SMEunited launched an information campaign on Tuesday 26 February to put small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the crafts sector at the centre of political concerns in the run-up to the European elections in May.
The objectives of this campaign are threefold: - "to put forward the important reasons explaining why SMEs are so crucial to Europe’s economy and society"; - "to raise awareness among European politicians, and specifically candidates for the European Parliament, of the challenges and concerns of the 24 million SMEs in Europe"; - "to show SMEs why Europe is important to them and why they should vote for Europe".
Ulrike Rabmer-Koller, President of SMEunited, considers that "SMEs are the backbone of the economy and the fabric of society, crucial for the providing services and local products for the daily life of Europeans".
SMEunited expects the EU to apply a 'Think Small First’ approach in the development of European policies that have an impact on small and medium-sized enterprises (see EUROPE 12023).
According to the organisation, such an approach is the only way to take into account the reality of more than 20 million microenterprises with less than 10 employees, and thus avoid unnecessary and unjustified bureaucratic burdens and compliance costs for SMEs. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot - intern)