Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - “Think Small First” - A “Small Business Act” for Europe {SEC(2008) 2101} {SEC(2008) 2102}
Date: 2008-06-25
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: administrative formalities, aid to undertakings, competitiveness, economic growth, entrepreneurship, financing, investment aid, market access, public awareness campaign, small and medium-sized enterprises

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 25.6.2008 
COM(2008) 394 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

“Think Small First” 
A “Small Business Act” for Europe 

{SEC(2008) 2101} 
{SEC(2008) 2102} 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

“Think Small First” 
A “Small Business Act” for Europe 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

Managing the transition towards a knowledge-based economy is the key challenge for the EU 
today. Success will ensure a competitive and dynamic economy with more and better jobs and 
a higher level of social cohesion. 

Dynamic  entrepreneurs  are  particularly  well  placed  to  reap  opportunities  from  globalisation 
and from the acceleration of technological change. Our capacity to build on the growth and 
innovation potential of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will therefore be decisive 
for  the  future  prosperity  of  the  EU.  In  a  globally  changing  landscape  characterised  by 
continuous  structural  changes  and  enhanced  competitive  pressures,  the  role  of  SMEs  in  our 
society has become even more important as providers of employment opportunities and key 
players for the wellbeing of local and regional communities. Vibrant SMEs will make Europe 
more robust to stand against the uncertainty thrown up in the globalised world of today. 

The EU has thus firmly placed the needs of SMEs at the heart of the Lisbon Growth and Jobs 
Strategy,  notably  since  2005  with  the  use  of  the  partnership  approach1,  which  has  achieved 
tangible results. Now it is time once and for all to cement the needs of SMEs in the forefront 
of the EU’s policy and to translate the vision of the EU Heads of State and Government of 
2000 into reality — making the EU a world-class environment for SMEs2. 

The national and local environments in which SMEs operate are very different and so is the 
nature  of  SMEs  themselves  (including  crafts,  micro-enterprises,  family  owned  or  social 
economy enterprises). Policies addressing the needs of SMEs therefore need to fully recognise 
this diversity and fully respect the principle of subsidiarity. 

TIME FOR A BREAKTHROUGH IN EU SME POLICY  

2. 
The mid-term review of the EU’s Modern SME policy3 from 2005 to 2007 showed that both 
the  Member  States  and  the  EU  have  made  progress  in  creating  an  SME-friendlier  business 
environment.  The  Commission  has  made  real  efforts  to  cut  red  tape  for  SMEs  and  has 
significantly  increased  the  SME  focus  in  major  EU  support  programmes  for  2007-2013. 
Member  States  have  substantially  improved  the  business  environment  for  SMEs,  taking 
inspiration  from  best  practice  exchanged  in  the  context  of  the  European  Charter  for  Small 
Enterprises  endorsed  in  Feira  in  2000  and  by  implementing  the  2006  Spring  European 
Council  conclusions,  e.g.  by  introducing  one-stop  shops  for  company  registration  and 
reducing the time and costs required to start a business. 
In  addition,  the  EU’s  strategy  for  better  regulation4  is  crucial  for  SMEs,  which  will  greatly 
benefit  from  the  modernisation  and  simplification  of  existing  EU  legislation  and  from  the 

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“Implementing  the  Community  Lisbon  Programme  –  Modern  SME  policy  for  Growth  and 
Employment”, COM(2005) 551 final, 10.11.2005. 
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/enterprise_policy/charter/docs/charter_en.pdf 
“Small and medium-sized enterprises - Key for delivering more growth and jobs. - A mid-term review 
of Modern SME policy”, COM(2007) 592 final, 4.10.2007. 
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/admin-burdens-reduction/home_en.htm 

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ambitious  programme  to  reduce  administrative  burdens  arising  from  EU  legislation  by  25% 
by 2012. 

Despite this encouraging progress, the EU still needs to take further significant measures to 
release  the  full  potential  of  SMEs5.  In  general,  EU  SMEs  still  have  lower  productivity  and 
grow more slowly than their counterparts in the United States. In the US, surviving firms on 
average  increase  their  employment  by  60%  by  their  seventh  year,  while  employment  gains 
among  surviving  firms  in  Europe  are  in  the  order  of  10%  to  20%.  SMEs  still  face  market 
failures undermining the conditions in which they operate and compete with other players in 
areas like finance (especially venture capital), research, innovation and the environment. For 
example,  about  21%  of  SMEs  indicate  that  accessing  finance  is  a  problem,6  and  in  many 
Member  States  the  percentage  is  much  higher  for  micro-enterprises.  Also,  fewer  European 
SMEs innovate successfully when compared to large businesses. The situation is worsened by 
structural  difficulties  such  as  the  lack  of  management  and  technical  skills,  and  remaining 
rigidities in labour markets at national level. 

The role of SMEs in the European economy has been repeatedly acknowledged at the highest 
political level. The March 2008 European Council expressed strong support for an initiative to 
further strengthen SMEs’ sustainable growth and competitiveness, named the “Small Business 
Act” (SBA) for Europe and requested its swift adoption. The Single Market Review7 also set 
out  the  need  for  further  initiatives  to  better  tailor  the  Single  Market  to  the  needs  of  today’s 
SMEs, in order to bring better results and more benefits. Last but not least, the public hearing 
and  the  online  consultation  conducted  to  prepare  the  SBA8  confirmed  the  need  for  a  major 
political  initiative  to  fully  unlock  the  potential  of  European  SMEs.  This  is  why  the 
Commission  has  taken  this  decisive  step  forward  in  presenting  an  “Small  Business  Act” 
(SBA) for Europe. 

3. 

DRIVING  AN  AMBITIOUS  POLICY  AGENDA  FOR  SMES:  A  “SMALL  BUSINESS  ACT” 
(SBA) FOR EUROPE 

At the heart of the European SBA is the conviction that achieving the best possible framework 
conditions  for  SMEs  depends  first  and  foremost  on  society’s  recognition  of  entrepreneurs. 
The general climate in society should lead individuals to consider the option of starting their 
own  business  as  attractive,  and  acknowledge  that  SMEs  contribute  substantially  to 
employment  growth  and  economic  prosperity.  As  a  key  contribution  to  achieving  an  SME-
friendly  environment,  the  perception  of  the  role  of  entrepreneurs  and  risk-taking  in  the  EU 
will  therefore  have  to  change:  entrepreneurship  and  the  associated  willingness  to  take  risks 
should  be  applauded  by  political  leaders  and  the  media,  and  supported  by  administrations. 
Being  SME-friendly  should  become  mainstream  policy,  based  on  the  conviction  that  rules 
must respect the majority of those who will use them: the ”Think Small First” principle. 

