18/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - As advised by its rapporteur (British Conservative Philip Bushill-Matthews), the European Parliament has endorsed the European Commission's report into the EUR 420 million multiannual programme to provide financial support to innovative SMEs that create employment, but wants the EP to be more deeply involved in negotiating such measures in the future. In its resolution, Parliament welcomed the role played by the European Investment Fund to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises and again called for the funding to not simply be allocated to high tech and knowledge-based SMEs, but to also be granted to small craft, commercial, tourist and other service companies.