MEPs were unanimous in expressing their concerns about the situation, which has been particularly deteriorated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing energy crisis, during a debate in Strasbourg on Thursday 15 September.
The pandemic, supply disruptions, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis... in each speech, everyone spoke of the same difficulties and concerns. In detail, following the example of Martina Dlabajová (Renew Europe, Czech), many people mentioned European legislation’s lack of adaptation to the needs and constraints of SMEs.
Jordi Solé (Greens/EFA, Spanish) called for the new aid package for SMEs, announced the previous day by the President of the European Commission (see EUROPE 13021/6), to be developed in consultation with SME representatives in any case. Many, like Kosma Złotowski (ECR, Polish), pointed to red tape - especially in accessing EU funds - and the dysfunctional nature of the internal market.
Many MEPs criticised the European Commission’s wait-and-see attitude and the fact that when it does act, “it’s simply just not enough”, as Henna Virkkunen (EPP, Finnish) lamented. The latter also questioned the appointment of the EU ‘SME Envoy’, which seems to be at a standstill since the first appointment was called off because it was too controversial (see EUROPE 12836/24).
Sandra Perreira (The Left, Portuguese) regretted that the EU’s action for SMEs was not for the benefit of workers and to increase wages which would ultimately help SMEs be more competitive. In contrast, Dominique Bilde (ID, French) pointed out that the Social Climate Fund does not cover SMEs. It favours “the unemployed over employers”, he said.
Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency, speaking on behalf of the Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton, aimed to reassure. The aim of the package announced by the President of the European Commission for SMEs is to provide an answer to their lack of liquidity, in particular with the revision of the Late Payments Directive.
On the simplification front, she highlighted the BEFIT system, which aims to establish a single regulatory framework for taxation. She strongly criticised the tendency of Member States to “gold-plate” European legislation, that is to say inflate the EU legislation at a national level.
She concluded: “So what I call for; on behalf of the Commission, we are trying to move quickly, but also I call on the co-legislators to remain vigilant and to always do the test of proportionality and necessity whenever we are adopting new legislation”. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)