This  is  why  the  “Small  Business  Act”  aims  to  improve  the  overall  policy  approach  to 
entrepreneurship,  to  irreversibly  anchor  the  “Think  Small  First”  principle  in  policy-
making from regulation to public service, and to promote SMEs’ growth by helping them 
tackle the remaining problems which hamper their development. 

The  SBA  builds  on  the  Commission’s  and  Member  States’  policy  achievements,  creates  a 
new policy framework which integrates the existing enterprise policy instruments, and builds 
in particular on the European Charter for Small Enterprises and the Modern SME policy. To 

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“Impact Assessment on the SBA”, SEC(2008) 2101. 
2007 Observatory of EU SMEs. 
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/enterprise_policy/analysis/observatory_en.htm 
“A single market for 21st century Europe”, COM(2007) 724 final, 20.11.2007. 
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/docs/sba_consultation_report_final.pdf 

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implement  this  ambitious  policy  agenda,  the  Commission  is  proposing  a  genuine  political 
partnership between the EU and Member States that respects the principles of subsidiarity and 
proportionality. 

The  symbolic  name  of  an  “Act”  given  to  this  initiative  underlines  the  political  will  to 
recognise the central role of SMEs in the EU economy and to put in place for the first time a 
comprehensive policy framework for the EU and its Member States through: 

•  a set of 10 principles to guide the conception and implementation of policies both at 
EU  and  Member  State  level.  These  principles  outlined  in  detail  in  chapter  4  are 
essential to bring added value at EU level, create a level playing field for SMEs and 
improve the legal and administrative environment throughout the EU: 

I 

II 

III 

IV 

V 

VI 

Create an environment in which entrepreneurs and family businesses can thrive and 
entrepreneurship is rewarded  

Ensure  that  honest  entrepreneurs  who  have  faced  bankruptcy  quickly  get  a  second 
chance  

Design rules according to the “Think Small First” principle 

Make public administrations responsive to SMEs’ needs 

Adapt  public  policy  tools  to  SME  needs:  facilitate  SMEs’  participation  in  public 
procurement and better use State Aid possibilities for SMEs  

Facilitate  SMEs’  access  to  finance  and  develop  a  legal  and  business  environment 
supportive to timely payments in commercial transactions 

VII 

Help SMEs to benefit more from the opportunities offered by the Single Market  

VIII 

Promote the upgrading of skills in SMEs and all forms of innovation 

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Enable SMEs to turn environmental challenges into opportunities  

Encourage and support SMEs to benefit from the growth of markets  

•  a  set  of  new  legislative  proposals  which  are  guided  by  the  “Think  Small  First” 

principle:  

–  General Block Exemption Regulation on State Aids (GBER) 

This Regulation, to be adopted shortly, will exempt from prior notification categories of State 
Aid  already  covered  by  existing  regulations  in  the  field  of  aid  to  SMEs,  for  training, 
employment,  R&D  and  regional  aid  and  possibly  also  for  new  categories  of  aid.  The  new 
Regulation will simplify and harmonise existing rules for SMEs and increase investment aid 
intensities for SMEs.  

–  Regulation providing for a Statute for a European Private Company (SPE) 

This Regulation provides for a Statute for an SPE that could be created and operate according 
to the same uniform principles in all Member States. The Commission will also come forward 
with  the  necessary  amending  proposals  to  ensure  that  this  new  company  form  can  benefit 
from the existing corporate tax directives. 

–  Directive on reduced VAT rates 

This  Directive,  which  will  be  proposed  shortly,  will  offer  Member  States  the  option  of 
applying  reduced  VAT  rates  principally  for  locally  supplied  services,  which  are  mainly 
provided by SMEs. 

Moreover, as part of the SBA the following proposals will be prepared: 

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–  A legislative proposal to further modernise, simplify and harmonise the existing rules on 

VAT invoicing to alleviate the burden on businesses. 

–  An amendment to the Directive 2000/35/EC on late payments with a view to ensuring that 

SMEs are paid on time for any commercial transaction. 

•  a  set  of  new  policy  measures  which  implement  these  10  principles  according  to  the 

needs of SMEs both at Community and at Member State level. 

4. 

I 

TURNING PRINCIPLES INTO POLICY ACTION 

The  EU  and  Member  States  should  create  an  environment  within  which 
entrepreneurs  and  family  businesses  can  thrive  and  entrepreneurship  is 
rewarded. 

They  need  to  care  for  future  entrepreneurs  better,  in  particular  by  fostering 
entrepreneurial  interest  and  talent,  particularly  among  young  people  and 
women, and by simplifying the conditions for business transfers.  

The  2007  Flash  Eurobarometer9  on  entrepreneurial  mindsets  shows  that  45%  of  Europeans 
would prefer to be self-employed, compared to 61% in the US. This has not changed for many 
years.  People  in  Europe  need  to  be  made  more  aware  that  self-employment  is  a  potentially 
attractive career option and be provided with the necessary skills to turn their ambitions into 
successful ventures. 

The  education  system,  and  in  particular  the  school  curricula,  do  not  focus  enough  on 
entrepreneurship and do not provide the basic skills which entrepreneurs need. Children can 
learn to appreciate entrepreneurship from the beginning of their education.  

As an estimated 6  million small business owners will retire over the next ten years, Europe 
cannot  afford  to  risk  losing  these  businesses  due  simply  to  difficulties  in  business  transfers 
and to a lack of appreciation of the traditional role of family business. A greater number of 
transfers  of  business  would  have  an  immediate  positive  effect  on  the  European  economy: 
successful  transfer  of  business  preserves  more  jobs  on  average  than  those  created  by  new 
start-ups. Transfer of business should therefore be given the same support as setting up a new 
business. Recognition of the special role of SMEs and in particular family-based enterprises, 
their typically local base, socially responsible attitudes and capacity to combine tradition with 
innovation, underpins the importance of simplifying the transfer of businesses and the skills 
associated with them. 

Entrepreneurship potential needs to be better exploited. There is a continuing gender gap in 
terms of entrepreneurship, which translates into fewer women entrepreneurs. This adds to an 
unexploited potential for entrepreneurship among immigrants10. 

