A4-0359/98

Resolution on the report from the Commission on the Coordination of Activities to Assist Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and the Craft Sector (COM(97)0610 - C4-0019/98)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission report, COM(97)0610 - C4-0019/98,

- having regard to the motion for a resolution, pursuant to Rule 45(2), by Mr Robles Piquer on the European quality certificate for SMEs, B4-0106/98,

- having regard to the motion for a resolution, pursuant to Rule 45(2), by Mrs Ferrer on small and medium-sized businesses, B4-0430/98,

- having regard to its opinion of 19 September 1996 ((OJ C 320, 28.10.1996, p. 153.)) on the proposal for a Council Decision on a third multiannual programme for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union (1997 to 2000) (COM(96)0098 - C4-0232/96 - 96/0087(CNS)),

- having regard to its resolution of 24 April 1997 ((OJ C 150, 19.5.1997, p. 47.)) on the Commission communication to the Council and the European Parliament on the integrated programme for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the craft sector (COM(96)0329 - C4-0490/96),

- having regard to its resolution of 18 September 1997 ((OJ C 304, 6.10.1997, p. 134.)) on the fourth annual report of the European Observatory for SMEs (C4-0292/97),

- having regard to its opinion of 1 April 1998 ((OJ C 138, 4.5.1998, p. 93.)) on the proposal for a Council Decision on financial assistance measures for innovative and job-creating small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - the Growth and Employment Initiative (COM(98)0026 - C4-0138/98 - 98/0024(CNS)),

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy and the opinions of the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the Committee on Regional Policy (A4-0359/98),

A. whereas SMEs comprise 99.8% ((Fifth annual report, 1997, of the European Observatory for SMEs.)) of enterprises outside the primary sector and provide employment for 66% of the workforce,

B. whereas SMEs provide jobs for relatively large numbers of women, young people and unskilled workers,

C. whereas SMEs contribute to economic democracy and help to spread risks and distribute goods and services in rural areas,

D. whereas the coordination of activities to assist SMEs and the craft sector has a twofold aim, namely to integrate the SME dimension in Community policy and to increase the participation of SMEs in Community programmes,

E. whereas policy on SMEs falls largely within the competence of the Member States, which makes it necessary to coordinate not only internally (between Commission departments) but also externally (with and between Member States),

F. whereas the report is based on two pillars:

- improving the climate for SMEs from the administrative, legal, financial, fiscal and social point of view;

- programmes and measures to assist SMEs (access to financing and credit, structural aid and innovation, research & development, assistance with Europeanisation and internationalisation, enhancing competitiveness, promoting a spirit of enterprise, supporting specific target groups),

G. whereas the European Parliament has already on a number of occasions had the opportunity to state its views on the various aspects of policy on SMEs, and whereas its opinions on the subject have not fundamentally changed,

1. Welcomes this coordination report, which provides an extensive and comprehensive overview of Community policy on SMEs;

2. Welcomes the fact that this report has been published in a convenient brochure format, and urges that the brochure be distributed widely, thereby helping to provide information from and about SMEs;

3. Endorses the statement that a small or medium-sized business is not a miniature version of a large business but possesses specific characteristics which must be taken into account in policy-making;

4. Agrees entirely with the Commission that legislative proposals relating to industry must be examined from the point of view of a small business and that the representative SME organisations should be systematically and duly consulted while they are being drafted;

Definition of the field

5. Expresses its appreciation of the Commission recommendation of 3 April 1996 concerning the definition of SMEs ((OJ L 107, 30.4.1996, p. 4.)), - which makes a precise distinction between the medium-sized, small and micro-enterprises - and is convinced that the systematic use of this definition will improve the consistency and effectiveness of all measures to assist such enterprises and will raise the profile of such measures;

6. Observes that this definition is not yet used in all programmes (e.g. in connection with the Structural Funds) and that the programmes in question are precisely those in which SMEs have been found to be participating too little;

