SME Chamber organises a webinar on Cyber risks for Maltese Businesses
19 July 2024
Earlier this week the Malta Chamber of SMEs in collaboration with Diligex - AML Compliance...
Small Business Act For Europe and for You!
15 September 2014
The European
has launched its public consultation to collect ideas and feedback on how the
"Small Business Act" for Europe (SBA) can be reviewed in order to ensure a European
policy that continues to support Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and
entrepreneurs 2015-2020.
The SBA was adopted in 2008 and reviewed in 2011 so as
to recognise the considerable role of SMEs in the European economy. Europe
2020, the Commission's chief reform strategy, also places SMEs on the pedestal
due to their high potential for employment. In fact SMEs account for 87 million
employed citizens and 85 per cent of net job creation.
Through
its public consultation, the Commission seeks to ensure the SBA is in a
suitable position to deal with future challenges. This can only be done by
receiving input from all the interested parties, including both entrepreneurs
and business organisations. Interested parties can answer an online questionnaire
at http://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/NewSBAsurvey2014 and voice their
opinions on which future direction the Commission should take with the SBA.
This consultation will remain open until 15 December 2014.
The
Commission aims to preserve emphasis on the current key action areas. These are
increased access to finance, a reduction of administrative burdens, easier
access to markets and the promotion of entrepreneurship and innovation. In
addition to this, a new pillar has been added which focuses on skills
development. Although European SMEs are so significant in job creation, they
can only create jobs when they in turn grow. In order to grow they require
workers that possess relevant skills, which highlights the importance of this
new pillar. The SBA is an initiative that is beneficial to all EU citizens and
with this public consultation it can now be revised in order to better handle
future obstacles.