Finally,  the  SBA  should  also  be  seen  as  an  opportunity  for  entrepreneurs  themselves  to 
contribute to a better business environment by stepping up their cooperation and networking, 
by  exploiting  more  fully  the  potential  of  SMEs,  and  especially  family  enterprises,  as 
important training grounds for entrepreneurship and by acting in a socially responsible way.  

To translate this principle into practice: 

the Commission:  

•  is  promoting  entrepreneurial  culture  and  facilitating  exchanges  of  best  practice  in 

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http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/enterprise_policy/survey/eurobarometer_intro.htm 
“A Common Immigration Policy for Europe: Principles and tools”, COM(2008)359 final, 17.6.2008. 

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enterprise education 

•  will  launch  a  “European  SME  Week”  in  2009  —  an  umbrella  for  many  campaign-type 

events that will take place throughout Europe 

•  is  launching  the  “Erasmus  for  Young  Entrepreneurs”  initiative  in  2008,  which  aims  to 
promote  exchanges  of  experience  and  training  by  giving  nascent  entrepreneurs  the 
possibility to learn from experienced host entrepreneurs and improve their language skills 

•  will  establish  an  EU  network  of  female  entrepreneur  ambassadors,  promote  mentoring 
schemes  to  inspire  women  to  set  up  their  own  businesses  and  promote  entrepreneurship 
among women graduates. 

the Member States are invited to:  

•  stimulate  innovative  and  entrepreneurial  mindsets  among  young  people  by  introducing 
entrepreneurship  as  a  key  competence  in  school  curricula,  particularly  in  general 
secondary education, and ensure that it is correctly reflected in teaching material  

•  ensure that the importance of entrepreneurship is correctly reflected in teacher training 

•  step up cooperation with the business community in order to develop systematic strategies 

for entrepreneurship education at all levels  

•  ensure that taxation (in particular gift tax, taxation of dividends and wealth tax) does not 

unduly hamper the transfer of businesses  

•  put in place schemes for matching transferable businesses with potential new owners  

•  provide mentoring and support for business transfers  

•  provide mentoring and support for female entrepreneurs 

•  provide mentoring and support for immigrants who wish to become entrepreneurs. 

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II 

The  Member  States  should  ensure  that  honest  entrepreneurs  who  have  faced 
bankruptcy quickly get a second chance. 

Bankruptcies  account  for  some  15%  of  all  company  closures.  Some  700  000  SMEs  are 
affected on average every year, and some 2.8 million jobs are involved throughout Europe on 
an annual basis11. In the EU, the stigma of failure is still present and society underestimates 
the  business  potential  of  re-starters.  Today,  47%  of  Europeans  would  be  reluctant  to  order 
from  a  previously  failed  business.  At  the  same  time,  making  a  new  start  is  complicated  by 
lengthy bankruptcy proceedings. The average time to complete a bankruptcy in the EU varies 
between 4 months and 9 years. 

To translate this principle into practice: 

the Commission: 

•  will continue to promote a second chance policy by facilitating exchanges of best practice 

between Member States  

the Member States are invited to: 

•  promote  a  positive  attitude  in  society  towards  giving  entrepreneurs  a  fresh  start,  for 

example through public information campaigns 

•  aim to complete all legal procedures to wind up the business in the case of non-fraudulent 

bankruptcy within a year  

•  ensure  that  re-starters  are  treated  on  an  equal  footing  with  new  start-ups,  including  in 

support schemes. 

III 

The EU and Member States  should design rules according to the “Think Small 
First”  principle  by  taking  into  account  SMEs’  characteristics  when  designing 
legislation, and simplify the existing regulatory environment. 

The  most  burdensome  constraint  reported  by  SMEs  is  compliance  with  administrative 
regulations.  Indeed,  SMEs  bear  a  disproportionate  regulatory  and  administrative  burden  in 
comparison to larger businesses. It has been estimated that where a big company spends one 
euro  per  employee  because  of  a  regulatory  duty,  a  small  business  might  have  to  spend  on 
average up to 10 euros12. 36% of EU SMEs report that red tape has constrained their business 
activities over the past two years. 

To translate this principle into practice: 

To make future regulation fit with the ”Think Small First” principle, 

the Commission: 

•  is  strengthening  the  assessment  of  the  respect  of  the  Protocol  on  the  application  of  the 
principles of subsidiarity and proportionality in forthcoming legislative and administrative 
initiatives 

•  will, wherever practical, use common commencement dates for regulations and decisions 

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“Overcoming  the  stigma  of  business  failure  –  for  a  second  chance  policy  -  Implementing  the  Lisbon 
Partnership for Growth and Jobs”, COM(2007) 584 final, 5.10.2007. 
Report  from  the  Expert  Group  on  “Models  to  Reduce  the  Disproportionate  Regulatory  burden  on 
SMEs”, May 2007. 

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affecting business and publish an annual statement of such legislation entering into force 

the Commission will, and the Member States are invited to: 

•  ensure that policy results are delivered while minimising costs and burdens for business, 
including  by  using  a  smart  mix  of  tools  such  as  mutual  recognition  and  self-  or  co-
regulation, to achieve policy outcomes 

•  rigorously  assess  the  impact  of  forthcoming  legislative  and  administrative  initiatives  on 

SMEs (“SME test”) and take relevant results into account when designing proposals 

•  consult  stakeholders,  including  SME  organisations  for  at  least  8  weeks  prior  to  making 

any legislative or administrative proposal that has an impact on businesses  

•  use  specific  measures  for  small  and  micro-enterprises,  such  as  derogations,  transition 
periods  and  exemptions,  in  particular  from  information  or  reporting  requirements,  and 
other tailor-made approaches, wherever appropriate, and 

the Member States are invited to: 

•  consider  the  usefulness  of  introducing  common  commencement  dates  and  annual 

statements of legislation entering into force 

•  make use of flexibility provisions aimed at SMEs when implementing EU legislation and 

avoid “gold-plating” 

To improve the regulatory environment in view of the “Think Small First” principle, 

the Commission: 

•  will come forward with all the proposals to reduce the administrative burden on business 

which are necessary to achieve the EU reduction target of 25% by 2012 

•  will  complete  by  the  end  of  2008  a  complete  screening  of  the  acquis  and  include  the 
results  in  the  updated  simplification  rolling  programme  to  be  presented  in  early  2009. 
Particular  attention  will  be  paid  to  identifying  proposals  where  legislation  could  be 
simplified for the benefit of SMEs, including in particular company law, and 

the Member States are invited to:  

•  adopt targets of comparable ambition to the commitment to cut administrative burdens by 

25% by 2012 at EU level, where this has not yet been done, and implement them 

•  ensure  swift  adoption  of  the  proposals  relating  to  the  reduction  of  the  administrative 

burden in Community legislation  

•  adopt  the  Commission  proposal  which  would  permit  Member  States  to  increase  the 

threshold for VAT registration to €100 000. 

