COUNCIL RESOLUTION of 22 November 1993 on strengthening the competitiveness of enterprises in particular of small and medium-sized enterprises and craft enterprises, and developing employment (93/C 326/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union,

Having regard to the Council resolution of 27 May 1991 on the action programme for small and medium-sized enterprises including craft industry enterprises (1),

Having regard to the Council resolution of 17 June 1992 on Community action to support enterprises, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises including craft industry enterprises (2),

Having regard to the Council Resolution of 3 December 1992 on administrative simplification for enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (3),

Having regard to the Commission communication of 23 January 1992 entitled 'Towards a European market in subcontracting',

Having regard to the own-initiative report from the Economic and Social Committee of 28 April 1993 (4),

Having regard to Council Decision 93/379/EEC of 14 June 1993 on a multiannual programme of Community measures to intensify the priority areas and to ensure the continuity and consolidation of policy for enterprise, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises, in the Community (5),

Having regard to the conclusions of the Edinburgh European Council of 11 and 12 December 1992 setting out the principles of 'a plan of action by the Member States and the Community to promote growth and to combat unemployment' and emphasizing the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for creating jobs and stimulating growth,

Having regard to the conclusions of the Copenhagen European Council of 21 and 22 June 1993, which amplify the principles set out in Edinburgh for promoting growth and combating unemployment and propose short-term measures aimed at SMEs,

Having regard to the Council's conclusions of 13 September 1993 which acknowledge the desirability of stimulating SME investment by means of a simple, non-discriminatory mechanism which can be implemented rapidly and note the Commission's intention of examining the viability of a Community initiative programme as a matter of urgency,

Having regard to the conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 29 October 1993 calling upon the Ecofin council to ensure that an interest-rate subsidy mechanism for SMEs in accordance with the guidelines adopted by the Copenhagen European Council is set up within the limits fixed in the 1994 budget,

Having regard to the Commission communications, on which there are to be further discussions in the Council:

- Commission report on the definitions of SMEs used in the context of Community activities,

- Commission communication of 1 June 1992 on SME participation in public procurement in the Community,

- Commission communication of 2 June 1993 on the strategic programme for the management of the internal market entitled 'Reinforcing the effectiveness of the internal market',

- Commission communication of 7 October 1993 entitled 'Small and medium-sized enterprises and Community activity in research and technological development',

- Commission communication of 10 November 1993 on the funding problems of SMEs,

- Commission communication on the first report of the European Monitoring Centre for SMEs of 5 November 1993 (Commission's comments on the first annual report for 1993),

Recognizing the importance of coordinating measures to restore lasting growth and to strengthen the competitiveness of European industry and create jobs,

Recognizing that SMEs are one of the essential components in relaunching growth and creating jobs and that it is therefore appropriate to encourage their development, with the objective of economic and social cohesion in the Community,

Recognizing that it is desirable to implement measures such as will swiftly eliminate the obstacles still hampering the full participation of SMEs in the internal market,

Recognizing the importance of encouraging the development of SMEs at the appropriate decision-making level while taking account in particular of specific national features,

Emphasizing that existing Community initiatives concerning a policy for SMEs should be reinforced and extended and that the conclusions of the Copenhagen European Council relating to these should be speedily followed up,

Emphasizing that SMEs should be encouraged to participate more in all Community programmes from which they may benefit,

Stressing the need not to increase the administrative burdens already borne by SMEs -

1. STRESSES the importance of a global and horizontal approach to the policy developed on behalf of SMEs, in order to be able, together with the various circles taking part in the Community decision-making process to find ways of enhancing the value of Community action;

2. CONSIDERS therefore that closer partnership between all the parties involved in the development of SMEs - at Community, national and regional level - could be more in keeping with the aim of convergence;

3. WELCOMES the fact that the Presidency has drawn up a memorandum entitled 'SMEs: driving force of European growth', the recommendations in which have yet to be analysed;

4. INVITES THE COMMISSION:

(a) to promote:

- in the context of the multiannual SME programme and other existing programmes, an environment which favours the creation of enterprises,

- on the basis of an analysis of existing policies which support the creation and development of new enterprises, an exchange of experience in the Community, particularly in the following areas:

- vocational training and in particular the initial and continuing training of heads of enterprises and their managerial staff, particularly in management,

- the needs of creators of innovative enterprises in general and innovative technological enterprises in particular, especially as regards technical assistance,

- the relations of SMEs with financial institutions and, inter alia, a closer relationship between creators of enterprises and suppliers of capital,

- promotion of spin-off techniques for enterprises from existing enterprises;

(b) to speed up, in the context of the multiannual SME programme, the timely, targeted distribution of relevant information on business opportunities and cooperation possibilities on the subcontracting markets, in particular with the aid of initiatives such as:

