Brussels, 19/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - SMEs are not international enough. The European Commission has briefed the European Parliament's industry committee (ITRE) about the efforts agreed at a European level to rectify this problem by way of the COSME initiative.
The European Commission pointed out that barely a quarter of SMEs have exported within the EU over the past few years, although 13% of them had exported outside the EU. This situation is mainly due to the administrative difficulties that 70-90% of entrepreneurs say they have to contend with.
One of the main goals in the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (COSME) programme is to improve SMEs' access to the European and external markets. Out of a global budget of €2.3 billion over the 2014-20 period, €246 million had already been earmarked in 2014, including 20% for this area, explained the European Commission. The Enterprise Europe Network has proved its worth, explained the Commission, adding that the portals and helpdesk are also available to companies in this connection. The COSME programme also seeks to boost the spirit of enterprise (ERASMUS for young entrepreneurs), despite the fact that barely 37% of Europeans say they would be prepared to start up their own businesses in 2012, according to a Eurobarometer survey, as opposed to 51% of Americans and 56% of Chinese. (MD)