Activities of Brando BENIFEI related to 2020/2131(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on a new strategy for European SMEs
Amendments (37)
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the SME strategy and shares the Commission’s view that SMEs are essential to the European economy as they play a central role for the economic recovery and for the digital and sustainable transition of the EU; stresses that it must go hand in hand with the Industrial Strategy; notes that it was adopted before the COVID-19 crisis; calls therefore the Commission to reassess the Strategy in light of the lessons learnt from the crisis and of the Recovery Package, and to swiftly revise it where needed;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. SUnderlines that the COVID-19 crisis has delivered a shock to many SMEs and their role in the everyday life of Europeans, jeopardizing their very existence in several cases; stresses that the implementation of the SME strategy should focus not only on supporting SMEs to help them maintain their existence, as the COVID-19 crisis has delivered a shock to many SMEs and their role in the everyday life of Europeanmicro and SMEs to prevent shutdowns, to help them preserve their existence and business continuity, to promote their resilience, but also to assess and restore disrupted supply chains so as to incentivise their integration in industrial ecosystems, to help them seize opportunities to grow; recalls that SMEs were already facing difficulties prior to the crisis, in particular as regards access to finance, information and markets; stresses therefore the importance of adopting an ambitious strategy to ensure SMEs can recover and scale up their activities;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underlines the decisive contribution of SMEs to innovation, job creation and an inclusive labour market; is extremely concerned about the rising unemployment rates in the EU and the risk of millions of people losing their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 crisis; recognises that at present SMEs are faced with severe liquidity problems and, in this context, highlights the need for sustainable finance to bridge the current investment gap and to reinforce SMEs’ ability to innovate and move towards more sustainable, resource- efficient, circular and climate-neutral solutions, ensuring the successful implementation ofthereby contributing to the principles and objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) as well as the European Green Deal and the related just transition;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that micro and SMEs should be burdened as little as possible and encourages the Commission to use strong enforcement action to ensure that the single market benefits all businesses and consumers and to counter gold-face proportionate obligations taking into account their specificities and sectorial characteristics; recalls that the SME test can be a useful tool in that regard; encourages the Commission to use strong enforcement action to limit market fragmentation, address social and fiscal dumping, remove unjustified market barriers and ensure a level platying and other regulatory restrictions; field, for a fair single market that benefits all businesses and consumers;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights the crucial role of data as the lifeblood of the digital economy; supports the Commission in establishing European data spaces for trusted and secure data sharing to ramp up data flows between businesses and with governmenpoints out to the existence of market power imbalances and obstacles to access to data that affect SMEs’ development; welcomes the Data Strategy in this regard; supports the Commission in promoting interoperability and establishing European data spaces for trusted and secure data sharing to ramp up data flows between businesses and with governments; considers that all products and services developed with public funding should be published under open- source licenses and be accessible to micro and SMEs; emphasises the strategic importance of ensuring SMEs’ digital transition and suggests therefore that the future common European data spaces should be developed in an SME-friendly way so that they can access large datasets;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Points out that SMEs face difficulties in protecting their Intellectual Property (IP) rights, which can threaten their development; calls on the Commission to increase IP awareness, develop external advice and ensure appropriate enforcement;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Underlines the opportunities offered by e-commerce to reach new customers and markets in supporting economic recovery for micro and SMEs; highlights the added value of legislation such as the Platform to Business Regulation in this regard and calls for its swift implementation and enforcement; warns that a persistent risk of unfair competition exists in e-commerce, also due to the presence of non-compliant, illegal or unsafe products in online marketplaces targeting EU consumers; underlines that the future Digital Services Act will play a key role in this regard;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that SME-related actions should be at the core of the EU’s industrial and green recovery plans and initiatives and should go hand in hand with measures to protect workers strengthen their rights and ensure decent working and employment conditions for all; considers the strengthening of EU rules on coordination of social security systems as essential for labour mobility and protecting workers, in particular those in precarious situations;
Amendment 49 #
