Renew Europe delivers a strong Parliament resolution for a thriving and competitive SMEs environment

Renew Europe embraces today’s plenary endorsement of a Renew Europe-led resolution backing a comprehensive package of proposals to favour a prosperous, competitive and friendly environment for SMEs, a key driver for growth, job creation and social cohesion. Our group played a pivotal role in the negotiations, which it defended in the framework of the State of the SME Union debate that took place in plenary for the third consecutive year thanks to Renew Europe's unwavering commitment to the more than 25 million Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Europe.

Our political group calls on the Council and the Commission to act swiftly and diligently before the end of the European legislature to cushion the impact of the unprecedented economic uncertainty and hardships faced by SMEs due to the effects of the Covid19 pandemic, the energy crisis, the inflation rates and the efforts for a transition to a more sustainable and digitised business environment.

The adopted resolution calls for enhanced access to finance and direct financial support through the timely adoption of a revised Late Payments Directive, including the creation of an Observatory on late payment, as it is simply unacceptable that 1 in 4 bankruptcies in the EU are due to invoices not being paid on time. Slashing red tape and administrative burdens, simplifying reporting processes, promoting the skilling, up-skilling and re-skilling of employees of SMEs, as well as improving the transparency, flexibility, monitoring and impact assessment of policies applied to SMEs are other key Renew Europe demands advocated in this resolution adopted in plenary today.

MEP Martina Dlabajová (ANO 2011, the Czech Republic), negotiator of the resolution on behalf of Renew Europe, chair of Renew Europe's SME Taskforce; co-chair of the SME Intergroup, and Renew Europe coordinator in the Industry, Research and Energy committee (ITRE), stated:

“Renew Europe has tirelessly supported and listened to SMEs in various forums and formats over the past years to be able to legislate according to their priorities and difficulties. This resolution is incontrovertible proof of this. Today the European Parliament has given a very clear mandate to empower SMEs to operate in a thriving and competitive environment. We are at the forefront of proposals and measures for reducing red tape, better access to finance, simplified reporting processes, additional resources to help SMEs cope with the energy, climate and digital transitions. We hope that the Commission and the Council will take note in the preparation of the forthcoming SMEs Relief Package. The open European strategic autonomy is also about protecting our SMEs because their survival and growth is the survival and growth of Europe. Let's deliver!"

Note to editors

Renew Europe has established a permanent SME Taskforce with 23 MEPs from all over Europe who bundle their experience, knowledge and skills to always asses European Commission proposals, legislation and other EU actions through the “SME lens”, while prioritising and promoting SMEs in policy and parliamentary work.

The Renew Europe held its Business Days in June 2023, a two-day major event dedicated to listening to economic, business and industrial stakeholders with the aim of exchanging concerns, needs, solutions and recommendations to make EU legislation fit for the new challenges of the business environment. This event had a day exclusively dedicated to the SMEs.