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IV 

The  EU  and  Member  States  should  make  public  administrations  responsive  to 
SME needs, making life as simple as possible for SMEs, notably by promoting e-
government and one-stop-shop solutions. 

Modern and responsive public administrations can make a major contribution to the success 
and  growth  of  SMEs  by  saving  them  time  and  money  and  hence  freeing  resources  for 
innovation  and  job  creation.  E-government  and  one-stop  shops,  in  particular,  have  the 
potential to help improve service and reduce costs. 

The ongoing implementation process of the Services Directive will contribute to making life 
easier for SMEs and requires Member States to set up points of single contact, to reduce in 
number  and  lighten  authorisation  schemes,  and  to  eliminate  regulatory  barriers  to  the 
development of service activities. It also offers opportunities to go beyond its requirements in 
accelerating the start up of business operations. 

To translate this principle into practice: 

the Member States are invited to: 

•  reduce the level of fees requested by the Member States’ administrations for registering a 

business, taking inspiration from EU best performers 

•  continue to work to reduce the time required to set up a business to less than one week, 

where this has not yet been achieved  

•  accelerate the start of SMEs’ commercial operations by reducing and simplifying business 
licences and permits. More specifically, Member States could set a maximum deadline of 
1 month for granting these licences and permits, except in cases justified by serious risks 
to people or the environment  

•  refrain  from  asking  SMEs  for  information  which  is  already  available  within  the 

administration, unless it needs to be updated  

•  make sure that a micro-business is not asked to participate in a statistical survey under the 
responsibility  of  the  state,  regional  or  local  statistical  office  more  than  once  every  three 
years, provided that the needs for statistical and other types of information do not require 
otherwise  

•  establish  a  contact  point  to  which  stakeholders  can  communicate  rules  or  procedures 
which are considered to be disproportionate and/or unnecessarily hinder SME activities  

•  ensure full and timely implementation of the Services Directive, including the setting up 
of points of single contact, through which businesses can obtain all relevant information 
and complete all necessary procedures and formalities by electronic means. 

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V 

The EU and the Member States should adapt public policy tools to SME needs.  

They  should  make  use  of  the  Code  of  Best  Practice  providing  guidance  to 
contracting  authorities  on  how  they  may  apply  the  EC  public  procurement 
framework in a way that facilitates SMEs’ participation in public procurement 
procedures. 

To  address  the  market  failures  that  SMEs  face  throughout  their  lifecycle  they 
should  make  better  use  of  the  possibilities  offered  by  Community  State  Aid 
rules to support start-ups and provide incentives for SMEs. 

SMEs  face  obstacles  when  participating  in  public  procurement  markets,  which  account  for 
16% of the EU GDP, often simply because smaller businesses are not aware of opportunities 
and/or  are  discouraged  by  procedures  and  because  public  authorities  may  find  it  more 
comfortable to award certain contracts to large enterprises with a track record rather than to 
young innovative companies. In spite of this, 42% of the value of public procurement above 
the EU thresholds was awarded to SMEs in 200513. Further significant efforts are, however, 
needed to reduce the remaining obstacles to SMEs accessing procurement markets, especially 
by alleviating requirements imposed by contracting authorities in award procedures. 

State  aids  can  help  SMEs  throughout  their  life  cycle.  At  present,  SMEs  only  marginally 
benefit from the State Aid available as the support options offered are often not fully taken up. 
There are a number of reasons for this: firstly, public authorities do not always put in place all 
the support mechanisms for the benefit of SMEs allowed under Community rules; secondly, 
processes  are  often  too  lengthy  and  complicated  for  SMEs;  and  thirdly,  SMEs  often  lack 
information on the schemes available to them. 

To translate this principle into practice: 

the Commission: 

•  will present a voluntary Code of Best Practice for contracting authorities, to trigger further 
change in the purchasing culture. It will provide guidance on how to reduce bureaucracy, 
improve transparency and information and ensure a level playing field for SMEs 

•  is  further  facilitating  access 

information  on  procurement  opportunities  by 
complementing the existing EU websites dedicated to public procurement with a series of 
initiatives  such  as  optional  publication  of  contract  notices  for  below-threshold 
procurement, an online tool to find business partners, and increased transparency of public 
procurement requirements  

to 

•  will publish a Vademecum on State Aid for SMEs to increase awareness of the existing 

support options 

the Member States are invited to: 

•  set  up  electronic  portals  to  widen  access  to  information  on  public  procurement 

opportunities below the EU thresholds  

•  encourage  their  contracting  authorities  to  subdivide  contracts  into  lots  where  it  is 

appropriate and to make sub-contracting opportunities more visible 

•  remind  their  contracting  authorities  of  their  obligation  to  avoid  disproportionate 

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qualification and financial requirements  

•  encourage  constructive  dialogue  and  mutual  understanding  between  SMEs  and  large 
buyers through activities such as information, training, monitoring and exchange of good 
practice 

•  refocus  State  Aid  policy  to  better  address  SMEs’  needs,  including  the  design  of  better 

targeted measures. 

VI 

The  EU  and  Member  States  should  facilitate  SMEs’  access  to  finance,  in 
particular  to  risk  capital,  micro-credit  and  mezzanine  finance  and  develop  a 
legal  and  business  environment  supportive  to  timely  payment  in  commercial 
transactions. 

Raising the right kind of finance can be a major difficulty for entrepreneurs and SMEs, and 
comes second after the administrative burden on the list of their concerns. This is in spite of 
EU public support such as the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), 
which provides over €1 billion to  support SMEs’ access to finance, a substantial amount of it 
channelled  via  the  EIB  Group.  By  2013,  Cohesion  Policy  will  provide  some  €27  billion 
explicitly dedicated to the support of SMEs. Around €10 bill ion will be contributed through 
financial  engineering  measures,  including  JEREMIE  and  some  €3.1  billion  through  venture 
capital.  The  European  Agricultural  Fund  for  Rural  Development  also  benefits  SMEs  as  it 
promotes, among other things, entrepreneurship and encourages the economic diversification 
of rural areas. 