4c. Points out to the added value of the EU MFF programmes to support micro and SMEs, in particular the Single Market Programme, InvestEU, Digital Europe, Horizon Europe and other programmes; highlights the importance of a swift adoption of the MFF and of Next Generation EU; considers that the SME window of the Single Market Programme should maintain the level of ambition raised by the Parliament’s position; stresses the importance of streamlining access to EU funds for micro and SMEs;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Encourages Member States to implement the single digital gateway in an SME-friendly way by cooperating closely with regional and local authorities and by providing easy digital access to information, procedures, and services linked to doing business across borders, including advice on public procurement and funding sources; welcomes the SME Envoy system to better take into account the end-user into future legislation; suggests however a critical assessment of its appointment process and functioning in order to redress potential weaknesses and ensure it works efficiently in all Member States, in constant coordination with the relevant business associations and stakeholders;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Notes that trade union and employee representation as well as social dialogue and collective bargaining are not as widespread in SMEs as they are in larger companies, while there are considerable differences between Member States in this regard;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Calls on the Commission to ensure that workers have the right to information, consultation and participation and to include this principle also in the SME strategy; underlines the need for a meaningful involvement of workers and their representatives at company level, also with regard to decisions on decarbonisation and digitalisation; stresses the importance of an effective social dialogue and the need to strengthen social partners, to extend the collective bargaining coverage and to take measures to promote a high density of trade unions and employers’ associations in the context of the new SME strategy;
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Member States to simplify procurement tendering processes by using the flexibility of the EU’s new procurement framework and to enhance opportunities for SMEs, such as the possibility of subdividing procurement in smaller lots and the streamlining of administrative procedures, as well as by using digital tools and platforms to expand cross-border procurement; stresses that green public procurement can make an important contribution to building a sustainable economy;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for the systematic application of health and safety measures in the workplace, and welcomes the guidelines of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) on adapting workplaces and protecting workers in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic; considers that such guidelines should be further developed in order to provide a coordinated and efficient response in case of future cross-border threats to public health; calls on the Commission for a revision of the Directive on Health and Safety at Work in addition to a new framework strategy for health and safety at work that includes a zero-vision of work-related deaths;
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Acknowledges the specific situation of SMEs with regard to implementing statutory health and safety measures at company level; underlines that awareness raising, exchange of good practices, consultation, user-friendly guides and online platforms are of utmost importance to help SMEs to comply with the regulatory requirements; welcomes EU-OSHA's online interactive risk assessment (OiRA) as well as other e-tools in the Member States that aim to promote compliance and a culture of prevention, in particular in micro and small enterprises;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Recalls that all workers in the Single Market must have the right to enjoy the highest possible level of protection as regards health and safety at work regardless of the size of the company which employs them, the place of employment or the underlying contract;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers that the reduction of the regulatory burden and the simplification ofe regular assessment of administrative requirements and the rules on access to finance for SMEs and self-employed persons should constitute a cornerstone of the future strategy for European SMEs, and would make a crucial contribution to a speedy economic recoverynew European SME strategy in view of supporting a speedy economic recovery; highlights that the efficiency and stability of the regulatory environment is best achieved by an ongoing strong involvement of social partners in the decision making process;
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines the fact that late payments account for a quarter of all SME bankruptcies in the EU; urges the Commission to swiftly equip the Late Payment Directive1 with strong monitoring and enforcement tools so as to ensure and promote prompt payments as a norm, in particular for government-to-business transactions, across the single market. _______________________________ 1 Directive 2011/7/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 on combating late payment in commercial transactions, OJ L 48, 23.2.2011, p. 1.
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Underlines that a sustainable and innovative Single Market can only be achieved if micro and SMEs can carry out their transition to digital and environmental sustainability; highlights the importance of efficiently providing financial and non-financial support to micro and SMEs across all Member States; welcomes in this regard the development of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) as well as the Enterprise Europe Networks (EEN); recommends on the latter increased coordination between national and European level, as well as a stronger involvement of local SME associations; calls on the Commission to help micro and SMEs benefit from the various initiatives provided for in the Green New Deal, the Industrial Strategy and the Communication on Shaping Europe’s Digital Future, as digitalisation and sustainability represent important opportunities for them to grow; points out to the need of mainstreaming SMEs in all EU policies.
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses that fair competition is a fundamental principle of the Single Market; warns that a race to the bottom as regards employment, social security and taxation standards, including through artificial arrangements, is in sharp contrast to fair competition based on quality and sustainable development; underlines that social dumping is first and foremost at the expense of workers, consumers and law-abiding SMEs;
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7b (new)
Paragraph 7b (new)
7b. Welcomes the definition of SMEs as defined in Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC in the version of 6 May 2003, and calls therefore to maintain this definition in EU legislation and to ensure its consistent interpretation across Member State.
