaSlovakia

SBA Implementation in SBA Implementation in SlovakiaSlovakia Very low share of Microenterprises

Only one item better than EU average (single market)

Slow progress in performance improvement

Deficit particularly on actual implementation of plans

SME Test ?

Implementing the European Small Business Act!

Find out more about Slovakia:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/facts-figures-analysis/performance-review/files/countries-

sheets/2012/slovakia_en.pdf

• SBAhttp://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/sba_en.htm

• SME Portalhttp://ec.europa.eu/small-business

• SME Performance Reviewhttp://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/facts-figures-analysis/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-sme-policies/index_en.htm

Entr-sme-envoy@ec.europa.eu