Support For Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
In Lisbon in 2000, EU Member States signed up to a strategy to make the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) make a crucial contribution to this goal.
SMEs represent 99% of European businesses and two-thirds of total employment. The EU therefore has special policies and support networks in their favour. It has also adopted a Charter for Small Businesses setting out its commitment on issues such as cutting red tape, improving access to finance and better business support services.
The South West has a traditionally strong small business base. Of 210,000 businesses in the region, nearly 85% employ fewer than ten people, and the proportion of both micro-businesses and the self-employed exceeds the national average. There are few large businesses in the region, although they are major employers.
In January 2004 the European Commission presented an Action Plan on Entrepreneurship. This sets out the Commission's views on how Europe can best support start-ups and growing businesses; and how it can create a climate conducive to entrepreneurship.
Advice for South West companies
South West SMEs can directly contact a special Envoy appointed to act as an interface between the European Commission and SMEs. They can also influence EU activities via small business europe. This is a government-supported Brussels office, which lobbies the European Institutions on behalf of UK SMEs. Advice on European issues for business, including funding opportunities, can be obtained in the South West from Euro Info Centres
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/index_en.htm
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/entrepreneurship/sme_envoy/index.htm
http://www.smallbusinesseurope.org
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