15/06/2018 (Agence Europe) – At a general conference of the UEAPME, an organisation representing the interests of SMEs at EU level, held in Sofia on Friday 15 June, representatives agreed on preserving the definition of SMEs that applies at EU level, based on companies of up to 250 employees, as stipulated in recommendation 2003/361/EC. ‘The SME Definition serves its purpose well in addressing the market failures SMEs are facing (e.g. access to finance) and in creating favourable framework conditions for SMEs considering their specific size-related challenges,’ explained UEAPME president Ulrike Rabmer-Koller. The organisation is concerned about the European Commission changing the definition in question. The Commission launched a public consultation non the issue at the start of the year (see EUROPE 11956). (PH)