Risk aversion often makes investors and banks shy away from financing firms in their start-up 
and  early  expansion  stages.  Possible  market  failures  in  SME  finance  provision  must  be 
identified  and  corrected  to  further  develop  the  European  risk  capital  markets,  to  improve 
SMEs’  access  to  micro-credit  and  mezzanine  finance  and  to  develop  new  products  and 
services.  Furthermore,  many  entrepreneurs  need  guidance  and  education  on  the  advantages 
and disadvantages of different forms of finance and on how to best present their investment 
projects to potential financiers. 

In addition, SMEs often have a weak equity position, which is further undermined by the late 
payment culture in Europe. In fact, depending on the country, SMEs have to wait between 20 
and over 100 days on average to get their invoices paid. One out of four insolvencies is due to 
late payment. This leads to the loss of 450 000 jobs and of €25 billion every year.

The Commission shares the assessment of the European Investment Bank Group (the EIB and 
the  EIF)  that  there  is  a  need  to  further  improve  SMEs’  access  to  finance  and  therefore 
welcomes the efforts of the Group to modernise its existing products, simplify their use and 
broaden  their  scope  of  application  starting  in  2008.  The  Commission  warmly  welcomes  the 
establishment by the EIB Group of a new “Microfund” with an initial capital of around €40 
the  EIB)  to  support  non-bank  micro-finance 
million  (of  which  €16  million  will  be  from 
institutions  in  the  framework  of  the  new  micro-credit  initiative  of  the  Commission.  The 
Commission also applauds the EIB for its plan to establish a dedicated mezzanine financing 
envelope for the smaller end of the SME sector and specific risk-sharing financial instruments 
with  commercial  banks  adapted  to  the  needs  of  fast  growing  innovative  SMEs  and  mid-cap 
companies, which should target identified market failures.  

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To translate this principle into practice: 

the Commission:  

•  will  evaluate  options  for  introducing  a  private  placement  regime  destined  to  facilitate 

cross-border investment in order to strengthen European venture capital markets 

•  is  offering  assistance  to  Member  States  to  develop  high  quality  investment  readiness 

programmes 

the Member States are invited to: 

•  develop  financing  programmes  that  address  the  funding  gap  between  €100 000  and 
€1 million,  in  particular  with  instruments  comb ining  features  of  debt  and  equity,  while 
respecting State Aid rules 

•  tackle the regulatory and tax obstacles that prevent venture capital funds operating in the 

Single Market from investing on the same terms as domestic funds 

•  ensure that the taxation of corporate profits encourages investment  

•  make  full  use  of  funding  available  in  cohesion  policy  programmes  and  the  European 

Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, in support of SMEs. 

VII 

The  EU  and  Member  States  should  encourage  SMEs  to  benefit  more  from  the 
opportunities offered by the Single Market, in particular through improving the 
governance  of  and  information  on  Single  Market  policy,  enabling  SMEs’ 
interests  to  be  better  represented  in  the  development  of  standards  and 
facilitating SMEs’ access to patents and trade marks. 

The Single Market should guarantee access for enterprises to a wide common market of over 
500  million  consumers  operating  according  to  a  common  set  of  rules.  The  simplification 
implied  by  a  replacement  of  27  sets  of  different  national  rules  by  one  set  of  EU  Internal 
Market rules is of particular benefit to SMEs. A well-functioning Single Market will create a 
competitive  environment  to  equip  SMEs  to  take  better  advantage  of  globalisation,  opening 
new  opportunities  for  knowledge  and  innovation.  Currently,  however,  SMEs  do  not  fully 
benefit  from  the  opportunities  provided  by  the Single  Market  largely  because  of  the  lack  of 
information on business opportunities and applicable rules in other Member States, as well as 
insufficient  language  skills.  The  costs  and  risks  involved  in  having  to  deal  with  several 
different  national  legal  systems  often  prevent  companies  from  expanding  their  activities 
abroad.  

SMEs  can  also  strongly  benefit  from  public  support  in  the  form  of  advisory  or  networking 
services,  including  assistance  for  SMEs  to  defend  themselves  against  unfair  commercial 
practices.  In  particular,  the  Enterprise  Europe  Network14  recently  launched  by  the 
Commission  can,  among  other  things,  assist  SMEs  by  providing  information  and  advice 
regarding the opportunities offered by the Single Market.  

Furthermore,  SMEs  need  to  be  able  to  take  part  fully  in  the  development  of  standards  and 
have adequate access to them, including the certification process.  

14 

http://www.enterprise-europe-network.ec.europa.eu/ 

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Finally,  to  highlight  the  importance  of  Intellectual  Property  Rights  (IPR)  for  SMEs,  the 
Commission continues to work on an efficient, cost-effective, high-quality and legally secure 
patent  system  at  European  level,  including  a  Community  Patent  and  an  EU-wide  Patent 
Jurisdiction. 

To translate this principle into practice: 

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the Commission:  

•  will  ensure  that  SMEs  benefit  from  existing  market  opening  policies  by  gathering 
information  on  the  operation  of  the  Single  Market  through  greater  use  of  market  and 
sector  monitoring  so  that  market  failures  are  identified  and  can  be  addressed  where  the 
economic benefits are greatest 

•  is  presenting  an  action  plan  in  2008  to  promote  the  use  of  interoperable  electronic 
signatures  and  electronic  authentication  and  will  launch  actions  involving  all  relevant 
stakeholders  in  the  second  quarter  of  2009  to  help  SMEs  participate  in  global  supply 
chains 

•  is increasing EU financial support (to €1 m illion in 2008 and € 2.1 million from 2009) to 

promote  SMEs’  participation  and  defence  of  their  interests  in  standardisation  and  to 
improve SMEs’ information on, and use of, European standards  

•  will  make  the  Community  Trade  Mark  system  more  accessible,  in  particular  by 
significantly reducing Community Trade Mark fees as part of a comprehensive solution to 
the financial perspectives of the Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market (OHIM) 

•  will work towards removing the fragmentation of consumer protection rules to make cross 

border trade easier for SMEs, including through minimizing administrative burdens. 

the European standards bodies are invited to:  

