Reconciling ambitious sustainable and social objectives with an enabling environment for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises

EESC own-initiative opinion on Reconciling ambitious sustainable and social objectives with an enabling environment for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises

Key points

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises make up 99.8% of Europe's companies. To perform well, even during a crisis, they need a regulatory framework that accommodates their particular needs.  

The EESC calls for the Small Business Act, the "Think small first" principle and the SME Strategy to be properly deployed to help SMEs. Red tape, e.g. in relation to transparency and reporting, must be strictly limited because any constraint involves costs.

The Committee supports the Better Law-making approach and recommends systematic involvement of the social partners, professional associations and chambers at every legislative stage.

The EESC suggests that the coordination of SME envoys be increased at both national and EU level and calls on the European institutions to take a methodical look at alternatives to transparency and reporting requirements where they give rise to too heavy a burden.

National and regional social dialogue initiatives in microenterprises, the craft sector and the professions facilitate commitment to social issues, dialogue between business owners and employees, and conflict prevention, and they should be encouraged.

The EESC believes that the potential of branches of the professions and professional associations, as well as that of chambers, should be better used for promoting innovation in relation to social and environmental matters and governance.

The EESC would like access to lifelong learning to be guaranteed for entrepreneurs from the moment they take up their position or take over a business.

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