- promotion, within the framework of existing European networks accessible to SMEs, of linking and compatibility between databanks and subcontracting exchanges, several of which are already involved in transnational cooperation, in order to extend the European scope of their activities,

- encouraging trials of meetings which are organized by main contractors for the purpose of contacting subcontractors in the context of new-style inter-industry partnerships;

(c) improving the access of SMEs to quality and certification techniques within the framework of the existing Community programmes, in particular the multiannual SME programme;

(d) to encourage, in the context of the Community growth initiative, and in accordance with their respective statutes, support for investment in the SMEs by the European Investment Fund and the European Investment Bank, particularly by means of the ongoing development of its programme of global loans and in particular by:

- taking care that European Investment Fund assistance really does benefit the SMEs concerned and, in the case of the smallest SMEs, ensuring that there is access to guarantee mechanisms,

- inviting the European Investment Bank to consider the possible advantages of diversifying financial intermediaries;

(e) to organize, in accordance with the SME programme:

- more systematic consultation of organizations representing SMEs and craft enterprises at European level on all Community projects likely to have an impact on enterprises, starting at the planning stage,

- a new methodology for assessing the cost and benefits of the Community proposals on the basis of a regulary updated impact statement, in particular from the angle of administrative simplification, in order to produce an environment favourable to the creation and development of enterprises;

(f) to promote, in a strengthened SME partnership in the Community, consultations with the organizations representing SMEs and craft enterprise at Community level, including within the framework of the procedures provided for by the Agreement on social policy;

(g) to increase, in particular, as part of the strategic programme on the Internal Market, SME participation in public procurement in this field, inter alia by means of:

- action to eliminate existing barriers to SMEs and, where necessary, by taking Community measures to that end,

- stepping up cooperation between enterprises and providing more information to SMEs, for example through pilot schemes devised within existing Community networks;

(h) to strengthen, in the fourth research and technological development framework programme currently being adopted, effective SME participation, in particular by:

- greater consistency between the various Community measures on the one hand and between Community and Member State measures on the other,

- broader dissemination and exploitation of research results by calling upon existing specialized Community networks and national and regional bodies,

- the improvement, strengthening and extending to other programmes of specific measures to stimulate research and technological development by or for SMEs, particularly in the light of experience with Craft measures and feasibility premiums,

- simplification of procedures and conditions for participating in calls for tenders and improvements in the time taken to process files,

- encouraging cooperation between SMEs and between large enterprises and SMEs;

(i) to examine and analyse the approach adopted in third countries towards the development of SMEs;

5. INVITES THE MEMBER STATES TO:

(a) take care that both public and private financial intermediaries, specialized in financing SMEs are in a position to call on the EIF for the granting of guarantees to SMEs;

(b) take care that a stable and favourable financial climate exists for SMEs so that they can achieve the balanced financial structure they need to anticipate more accurately the various economic cycles;

(c) remove any barriers to cooperation between enterprises on the subcontracting markets by taking steps to ensure respect for the rights and obligations of the parties, for example, through codes of practice;

(d) encourage SMEs to participate in public works, public supply and public service contracts, inter alia by promoting the temporary grouping of small-scale tenderers;

(e) facilitate the realization of SME development potential, in particular regarding new jobs, by simplifying the administrative and regulatory procedures which concern them;

(f) promote high-level vocational training opportunities, giving priority to heads of enterprises, young entrepreneurs and managerial staff;

(g) ensure that the organizations representing SMEs and craft enterprises are regularly asked in social and economic consultative fora to give opinions on legislative and regulatory measures and, where appropriate, on action which affects them, in accordance with the practices in force in each Member State;

6. REQUESTS THE COMMISSION AND THE MEMBER STATES TO:

strengthen, within the framework of enlarged partnerships, the effectiveness, consistency and visibility of measures to assist SMEs while taking also into account the strategic dimension of the size of the enterprises.

In this context and in the light of the conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 29 October 1993:

REQUESTS THE COMMISSION TO:

examine at the earliest possible opportunity concrete proposals for the achievement of an integrated programme for SMEs and craft enterprises by means of a Community Initiative Programme;

7. UNDERTAKES TO:

hold regularly, in the light of the way the multiannual SME programme is functioning and SME and craft enterprise needs are developing, on overall debate on the competitiveness of enterprises and on their situation in the internal market.

(1) OJ No C 146, 5. 6. 1991, p. 3.

(2) OJ No C 178, 15. 7. 1992, p. 8.

(3) OJ No C 331, 16. 12. 1992, p. 3.

(4) OJ No C 161, 14. 6. 1993, p. 6.

(5) OJ No L 161, 2. 7. 1993, p. 68.