Key points
The EESC calls for:
- an active strategy promoting best practices on family businesses among Member States to be implemented;
- preparation of a legal framework on family businesses, which would include a commonly acceptable definition of a family business;
- a family business category to be included in European statistics and national data on family business to be gathered in an effective way;
- better regulation on the transfer of family businesses from one generation to the next;
- the family organisational climate and innovation among family firms to be promoted;
- education to be developed and research promoted in the area of family entrepreneurship;
- family farms to be supported and cooperative-based entrepreneurship redeveloped;
- tax deductions to be introduced on reinvested profits, and opportunities for family businesses to increase their capital without granting voting rights;
- active cooperation at EU level with organisations representing family businesses.
Other relevant EESC opinions:
- Small Business Act (INT/445)
- Diverse forms of enterprise (INT/447)
- Review of the "Small Business Act" (INT/573)
For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat