Driving SMEs' Growth: the Employers' Group at the SME Assembly 2025

Europe’s Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SMEs) are at a turning point and the discussions at the SME Assembly showed just how urgently change is needed.

The SME Assembly, organised this year in Copenhagen by the European Commission's DG GROW and hosted by the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 10 to 12 November 2025, is one of the most significant events dedicated to SMEs across Europe. It brought together entrepreneurs, business representatives, and policy makers to discuss pressing topics such as the Single Market Strategy, start-ups, innovation, entrepreneurship, better regulation and simplification.

The EESC Employers' Group delegation played an active role throughout the Assembly, engaging in policy sessions focused on tackling the multiple challenges that SMEs face. Speaking in the Policy Conclusions panel, Ms Sandra Parthie, President of the EESC Employers' Group, made a clear call: Europe must restore a clear growth perspective for European SMEs. The efforts to reduce administrative burdens must translate into simpler, faster, and fairer conditions for small businesses.

Ms Emilie Prouzet, President of the EESC Single Market, Production and Consumption Section, highlighted another critical message:  Member States must regain ownership of the Single Market, and fully respect the rules agreed at EU level, as practices such as national legislative anticipations, and non-compliant transposition of EU rules, undermine the functioning of the Single Market.

Speaking about internationalisation, Ms Milena Angelova, member of the Employers' Group, urged the EU to truly help SMEs by broadening its support beyond EU SMEs champions, and by ensuring predictability in terms of funding after the current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

Looking to the future of policymaking, Ms Alena Mastantuono, EESC Vice-President in charge of Budget, stressed how the use of digital tools, including Artificial Intelligence, can be a game changer for EU law making methodology. They could support the consistent implementation of rules, in terms of ensuring compliance and comparing the Member States’ approaches to implementing EU law, as well as in identifying both best practices and inconsistencies.

The SME Assembly also  hosted the European Enterprise Promotion Awards (EEPA), an initiative that celebrates outstanding initiatives that foster entrepreneurship and support SME development across the EU, including by improving the business environment, supporting start-ups, promoting sustainability, boosting digitalisation, or strengthening entrepreneurial skills.

The Awards were a powerful reminder of what Europe’s SMEs can achieve when the right conditions are in place. The EU must ensure these conditions and deliver on its promises. The tools, talent, and ambition are there—what SMEs need next is action.