7. Urges that aid to SME's should continue to be a priority during the programming period 2000-2006 and expects the Commission, in its proposals for this programming period , to use the definition from its own recommendation and to formulate quantitative and verifiable objectives for the participation of SMEs in these programmes;

Sources of information and consultation

8. Draws attention to the need for authorities at the various levels of policy-making to have adequate information about SMEs, and is satisfied with the data provided by the European System of Statistics on SMEs and the European Observatory for SMEs;

9. Stresses that these theoretical data must be supplemented with practical experience and findings and draws attention, in this connection, to the wealth of information held by the SME organisations and the Euro-Info Centres;

10. Reiterates that, in order to pursue a credible policy on SMEs in general and an effective social policy in particular, it is necessary for specific representative SME organisations to be involved in the European social dialogue at every stage;

11. Is gratified that, at the insistence of Parliament, the Commission has announced a study of the degree of representativeness of the European social partners currently involved in the social dialogue; notes, however, that this announcement was made in the Commission's communication of 18 September 1996 on developing the social dialogue at Community level (COM(96)0448) and deplores the fact that the Commission's second communication of 20 May 1998 on adjusting and promoting the social dialogue at Community level (COM(98)0322) is still unable to report any result;

12. Calls on the Austrian Presidency of the Council to carry out the action agreed at Cardiff, namely the organisation of a meeting between the social partners and representatives of SMEs to study ways of improving the European social dialogue;

The SMEs environment

13. Supports, in general terms, the Commission's approach of using recommendations, communications and exchanges of best practices to encourage Member States to create a better climate for enterprise and a better apparatus of government;

14. Advocates that, with due regard for the division of powers and the subsidiarity principle, binding measures be proposed where necessary, and in this respect welcomes the proposal for a Directive on time limits for payment of debts as a good example;

15. Advocates that in fields where the EU itself does not possess any legislative powers but performs a purely external coordinating role, the Commission should where necessary also effectively encourage the Member States to make the necessary changes in their conduct to enable SMEs to benefit tangibly from coordination;

16. Calls on the Commission to use SME impact assessment as a fully fledged policy-making technique and to indicate in its explanatory memoranda on legislative proposals whether and in what respect such an assessment has influenced a proposal;

Community programmes and support measures for SMEs

17. Regrets that the information in the various sections of Chapter 2 of the coordination report is of unequal value and that it sometimes does and sometimes does not indicate the extent to which SMEs actually benefit from the measures intended for them and, if so, to which type of enterprises (by size and sector) this applies;

18. Regrets in this respect the lack of data in the section on regional aid and in various sections on the financing of and access to credit for SMEs;

19. Expected to be able to welcome the detailed reporting in the section on enhancing competitiveness and participation in R& TD programmes and to observe on the basis of the report that things were moving in the right direction here; is however compelled by the Court of Auditors' annual report (1996) of 18 November 1997 ((OJ C 348, 18.11.1997.)) - which states that the data cited by the Commission are not reliable - to call on the Commission to adjust its reporting and policy and to improve coordination between the various Directorates-General;

20. Notes the activities to promote the introduction of environmental management systems at SMEs, but at the same time observes that regrettably the extent to which these measures contribute to compliance with the Treaty obligation to integrate environmental policy into policy on SMEs is not being assessed;

21. Draws attention to the importance of proper education and training of both employers and employees in SMEs and expects the SME dimension to be appropriately incorporated into all training programmes and measures;

Conclusion

22. Calls on the Commission to take account of these points in the next coordination reports and where necessary in formulating its policy;

23. Draws attention to Article 6 of Council Decision 97/15/EC on a third multiannual programme for small and medium-sized enterprises in the European Union (1997-2000) ((OJ L 6, 10.1.1997, p. 25.)), in which the Commission is asked to submit by the end of March 1999 an external evaluation report on policy on SMEs to make it possible to assess whether the original objectives of the third multiannual programme have been attained, taking into account a cost-benefit analysis, and all proposals which the Commission considers necessary in the light of the evaluation;24. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the European social partners, including the specific representatives of SMEs.