Digitalisation and SMEs in the Mediterranean region (information report)

At the 2018 Euromed Summit, it was agreed that the next Information Report to be presented to the 2019 Summit of ESCs and Similar institutions will deal with the topic of the impact of digitalisation on SMEs in the Mediterranean area.

The integration of millions of young graduates into the job market each year constitutes a major challenge for the countries of the Southern Mediterranean. Small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) play a decisive role in the fight against youth unemployment as they are important drivers of job creation and provide 80% of employment in the region.

While digitalisation offers SMEs opportunities to innovate and grow, it seriously affects the world of work and skill requirements for workers. This information report therefore directly links to the previous EESC report on education and vocational training in the Euromed region.

Indeed, training workers to fully benefit from the changes brought by digitalisation is key for economic and social development, both in the North and in the South of the Mediterranean.