•  reconsider,  in  close  cooperation  with  the  Member  States  and  the  Commission,  their 
business model in order to reduce the cost of access to standards, starting with standards 
developed in support of EU legislation and policies 

•  set  up  one  or  more  “SME  Helpdesks”,  coordinated  with  representatives  of  SME 

associations  

•  systematically  publish  abstracts  of  European  standards,  including  lists  of  normative 

references, with unrestricted access and in different languages. 

the Member States are invited to: 

•  ensure correct application of the mutual recognition principle 
•  reinforce the SOLVIT15 problem-solving system to ensure that problems with the exercise 

of Single Market rights can be resolved informally, speedily and pragmatically  

•  encourage National Standards Bodies to reconsider their business model in order to reduce 

the cost of access to standards 

•  ensure that the composition of the standardisation committees is fair 

•  invite  National  Standards  Bodies,  together  with  European  Standards  Organisations,  to 
carry out promotion and information campaigns to encourage SMEs to make better use of 
standards and provide feedback on their content  

•  provide  SMEs  with  advisory  services  including  support  to  defend  themselves  against 

unfair commercial practices. 

VIII 

The EU and Member States should promote the upgrading of skills in SMEs and 
all forms of innovation.  

15 

http://ec.europa.eu/solvit/site/index_en.htm 

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They should encourage investment in research by SMEs and their participation 
in  R&D  support  programmes,  transnational  research,  clustering  and  active 
intellectual property management by SMEs. 

More  than  60%  of  companies  responding  to  the  consultation  consider  that  schools  do  not 
provide  the  competences  needed  by  entrepreneurs  and  their  staff.  This  result  highlights  the 
societal need to always provide young people with essential skills, such as reading, writing, 
natural  sciences,  management,  technical,  ICT  and  language  skills  and  enable  them  to  be 
creative.  SMEs  suffer  in  particular  from  the  lack  of  skilled  labour  in  the  field  of  new 
technologies.  In  this  context,  the  European  Reference  Framework  on  key  competences  for 
lifelong  learning16,  which  aims  at  offering  the  necessary  basic  skills  to  all  young  people, 
needs to be implemented.  

The  European  Cohesion  Policy  supports  actions  to  promote  the  adaptability  of  workers, 
entrepreneurs  and  enterprises  with  some  €13.5  billion  over 
the  period  2007-2013.  A 
significant  part  of  this  amount  is  directly  targeted  at  SMEs.  In  addition,  it  is  estimated  that 
support for self-employment and business start-ups will total €2.8 billion.  Last but not least, 
the Commission is working on an overview of future skills needs in the EU. 

Linked  to  the  skills  shortage  is  the  unexploited  potential  for  research  and  innovation.  Only 
around 3 out of 10 SMEs in the EU indicated in 2007 that they have new products or have 
income  from  new  products.  Therefore  it  is  important  to  better  integrate  SMEs  into  the 
research community and foster the links between universities and SMEs.  

It  is  also  necessary  to  encourage  active  intellectual  property  management  by  SMEs,  for 
instance by enabling e-invoicing and e-government transactions.  

To translate this principle into practice: 

the Commission:  

•  will  further  extend  a  scheme  to  promote  the  mobility  of  apprentices as  part  of  the 

Leonardo Da Vinci Programme for 2010  

•  is supporting the development by stakeholders of an online e-Skills and Career Portal in 
2008 that will enable firms to self-assess their e-skills needs and find out how to develop 
the careers and qualifications of their staff and will publish in 2008 an online e-Business 
Guide, which will help SMEs to self-diagnose their e-business needs  

•  will continue efforts through simplification, better information and higher financing rates 

to optimise SME-participation in the 7th RTD Framework Programme (FP7).  

•  is  encouraging  the  growth  of  SMEs,  by  ensuring  that  an  SME  participating  in  a  FP7 
project can keep the benefit of SME treatment for the whole duration of that project, even 
if it exceeds the SME ceilings during that period 

•  will  simplify  State  Aid  rules  for  Member  States  to  support  research,  development  and 

innovation, notably through the General Block Exemption Regulation  

•  is  boosting  the  emergence  of  high  growth  enterprises  by  supporting  the  research  and 
innovation  capacity  of  SMEs,  mainly  through  increased  coordination  of  national 
programmes and initiatives 

•  will, in consultation with Member States, develop a cluster strategy including initiatives to 
encourage  transnational  cluster  cooperation,  facilitating  clusters’  access  to  new  markets 
and taking measures to encourage greater participation of SMEs in innovative clusters 

16 

Commission Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning, 18.12.2006. 

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•  will seek to support SME participation in knowledge transfer, partly through the launching 

of a pilot project to help fund the commercialisation of intellectual property 

•  will encourage an active participation of SMEs in the framework of the activities carried 
out  by  the  European  Institute  of  Innovation  and  Technology  (EIT),  to  enable  them  to 
benefit from the knowledge transfers fostered by the EIT. 

the Member States are invited to: 

•  encourage  the  efforts  of  SMEs  to  internationalise  and  become  high  growth  enterprises 

including through participation in innovative clusters 

•  promote the development of SMEs’ competences in the research and innovation field by 
means  of,  e.g.  simplified  access  to  public  research  infrastructure,  use  of  R&D  services, 
recruitment  of  skilled  employees  and  training,  as  allowed  for  in  the  new  Community 
Framework for State Aid for research, development and innovation  

•  open up national research programmes where this is of mutual benefit to SMEs from other 
Member  States  and  contribute  to  SMEs’  access  to  trans-national  research  activities,  e.g. 
through joint programming  

•  ensure in their implementation of the Cohesion Policy programme an easy access of SMEs 

to funding related to entrepreneurship, innovation and knowledge 

•  support the development of an electronic identity for businesses, to enable e-invoicing and 

e-government transactions 

•  encourage  business,  in  particular  SMEs  and  other  stakeholders,  including  procurement 
authorities, to participate in actions contributing to the speedy implementation of the Lead 
Market Initiative. 

IX 

The  EU  and  Member  States  should  enable  SMEs  to  turn  environmental 
challenges into opportunities.  

They  should  provide  more  information,  expertise  and  financial  incentives  for 
full  exploitation  of  the  opportunities  for  new  “green”  markets  and  increased 
energy  efficiency,  partly  through  the 
implementation  of  environmental 
management systems in SMEs. 

