Brussels, 13/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - Despite the many policies that it has implemented for years in order to improve its economic competitiveness, the EU has not yet managed to narrow the GDP per capita gap between itself and the United States. On the contrary, the productivity discrepancy is growing bigger. Also, the European Commission considers that the EU must fully exploit its business potential by making the creation of businesses more attractive. In this context and in the wake of the Green Paper on Entrepreneurial spirit in Europe published in January this year, it adopted on Wednesday an action plan entitled "European Agenda on Entrepreneurship". The plan provides for a series of key initiatives to be launched in 2004 and 2005. It is addressed to the Commission and - in accordance with the open coordination method - to political decision-makers at both national and regional level.
Five objectives, which involve key actions, have been identified: 1) improving entrepreneurial culture mainly by developing actions to promote entrepreneurial spirit among the young; 2) encouraging more people to become business entrepreneurs, mainly through actions aimed at facilitating the transfer of companies and at moving toward review of the social protection schemes of business leaders; 3) guiding business entrepreneurs toward growth and competitiveness, mainly with actions to support firms in the development of inter-business relations; 4) improving the flow of financing to SMEs; 5) and establishing a regulatory and administrative framework more favourable to SMEs, mainly by reducing the red tape involved for compliance with tax legislation.
The plan also comprises a series of proposals for action to be launched as of 2006 and beyond, proposals that will be the subject of a public debate to: - conduct campaigns in favour of the entrepreneurial spirit; - promote the creation of "gazelles" (companies with rapid growth); - promote the entrepreneurial spirit in social sectors; - allow micro-companies to take on more people by reducing the complexity of regulations; - and facilitate the access of SMEs to public markets. (The full text of the action plan may be consulted at the following address: http: //europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/com/cnc/2004/com2004_0070en01.pdf).