On Wednesday 29 April, SMEunited, the association of craft, small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe, welcomed the reference to the ‘Think Small First’ principle in the European Commission’s communication on better regulation (see EUROPE 13858/17).
“A better focus on SME friendly provisions is necessary to create an enabling regulatory framework for small companies”, said the organisation.
Through its President, Davide Galli, it is calling on “the co-legislators to work together to ensure that the Better Regulation Communication delivers concrete results for an entrepreneurial environment with more legal certainty and proportionality”.
The organisation also welcomes the intended increased use of impact assessments and the more targeted approach focusing on key economic, social, and environmental impacts.
SMEunited still welcomes the intention to review existing legislation, eliminate overlaps and reduce unnecessary burdens, but “expresses concerns as stronger internal governance within the European Commission has not been given sufficient attention. Better coordination between Directorates-General and during interservice consultations is essential to ensure that the impact on SMEs is properly assessed and that simplification objectives are consistently reflected across all policy fields”. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)