In a report adopted on Wednesday 16 December (533 votes in favour, 58 against, 82 abstentions), the European Parliament has called for a review of the strategy for SMEs to take account of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the first point of the report, MEPs insisted on the need to “update” the strategy that was presented last March (see EUROPE 12431/11), while continuing to maintain a focus on the dual green and digital transition. Within this context, they asked the Commission to analyse the economic and social consequences of the crisis on SMEs.
Because SMEs, especially micro-enterprises, suffer from a lack of liquidity, MEPs have noted that it is therefore necessary to act as quickly as possible and to provide them with appropriate financial aid. In light of this, they regret that the Recovery Plan devotes “little attention” to SMEs and they hope that measures will be quickly taken to facilitate access of SMEs to financing.
Another important front according to MEPs is that of red tape, the amount of which they would like to see greatly reduced. For example, MEPs noted that some Member States have set quantitative targets for reducing the administrative burden, citing a rate of up to 30%.
They have also called for the SME strategy to be aligned with the industrial strategy due to be updated at the beginning of next year, as well as with the European Data Strategy and the Green Deal.
The call of the European Parliament echoes that of the EU Council, which in recent conclusions had expressed concern about the situation facing SMEs since the start of the crisis (see EUROPE 12600/20). The European Commission, as confirmed to Europe in November by the Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, (see EUROPE 12605/14), intends to update the strategy at the same time as the industrial strategy. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)