CELEX: 51989PC0102
Language: en
Date: 1989-03-07
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION RELATING TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT AND THE PROMOTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENTERPRISES, IN PARTICULAR OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES, IN THE COMMUNITY

30. 3. 89                              Official Journal of the European Communities                               No C 79/5
                                                               II
                                                        (Preparatory Acts)
                                                  COMMISSION
               Proposal for a Council Decision relating to the improvement of the business environment and
               the promotion of the development of enterprises, in particular of small and medium-sized
                                            enterprises, (SMEs), in the Community
                                                       COM(89) 102 final
                                       (Submitted by the Commission on 1 March 1989)
                                                          (89/C 79/06)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,                            HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
                                                                                             Article 1
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Economic Community, and in particular Article 235                   In order to improve the business environment and the
thereof,                                                            development of enterprises, in particular of small and
                                                                    medium-sized enterprises, measures shall be implemented
                                                                    at Community level.
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
                                                                                             Article 2
Having regard        to  the   opinion   of   the   European        The measures referred to in Article 1 shall include:
Parliament,
                                                                    — removal of undue administrative, financial and legal
                                                                        constraints which hold back the development and
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and                        creation of small and medium-sized enterprises;
Social Committee,                                                   — information and assistance to enterprises and in
                                                                        particular small and medium-sized enterprises on
Whereas on 3 November 1986 the Council adopted a                        national and Community policies, regulations and
Resolution concerning the action programme for SMEs                     activities which concern or are likely to concern
and, on 30 June 1988, a Resolution on the improvement                   them;
of the business environment and action to promote the               — encouragement of cooperation and partnership
development of enterprises, especially small and medium-                between enterprises, in particular small and medium-
sized enterprises, in the Community;                                    sized enterprises, from different regions of the
                                                                        Community.
Whereas the Commission has submitted to the Council a                                        Article 3
communication on an enterprise policy for the
Community and the Community has already developed                   In order to achieve the objectives mentioned in Articles 1
certain initiatives in the field;                                   and 2 above, the Commission will propose the necessary
                                                                    action to the extent that it cannot be undertaken better
                                                                    at Member State level or taken into account better in the
Whereas the development of a Community enterprise                   framework of other Community policies.
policy based upon the principle of effective competition
is of great importance in increasing the competitiveness                                     Article 4
of the economy, for employment growth and for
                                                                    Each year the Commission shall submit an evaluation
economic and social cohesion in the Community;
                                                                    report on the implementation of this Decision to the
                                                                    European Parliament and to the Council.
Whereas it is necessary to strengthen this enterprise
policy in the light of the completion of the internal                                        Article 5
market and the other reforms resulting from the Single              The amount necessary for the implementation of this
European Act;                                                       Decision will be established annually in the budgetary
                                                                    procedure.
Whereas the Treaty has not provided the necessary                   For the period from 1990 to 1993 the amount necessary
specific powers,                                                    is estimated at ECU 135 million.