Amendment 86 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Recalls that competition policy is enforced at Union level; highlights that unfair competition in the Single Market damages law-abiding companies, in particular SMEs; calls on the Commission and the Member States to take decisive measures to tackle unfair competition that is based on for example avoidance of social, fiscal or labour law;
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Stresses that policies targeting SMEs and start-ups must not provide opportunities for businesses to circumvent existing rules, lower the protection of workers and consumers, or increase the risk of corporate fraud, criminal activities and letter box companies; recalls that the Parliament rejected the controversial Commission proposal on a European Services e-card in this regard;
Amendment 93 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the EU to support the digital and green transitions by investing in artificial intelligence and in reskilling and upskilling initiatives to foster digital literacy, the uptake of advanced digital skills and the new skills for newqualifications for future occupations and sectors that will emerge from the transition to a sustainable, carbon- neutral economy; highlights the need to adopt a forward-looking approach to vocational education and training and skills well as qualifications, in particular digital skills; stresses, as a matter of priority, the need to address the mismatch between skills/qualifications and the needs of the labour market.; considers that the image of an SME as an attractive employer, based on good working and employment conditions, is an important competitive advantage for the recruitment of qualified staff; stresses the importance of in- company training and education;
Amendment 107 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Considers that a new strategy for European SMEs can only succeed through integrated strategic planning, pooling the resources of European players, regional and local institutions, industrial clusters, social partners, universities and research groups; highlights in this context the importance of support structures such as SMEs networks, one-stop shops and regional development agencies, innovation clusters and start-up counselling for the creation of local and regional value chains;
Amendment 113 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Calls on the Commission to propose a directive on decent working and employment conditions in the digital economy, including teleworking;
Amendment 117 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Stresses that the COVID 19 pandemic has underlined the importance of digital solutions, particularly teleworking, and the need to establish common minimum standards at European level in order to protect the health and safety of workers in this regard; notes that teleworking offers opportunities such as better work-life balance, reduced CO2 emissions related to the daily commute and enhanced employment opportunities for people with disabilities, while at the same time there are risks related to the mental well-being of workers as well as general problems related to the social, professional and digital divide;
Amendment 124 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 d (new)
Paragraph 6 d (new)
6d. Calls on the Commission to introduce a European Social Security Register as well as a European Social Security Number, to provide legal certainty for workers and facilitate the work of businesses, in particular SMEs, providing cross-border services, while effectively controlling subcontracting practices and combating social fraud; urges Member States in this context to ensure the proper implementation and enforcement of Union law to facilitate the free movement and social protection of workers as well as the cross-border provision of services, thereby ensuring a level playing field in the Single Market;
Amendment 131 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 f (new)
Paragraph 6 f (new)
6f. Calls for the elimination of any wage discrimination on the grounds of age or gender and to ensure, in line with national law and practice, that all workers are entitled to decent wages through either collective agreements or statutory minimum wages;
Amendment 132 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 g (new)
Paragraph 6 g (new)
6g. Stresses that SMEs must make their contribution to overcome the gender employment, pay and pension gap in the labour market, among others, by providing or supporting child care facilities, carers' leave, flexible working hours for carers, as well as by ensuring equal pay for equal work and pay transparency;
Amendment 133 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 h (new)
Paragraph 6 h (new)
6h. Stresses that SMEs play an important role in ensuring environmentally, socially and economically sustainable growth; calls therefore for binding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) rules, in line with the principles and objectives of the European Green Deal, the EPSR and the SDGs;
Amendment 134 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 i (new)
Paragraph 6 i (new)
6i. Calls on SMEs to live up to their environmental and social responsibility and also take proactive measures to identify and prevent any violation of human or environmental rights, corruption or tax evasion, including in their subsidiaries and supply chains; points out that the organisation of work, equal opportunities and social inclusion, anti-discrimination measures, adequate transparency standards, reliable accountability mechanisms and the development of life long education and training are crucial in this context;
Amendment 135 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 j (new)
Paragraph 6 j (new)
6j. Calls on the Commission to recognise, promote and protect inclusive SMEs to create permanent employment for people with disabilities in the labour market; stresses the potential of social economy enterprises and organisations to facilitate labour market inclusion for persons with disabilities; stresses the importance of providing targeted support from the European Social Fund for the social economy; recalls that SMEs run by vulnerable groups have a harder time accessing finance and need targeted support;
Amendment 136 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 k (new)
Paragraph 6 k (new)
6k. Highlights the importance of the social and solidarity-based economy, which provides employment for more than 14 million people, representing around 6.5 % of workers in the EU; points out that the 2 million social and solidarity- based economy enterprises in the EU, which represent 10 % of undertakings in the Union, have proven to be resilient during times of crises;
Amendment 137 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 l (new)
Paragraph 6 l (new)
6l. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to better coordinate the different funding instruments for SMEs;
Amendment 138 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 m (new)
Paragraph 6 m (new)
6m. Takes the view that tax policies for SMEs should favour sustainable development and the creation of quality jobs;
Amendment 139 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 n (new)
Paragraph 6 n (new)
6n. Calls on Member States to develop active labour market policies, foster research and innovation, and provide good quality public services and infrastructures, in order to also encourage private sector investment in SMEs;