Photo by Ahsanization ッ on Unsplash SMEunited, the body representing SMEs in Europe, says it “once again strongly condemns the ongoing aggression” by Russia in Ukraine. Together with its members, it says it also continues to support businesses in Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees living in Europe. A statement said, “2023 remains a severe year for Ukrainians, facing the…
This week, the SME Assembly 2021 was held in Portoroz, Slovenia together with the Slovenian Presidency of the EU. Reacting to the event, Pierre Gattaz, BusinessEurope President, said: “Considerable efforts by governments, businesses and citizens have enabled a strong recovery in Europe. However, the situation remains fragile and SMEs are very much exposed. We therefore need a…
Speaking at the European Commission’s SME Assembly 2021 during the Schumpeter ‘Innovation in Enterprise’ Lecture, joint Nobel Prize laureate Professor Lučka Kajfež Bogataj of the University of Ljubljana said that the world needs “enlightened policies and governance, and an engaged citizenry if we are to achieve long-term sustainability.” “We can no longer postpone tackling difficult issues, and we…
Speaking on Tuesday at the SME Assembly being held in Slovenia, Véronique Willems, Secretary-General of SMEunited and Christel Delberghe, Director-General of EuroCommerce underlined the role of SMEs as the backbone of vibrant town centres and rural communities, made a joint call for action to address the challenges facing small businesses and the communities they serve:…
The coming years will see new prospects and challenges for European products and services, according to the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). Providing innovative, highly specialised products and services with well-recognised and certified key characteristics can boost European competitiveness, says the EESC. Unanimously adopted at its plenary session on 11 December, the EESC’s own-initiative…
The SME Assembly 2019 is just around the corner and will be hosted by the Finnish Presidency of the European Council in Helsinki on 25–27 November 2019. Delegates from across the world will come together to hack policy, discuss enterprise and create the governance structure of the Small Business Act. This year’s Assembly will feature renowned…
The European Commission is due to allocate more than €3.3 billion to support investments in innovative start-ups through venture capital funds between 2014 and 2022, according to a new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA). So far, however, the Commission has not yet carried out a comprehensive assessment of market needs or absorption capacity. Moreover, it has provided only limited…
