A4-0100/97

Resolution on the Commission report on the coordination of activities in favour of SMEs and the craft sector (COM(95)0362 - C4-0120/96)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission report (COM(95)0362 - C4-0120/96),

- having regard to the motion for a resolution by Mrs Plooij-Van Gorsel, Mrs Riis-Jørgensen and Mr Teverson on an ombudsman for SMEs, B4-0030/96,

- having regard to its resolution of 24 October 1994 on the Communication from the Commission concerning the improvement of the fiscal environment of small and medium-sized enterprises, accompanied by a recommendation concerning the taxation of SMEs ((OJ C 323, 21.11.1994, p. 16.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 24 October 1994 on the Commission communication on the implementation of an integrated programme in favour of SMEs and the craft sector ((OJ C 323, 21.11.1994, p. 19.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 19 January 1995 on the Communication from the Commission 'The European Observatory for SMEs - comments by the Commission on the Second Annual Report (1994)" ((OJ C 43, 20.2.1995, p. 76.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 24 May 1996 on the Communication from the Commission 'The European Observatory for SMEs - comments by the Commission on the Third Annual Report (1995)" ((OJ C 166, 10.6.1996, p. 238.)),

- having regard to its opinion of 19 September 1996 on the proposal for a Council Decision on a third multiannual programme for small and medium-sized enterprises in the European Union (1997 to 2000) ((OJ C 320, 28.10.1996, p. 153.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 24 April 1997 on the Communication from the Commission on the craft industry and small enterprises, keys to growth and employment in Europe ((Minutes of that sitting, Part II, Item 12(a).)),

- having regard to its resolution of 24 April 1997 on the Communication from the Commission on the integrated programme for small and medium-sized enterprises and the craft sector (multiannual programme) ((Minutes of that sitting, Part II, Item 12(b).)),

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A4-0100/97),

A. whereas SMEs account for 99.8% of all undertakings in the EU and are currently the most important source of employment,

B. whereas in the past five years small businesses and craft enterprises have created between 60% and 80% of all new jobs,

C. whereas the report deals with three main areas:

- improving the SME environment (administrative, legal, fiscal and financial environment, competition policy and internal market programme);

- programmes and support measures for SMEs (networks, pilot schemes, financial instruments, EIB, Structural Funds, research and technological development and vocational training);

- coordination with the partners, social dialogue and partnership with the Member States;

D. whereas the European Parliament took an initiative under the 1996 budget procedure for extra aid for SMEs in the form of interest-rate subsidies under budget heading B5-322 'Employment and growth for Europe', which was allocated an additional ECU 50 million resulting in a total of ECU 57.7 m,

E. whereas efforts to simplify current and forthcoming legislation, especially taking into account the impact it has on the smallest enterprises, are a step in the right direction, but should nevertheless be strengthened, without dismantling current levels of environmental, consumer and social protection,

F. whereas the difficulty of complying with bureaucratic and administrative requirements in the fiscal field poses serious problems for SMEs and the craft sector, and whereas more transparent, better targeted, and efficiently implemented regulation is needed,

G. whereas entrepreneurs, both men and women, are an essential feature of the Community, both in creating employment and the role they play in adapting the economic structure to the changing requirements of the markets,

H. whereas the best results can only be achieved by means of a synergical coordination of actions and activities in the sector,

1. Agrees, in general terms, with the overall vision for the sector set out by the Commission in this document;

2. Stresses that SMEs merit ever closer political attention because of the impact they have on the economy and society;

3. Observes that the instruments and programmes for assistance to craft enterprises and small businesses must be tailored to the specific needs of this sector and that the new definition of SMEs (based in particular on the number of employees - less than 10 for micro-enterprises, between 10 and 50 for small enterprises, between 50 and 250 for medium-sized enterprises - the degree of independence, the amount of turnover and the balance sheet total) will therefore be conducive to a properly targeted and effective policy for craft enterprises and small businesses;

4. Calls, as a logical step, for the SME sector to be given the financial instruments and practical facilities which it requires by virtue of its current structure and the potential it offers;

5. Welcomes the pilot schemes launched by the Commission from 1989 onwards 'to stimulate the creation of start-up capital funds' and calls for their further development;

6. Points to the need to simplify current and forthcoming legislation in the light of the impact it may have on the smallest enterprises in particular;

7. Emphasizes the need to grant tax concessions for labour-intensive SMEs, especially in the service sector;

8. Calls, in the light of the success of the interest subsidies granted by the EIB, for the further development of this instrument, which provides for loans of a maximum of ECU 30 000 per job created, and for the interest subsidies of 2% per annum to be concentrated on SMEs with less than 250 employees and an annual turnover not exceeding ECU 20 million;

9. Hopes that the whole of the SME sector will be granted practical facilities by the banking and credit sector to assist growth, employment and investment, including a code of banking practice towards SMEs which sets out all the conditions, loans and offers made available to them by the banks;

10. Regrets that the generally good intentions of the institutions towards SMEs are often not followed up by decisions to provide the resources needed for the activities in favour of SMEs; regrets in particular that the Finance Ministers have still not given the go-ahead for the European Loan Insurance Scheme for Employment (Elise);

11. Calls on the Commission to improve its coordination of the synergies between the economic and social aspects of the SMEs' operations with, for example, local employment and development initiatives, which means services in the immediate vicinity (such as child care and home care for the elderly and disabled), services designed to improve the quality of life (such as safety and public transport), culture and leisure, and those relating to the environment and nature conservation;

12. Calls on the Commission to boost the projects aimed at facilitating participation by SMEs in the EC Environmental Audit Scheme;

13. Hopes that activities in favour of SMEs will be coordinated in line with the Delors White Paper on 'Growth, Competitiveness and Employment' and the proposed new model of development therein, that Green Papers will be drawn up on SMEs in little-known sectors and that a White Paper on commerce will be completed by the Commission within two years of the date of adoption of the document under consideration;

14. Reaffirms the need to involve SMEs directly by ensuring the participation of their associations of representatives and, accordingly, to allow for a 10% increase in the number of those participating in all the Economic and Social Committee's technical bodies as from their regular date of renewal;

15. Underlines the importance of the role of women and young people in the overall context of the SMEs' activities and the need to continue to take increasing account of them by offering career prospects, good working and safety conditions and an open and participative organization of the enterprise;

16. Calls for the rapid expansion of the structures of DG XXIII, particularly the tourism and business units, so as to improve its response to the needs of a sector undergoing rapid change;

17. Recommends the introduction of measures to bring the small and medium-scale entrepreneur closer to the consumer, including specific information campaigns on typical products, particularly in the craft sector;

18. Reminds the Commission and the Council that the European Parliament has always regarded SMEs as central to job creation;

19. Calls for particular attention, and the corresponding financial instruments, to be devoted to ensuring that new generations enter the smallest enterprises so as to ensure the vocational development of the young and preserve the trades, crafts and localized professions which exist in each Member State and region of the Community;

20. Suggests that it should be rendered increasingly easy for members of the professions to practise outside their home country by means of recognition of diplomas and certificates among the various Member States, inter alia with the aim of bringing together owners of SMEs and practitioners of SME professions in their activities in a synergic manner in a market which is becoming increasingly internationalized;

21. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.