Climate change, scarcity of energy supplies and sustainable development are key challenges 
for  SMEs,  which  have  to  adopt  more  sustainable  production  and  business  models.  The 
demand  for  environmentally  friendly  products  and  services  also  opens  the  way  for  new 
business opportunities. 

Only  29%  of  SMEs  have  introduced  any  measures  for  saving  energy  or  raw  materials 
(compared  with  46%  of  large  enterprises).  Only  4%  of  EU  SMEs  have  a  comprehensive 
energy  efficiency  system  in  place  compared  with  19%  for  large  enterprises.  SMEs  are 
particularly vulnerable to the current trend of rising prices for energy and raw materials, and 
to forecast climate changes, and need to increase their efficiency and their capacity to adapt to 
these challenges, in order to turn them into opportunities. 

To translate this principle into practice: 

the Commission: 

•  is facilitating SMEs’ access to the Eco-Audit and Management Scheme (EMAS) through 

lighter environmental procedures, reduced fees, and the option of cluster registration 

•  will  finance  a  network  of  environment  and  energy  efficiency  experts  in  the  Enterprise 

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Europe  Network  providing  advice  on  eco-efficient  operations,  markets  potential  and 
funding opportunities for more efficient operations in particular for SMEs 

•  is developing new forms of support for innovative start-ups and SMEs in the field of eco-
innovation, with a view to facilitating market access, technology transfer, use of standards 
and access to finance, in line with existing State Aid provisions 

the Member States are invited to: 

•  provide  incentives  for  eco-efficient  businesses  and  products  (e.g.  tax  incentive  schemes 
and  prioritising  subsidies  for  funding  sustainable  business)  in  line  with  the  Community 
Guidelines  on  State  Aid  for  Environmental  Protection  and  make  use  of  the  simplified 
approach to environmental aid for SMEs developed in the GBER 

•  make full use of the around €2.5 billion allocated in Cohe sion Policy programmes for the 

support of eco-friendly products and processes in SMEs. 

X 

The EU and Member States should support and encourage SMEs to benefit from 
the  growth  of  markets  outside  the  EU,  in  particular  through  market-specific 
support and business training activities. 

Only 8% of European SMEs report turnover from exports (7% of micro-enterprises reported 
exports), which is significantly lower than the figure for large enterprises (28%). Moreover, 
only 12% of the inputs of an average SME are purchased abroad. 

Fast-growing  markets  present  untapped  potential  for  many  European  SMEs.  In  particular, 
recent  EU  enlargements  have  created  important  new  business  opportunities  for  companies 
from  both  “old”  and  “new”  Member  States.  This  demonstrates  the  importance  of  fully 
exploiting  the  potential  of  market  opportunities  in  the  EU  candidate  and  neighbourhood 
countries.  

Trade  barriers  impact  more  on  SMEs  than  on  larger  companies  because  of  their  limited 
resources  and  lower  capacity  to  absorb  risks,  especially  when  operating  in  intensely 
competitive markets. To be able to access these markets, SMEs therefore need assistance in 
getting information on potential partners and openings in their markets. They also need to be 
helped  to  overcome  cultural  barriers  to  business  and  differences  in  regulatory  or  legal 
environments. 

In order to help SMEs benefit fully from the opportunities offered by globalisation, particular 
attention  has  to  be  paid  to  improving  access  to  procurement  markets  and  enforcement  of 
intellectual property rights, ensuring fair competition, as well as facilitating market access.  

To translate this principle into practice: 

the Commission: 

•  has  established  Market  Access  Teams  in  key  export  markets  bringing  together  Member 
States’  trade  councillors  and  EU  business  organisations,  which  will  help  to  improve 
SMEs’ information on trade barriers markets outside the EU 

•  will actively seek the opening up of third countries markets, in particular in developed and 
advanced developing economies, through WTO negotiations and bilateral agreements 

•  will in particular seek the opening up of non-EU countries’ procurement markets, which 
should  lead  to  mutual  and  reciprocal  benefits,  through  its  bilateral  and  multilateral 
negotiations (WTO Government Procurement Agreement), in particular with fast-growing 
countries  

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•  will promote trade facilitation both in the context of the WTO and in bilateral negotiations 

•  will  continue  to  facilitate  EU  SMEs’  access  to  the  markets  of  candidate  and  other 
neighbourhood  countries,  in  particular  through  the  Enterprise  Europe  Network  and  by 
promoting  the  “Think  Small  First”  principle  in  these  countries,  including  through 
exchanges of good practice based on the European Charter for Small Enterprises and the 
SBA  

•  intends to establish European Business Centres in 2009 in selected markets, starting with 

the fast-growing economies of India and China 

•  intends  to  launch  a  ‘Gateway  to  China’  scheme,  focusing  on  establishing  an  Executive 
Training  Programme  in  China  to  enable  European  SMEs  to  be  more  competitive  in  the 
Chinese market by 2010. 

the Member States are invited to: 

•  encourage coaching of SMEs by large companies in order to bring them to international 

markets. 

5. 

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SBA AND GOVERNANCE 

Since its launch by the Commission in October 2007, the idea of a “Small Business Act” for 
Europe  has  raised  many  expectations.  While  it  is  widely  supported  at  government  level,  by 
the  European  Parliament  and  by  the  SME  community,  it  is  important  to  implement  it 
thoroughly.  This  requires  the  full  political  commitment  of  both  the  Commission  and  the 
Member States. Therefore, as a basis for a renewed commitment to SMEs, the Commission 
invites the European Council to welcome and support the “Small Business Act” for Europe, 
adopt the 10 principles and commit to the implementation of the actions proposed. Moreover, 
the  Commission  invites  the  Council  and  Parliament  to  swiftly  adopt  the  related  legislative 
proposals. 

The  SBA  should  be  fully  embedded  in  the  Growth  and  Jobs  Strategy  to  ensure  its  efficient 
implementation  and  to  allow  for  a  regular  update  on  its  deliverables.  Member  States  are 
therefore invited to take advantage of the update of the Lisbon cycle planned for the end of 
2008  to  take  account  of  the  SBA  in  their  National  Reform  Programmes  and  in  their  annual 
implementation  reports.  Member  States  can  take  inspiration  from  the  enclosed  overview  of 
good  practice  in  the  EU,  and  the  Commission  will  continue  to  provide  a  platform  for  best 
practice exchange. 

The  Commission  will  assess  the  progress  made  in  implementing  the  SBA  and  report  on  it 
regularly in the framework of the Growth and Jobs Strategy, starting in 2008. This will allow 
the European Council to review progress made in the field of SME policy both at Community 
and Member State level and to draw the necessary conclusions. 

