Brussels, 28/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has just published the sixth report of the European Observatory for SMEs that provides exhaustive data on the performances of 20 million SMEs, employing 117 million people in 19 European countries (European Economic Area and Switzerland). Its conclusions will used when defining the initiatives that have to be launched in the framework of the multi-annual programme for business and entrepreneurship (2001-2005).
The report analyses the evolution in the number of SMEs, the volume of jobs provided and the environment of these businesses, with the favourable or unfavourable conditions of their development. It also turns to the functioning of product and services markets, questions relating to the labour market, access to Community financing and programmes, the importance and characteristics of the social economy, as well as the impact of electronic commerce. It comes with two in-depth studies on (1) vocational training (field in which SMEs do not receive enough support) and (2) the role of the new services in the development of the European economy and that of companies in the creation and spread of new services throughout Europe.
The report will be published, in English, French and German. The summary is available in 13 languages (11 EU languages, Norwegian and Icelandic) on the Commission's Europa server at the following address: http//europa.eu.int/comm/enterpriseienterprise_policy/analysis/observatory.htm..