MEPs at the European Parliament's industry, research and energy committee (ITRE) are calling on the European Commission to provide a systematic impact assessment of future European legislation on the activities of SMEs in the perspective of the “Think Small First” principle. In this regard, they are calling for a revision of the “Small Business Act”, by adopting an own-initiative report submitted by Markus Pieper (EPP, Germany) on Wednesday 16 May.
They are therefore calling for the European Commission to include impact studies on SMEs in all legislative proposals in the future and demand that this request is clearly included in the next inter-institutional agreement to improve European legislation. To this end, they consider necessary a revision of the Small Business Act, the EU assistance plan for SMEs. This request was not included in the rapporteur's initial version, which has been significantly amended and watered-down during the negotiations between the political groups (see EUROPE 12009).
Some of the most significant changes, following the adoption of four amendments, include a request now made in the report to include a separate definition for midcaps whilst ensuring that this does not have a negative impact on SMEs.
All these modifications have been given an overall welcome by the organisation representing SMEs, the UEAPME, which had, hitherto, been concerned by the proposals put forward by Mr Pieper.
The MEPs, however, are calling on the Commission to put in place a specific instrument with its own funding for these companies. They are also calling on the Commission to analyse the introduction of new criteria in addition to those that currently exist, particularly by examining the export-intensive orientation and the level of independence (largely independently-run). According to one source, this idea is a dud and he challenges the need to take exports into account as criteria for SMEs. The report also requests the Commission to assess the feasibility of a sectoral definition of SMEs. Our source commented that “This is a waste of money because it is impossible to develop this kind of definition”.
The Commission has launched a consultation to eventually revise the definition of the SMEs that has been in force since 2003 (see EUROPE 11956). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)