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Annex: Exchanging good practice in SME policy 

Exchanging good practice in SME policy has proven to be a successful tool to implement the 
Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs. Since 2000, the Commission has collected examples of 
good  practice  in  various  areas.  Those  collected  under  the  European  Charter  for  Small 
Enterprises are available in the Charter online catalogue at:  
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/enterprise_policy/charter/gp. 
regional 
The  European  Enterprise  Awards 
entrepreneurship  and  reward  outstanding  initiatives.  A  collection  of  good  practice  in 
promoting business is available at:  
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/smes/awards/download/compendium_2007_en
_lowres.pdf. 
This  annex  provides  some  examples  of  good  practice  from  Member  States,  serving  as 
inspiration for implementing the SBA. 

recognise  excellence 

in  promoting 

Principle 1:   Create an environment in which entrepreneurs and family businesses can 

thrive and entrepreneurship is rewarded 
Saxony-Anhalt Impulse Network, Germany 
Website: www.impuls-netzwerk.de 
Youth Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Strategy in Wales, United Kingdom 
Website: http://www.projectdynamo.co.uk; www.becauseyoucan.com. 
Cap’Ten, be captain of your project, Belgium  
Website: www.ichec-pme.be 
Emax - the Nordic training camp for young entrepreneurs, Sweden 
Website: www.emaxevent.com, www.startcentrum.se 
Kinder Business Week, Austria 
Website: www.kinderbusinessweek.at 
Entrepreneurship  Days:  Emprendemos  Juntos  –  We  are  all  entrepreneurs, 
Spain 
Website: www.emprendemosjuntos.es 
Developing entrepreneurial culture among women, Romania 
Website: www.animmc.ro 

Principle 2:   Ensure that honest entrepreneurs who have faced bankruptcy quickly get 

a second chance 
Development  programme  preparing  for  SMEs'  controlled  succession  of 
generation, Finland 
Website: www.te-keskus.fi, www.yrityssuomi.fi 
Faster start-up after bankruptcy, Denmark 
Website: www.naec.dk 
Help for the self-employed and business owners in difficulty, Belgium 
Website: www.beci.be 

Principle 3:   Design rules according to the “Think Small First” Principle 

Public consultation website “Teeme koos”, Estonia 
Website: www.osale.ee; www.riigikantselei.ee; www.valitsus.ee 
Implementation of support services for SMEs on local level though One-stop-
shops, Slovenia 
Website: www.japti.si 
Regulation checklist, United Kingdom 
Website: www.businesslink.gov.uk 
Y4 Committee ,Finland 
Website: www.y4.fi 

Principle 4:   Make public administrations responsive to SME needs 

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The  e-government  programme  of  the  Belgian  Social  sector  for  SMEs, 
Belgium 
Website: www.ksz-bcss.fgov.be 
Single registration points for entrepreneurs, Czech Republic 
Website: www.mpo.cz 
One-Stop-Shop for Entrepreneurs, Germany 
Website: www.one-stop-shop-trier.de 
Micro-business  management  centre  for  economic  and  financial  reporting, 
France 
Website: www.artifrance.eu 
Public information web portal for small businesses, France 
Website: pme.service-public.fr 
CORE - Companies Online Registration Environment, Ireland 
Website: www.cro.ie 
Kick-start project, Malta 
Website: www.mcmpgov.mt 
Online company counter, Netherlands 
Website: www.bedrijvenloket.nl  
KSU - National services network for SMEs, Poland 
Website: www.euroinfo.org.pl, www.ksu.parp.gov.pl 
Enterprise online, Portugal 
Website: www.portaldaempresa.pt 
One-stop-Shops for SMEs (VEM), Slovenia 
Website: www.japti.si 
Central public administration portal, Slovakia 
Website: www.telecom.gov.sk 
Salary-on-web service for small employers, Finland 
Website: www.palkka.fi 

Principle 5:   Adapt public policy tools to SMEs’ needs: facilitate SMEs’ participation 

in public procurement and better use State Aid possibilities for SMEs 
eProcurement portal, Luxembourg 
Website: http://www.marches.public.lu, http://www.mtp.public.lu 

Principle 6:   Facilitate  SMEs’  access  to  finance  and  develop  a  legal  and  business 

environment supportive to timely payment in commercial transactions 
Seed and venture capital programme, Ireland 
Website: www.enterprise-ireland.com 
Loan to small businesse with interest refund, Cyprus 
Website: www.bankofcyprus.com  
Public venture capital fund of funds, Latvia 
Website: www.lga.lv 
Micro-loan programme for women entrepreneurs and business owners, Spain 
Website: www.ipyme.org 

Principle 7:   Help  SMEs  to  benefit  more  from  opportunities  offered  by  the  Single 

Market 
Portal for business and export, Czech Republic 
Website: Businessinfo.cz 
Competence  network  Netherlands/North  Rhine  Westphalia  INTER-NED, 
Germany 
Website: www.inter-ned.info 
Public awareness-raising on standardisation, Lithuania 
Website: www.lsd.lt 

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CETMOS  –—  The  Central  European  Trade  Mark  Observation  Service, 
Austria 
Website: www.cetmos.eu 

Principle 8:   Promote the upgrading of skills in SMEs and all forms of innovation 

National e-business strategy, Ireland 
Website: www.entemp.ie 
Innovation management, Hungary 
Website: www.chic.hu 
National Innovation Fund, Bulgaria 
Website: www.sme.government.bg 
The Hellenic Technology Clusters Initiative, Greece 
Website: www.htci.gr 

Principle 9:   Enable SMEs to turn the environmental challenges into opportunities 

A  new  process  of  micro  finishing  surfaces  in  the  ceramics  industry, 
decreasing the environmental impact, Italy 
Website: http://www.fondovalle.it 
Ecological tax reform, Estonia 
Website: www.fin.ee 
EDM - Electronic Data Management in Environment and Waste Management, 
Austria  
Website: www.lebensministerium.at 
Encourage and support SMEs to benefit from growth of markets 

Internet Fair, Poland 
Website: www.euroinfo.org.pl 
Pipe - introduction plan to foreign promotion, Spain 
Website: www.portalpipe.com 
Sprint - Joining together to compete on world markets, Italy 
Website: www.sprint-er.it 

Principle 
10:  

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