WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1693/96 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. European Observatory for SMEs
Date: 1996-06-24
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: business policy, economic growth, fight against unemployment, job creation, labour market, size of business, small and medium-sized enterprises, social security













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91996E1693

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1693/96 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. European Observatory for SMEs  


Official Journal C 356 , 25/11/1996 P. 0086 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1693/96 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (24 June 1996)Subject: European Observatory for SMEsA crucial section of the Observatory's report deals with employment and labour market policies. Its findings are not encouraging with regard to the usefulness of active and passive labour market policies. Neither the active policies pursued in the countries of northern Europe nor the policy of assistance in the South have achieved the desired results. The debate on current levels of social security and the way the systems operate is a long way from reaching a consensus but this militates for an approach more closely tied to the objectives and instruments set out in the White Paper. The present structure of economic recovery shows that it will not be possible to bring the unemployment rate down without an effort on the part of SMEs.Will the Commission therefore give careful consideration to this matter and to the creation of a programme which rewards those entrepreneurs who opt to expand their firms rather than choosing to remain small, even where the market would allow them to do so?Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (16 September 1996)Like the Honourable Member, the Commission feels that public action in favour of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should focus particularly on enterprises with considerable growth potential, these being the most likely to create employment in the longer term, without however neglecting those whose main purpose is to provide a stable framework for the individual or family activity of their founders, or preventing the latter from enjoying the full benefits of enterprise policy measures. This is, moreover, the reason why the Commission stressed the need to promote entrepreneurial initiative at all levels in its report to the Madrid European Council.The Commission will, therefore, continue to focus all its attention on the role of SMEs in creating employment, and will endeavour to stimulate, innovate and add to the range of existing measures, particularly as part of a new integrated programme in favour of SMEs and the craft industries, by giving priority to the promotion of a genuine enterprise culture based on values such as independence, risk-taking and a sense of personal commitment. Whilst accepting that most of the actions will need to be carried out at the level of the Member States, the Commission could play a part by encouraging the exchange of best practice in this field and helping to keep a record of the most dynamic entrepreneurs, as was the case with the 'Europe's 500' project. Under the third multiannual programme of Community action for SMEs, the Commission also intends to extend the use of the methodology for auditing Euromanagement pilot schemes to vital growth factors other than research and technological development (such as training in strategic management techniques and globalisation), and to adopt a decentralised approach by encouraging initiatives to set up 'enterprise clubs' which bring together entrepreneurs who are keen to make a personal contribution towards developing a growth strategy for their region.