Small Business Act for Europe

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The Small Business Act for Europe (SBA), which was published by the Commission on June 25, 2008, politically adopted by the EU Council of Ministers in December 2008 and revised in February 2011 (progress report ), has the central role of small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs) recognized and recognized for the economy of the European Union and goals for support and promotion are set. " Healthy SMEs are vital to securing jobs and prosperity in the EU ".

The SBA for Europe is part of the Europe 2020 strategy, which is also intended to benefit the approximately 23 million SMEs in Europe, which employ around 67% of the workforce in the private sector.

history

While in the past the European Commission did not place any particular emphasis on the promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), their special importance was recognized especially in times of crisis ( global economic crisis from 2007 ) and should now receive substantial support in the future.

The Small Business Act for Europe recognizes this central role played by SMEs in the European economy as a whole. In the future, "right of way for SMEs" is to be irreversibly anchored in European politics and administrations.

According to the Commission, 99% of all European companies employing over 90 million people should be able to benefit from the SBA by taking this into account in legislative and administrative procedures and reducing reporting requirements.

aims

The goals of the SBA are:

  • To support SMEs to be able to grow even stronger and faster (e.g. through easier access to credit and unrestricted use of the European internal market ) and
  • Remove obstacles to growth at the European level (e.g. by reducing bureaucracy as an obstacle to market access),

to fully exploit growth and employment potential in the European Union.

Ten Principles of the Small Business Act

  1. Promoting entrepreneurship,
  2. A second chance even after the first time has failed (bankruptcy),
  3. Right of way for SMEs,
  4. Raising the awareness of national authorities about the special requirements of SMEs,
  5. Access to public procurement,
  6. Access to finance,
  7. Facilitated access and assistance in accessing the internal market,
  8. Skills and innovation, start-up and risk capital, help from innovation or competition centers, etc.,
  9. Transforming environmental problems into business opportunities for SMEs,
  10. Promotion of internationalization.

field of use

The Small Business Act for Europe is aimed at economically independent companies and entrepreneurs who employ fewer than 250 people. The classification is based on the definition of the Commission : micro-enterprises (fewer than 10 employees), small enterprises (fewer than 50 employees) and medium-sized enterprises (fewer than 250 employees). Concerning. For further limit values ​​with regard to annual turnover and / or balance sheet see: Small and medium-sized enterprises .

Implementation measures

The European Commission has taken various implementation measures in connection with the SBA for Europe (examples):

  • Simplifications when starting a business.
  • Related to this: expansion of electronic government services (see also: European eGovernment Action Plan),
  • European Private Company (SPE) - not yet implemented,
  • Electronic Invoicing Policy ,
  • New cash accounting regulation for companies with a turnover of less than EUR 2 million (booking of sales tax only upon receipt of payment from the customer)
  • Anti-late payment policy (public bodies are required to pay within 30 days, while companies typically have a maximum of 60 days),
  • Reduction of the "over-fulfillment" of European requirements to the detriment of SMEs by Member States, which go far beyond the requirements of EU law (directives) (see Commission communication on intelligent regulation),
  • Loan guarantees for SMEs,
  • Facilitating public procurement for SMEs,
  • European standards are to become more SME-friendly and to facilitate access to the standards (for example in Austria and Germany access to standards is associated with considerable costs),
  • Opening and operation of an EU SME center with China to enable or facilitate market access (2010),
  • Creation of the Erasmus exchange program for young entrepreneurs ,
  • Simplifying EU research and innovation programs to facilitate access for SMEs,
  • Simplifying auditing requirements for small businesses,
  • Simplification of the transparency and reporting requirements of smaller listed companies,
  • Creation of the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER),
  • Promotion through regional policy - JEREMIE and JASMINE .

See also

literature

  • European Commission: Big Projects for Small and Medium Enterprises - How the EU supports SMEs . 2011 edition (online publication).

Web links

  • The Small Business Act for Europe , COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS - Right of way for SMEs in Europe, COM (2008) 394 final of 25 June 2008.
  • Commission Progress Report 2011 , COM (2011) 78 final of 23 February 2011.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Working document of the Commission, Report on the implementation of the SBA , COM (2009) 680 final, p. 2.
  2. ↑ EU website: Europe 2020 .
  3. ↑ EK press document , IP / 11/218 of February 23, 2011.
  4. ↑ Working document of the Commission, Report on the implementation of the SBA , COM (2009) 680 final, p. 2.
  5. ↑ Website European Commission - Small Business Act for Europe .
  6. ↑ EK press document , IP / 11/218 of February 23, 2011.
  7. ↑ Progress Report 2011, p. 9.
  8. ↑ For a list, see Progress Report 2011, Appendix, p. 22 ff.
  9. ↑ EU Commission (Ed.): Recommendation of the Commission of May 6, 2003 regarding the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises . (2003/361 / EC). Article 2 of the Annex, p. 36–41 ( online at EUR-Lex [accessed October 15, 2010]).
  10. ↑ See “Progress Report” 2011.
  11. ↑ The average time and money required to set up a GmbH in 2010 within the EU was 7 days (2007: 12 days) or EUR 399 (2007: EUR 485) - see: EU website (English). See also: Commission Working Document, Report on the Implementation of the SBA , COM (2009) 680 final, p. 4.
  12. ↑ EU website (English).
  13. ↑ See also: EK press document , IP / 11/218 of February 23, 2011.