WRITTEN QUESTION E-1501/97 by Pervenche Berès (PSE) to the Commission (30 April 1997)

Subject: Programmes for small and medium-sized businesses

Small and medium-sized businesses are the main providers of employment in Europe. There are various programmes designed to assist them, but many of those who run such businesses criticize the programmes for being inconsistent and insufficiently tailored to their needs, in particular as regards the monitoring of the measures undertaken.

What steps will the Commission take to ensure that its new guidelines for this sector take account of such criticisms?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (17 June 1997)

The Commission is aware of the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises both in economic and social terms and especially in terms of job creation, and it has a number of Community programmes which are able to assist SMEs. To enhance the visibility and coherence of Community actions in favour of SMEs, on 10 July 1996 the Commission adopted the Integrated Programme for SMEs ((COM(96) 329, 10.7.1996. )), which provides an overall framework for its actions. The Integrated Programme brings together three types of measure. Firstly, concerted actions ensure consultation between Member States and between Member States and the Commission with a view to exchanging best practice in terms of support policies and measures for SMEs. In this way, better coherence should gradually be established between national and Community approaches.

Secondly, the Multiannual Programme for SMEs (1997-2000) ((OJ L 6 of 10.1.1997. Council Decision 97/15/EC of 9.12.1996. )), which is funded with a budget of ECU 127 million, aims to facilitate the integration of SMEs into the internal market and to help them to internationalise. One way in which it does this is by aiming to ensure that the Euro Info Centres (a network of 226 Community information centres, plus 20 correspondence centres) become first stop shops for access to information by enterprises. Finally, there are the Community's contributions to the development of SMEs under other Community policies, such as the structural policies, research and technological development, vocational training, international cooperation and technological innovation. These policies are devised according to specific objectives, such as economic and social cohesion. Specific and simplified measures can be set up to help SMEs to participate in these programmes.

By tightening up the internal coordination aspect of its work, the Commission is endeavouring to ensure that the SME dimension is integrated into the framing and implementation of Community policies, and to enhance SMEs' effective participation in these programmes. The most recent report on the coordination of Community activities ((OJ L 107 of 30.4.1996. )) highlights the progress made in this area. The Commission has issued a recommendation to the Member States, the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund on the definition of SMEs ((COM(95) 362, 8.9.1995. )) to be applied at both Community and national levels, thereby enabling initiatives in their favour to be better targeted. However, it should be noted that a number of Community programmes are implemented in a decentralised fashion by Member States and the regions. Consequently, it is also up to the national and regional levels to strengthen the coherence and visibility of programmes to assist SMEs so that the latter are better informed and benefit more from the measures proposed. To do this, the Commission has always been in favour of strengthening partnership and extending it to include economic and social operators, so that better account can be taken of the experience of those close to the reality of business life.