8 Amendments of Elisabeth KÖSTINGER related to 2012/2042(INI)
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the proposed mapping of the EU's and the Member States' strategiuctures and programmes for providing services supporting the internationalisation of SMEs; expresses its hope that this long- awaited initiative will be followed by actions to ensure a harmonised approach that is in line with the principles of subsidiarity, effectiveness and efficiency; stresses that a duplication of already existing services or the creation of structures perceived by SMEs as complex and confusing has to be avoided, insists that for any EU initiative a clear value added has to be demonstrated;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for the support to SMEs to be tailored to suit the individualdriven by the demand and needs of each companyies, as SMEs display a very wide range of profiles and needs reflecting their respective size, sector and geographic location;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. CallsRecognises that the servicing of individual companies in foreign markets is in the competence of member states; calls therefore on the Commission to draft a legislative proposal laying down binding commitments on the part of the Member States to simplify all national procedures pertaining to policies in support of the internationalisation of SMEs;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Regrets that the Communication does not address the difficulties that SMEs face in identifying foreign business opportunities, and that it does not propose providing SMEs identified by governments with suggestions on internationalisation; believes that the EU should support incentives to develop SMEs in strategic sectors in a proactive fashion by adding value to already existing initiatives, especially when it concerns high-value- added manufacturing activities offering a competitive edge over emerging economies; stresses the need, therefore, to identify promising niche-markets;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Believes that EU-level services to SMEinitiatives are necessary in third markets where an added value or market failure is demonstrated; encourages cooperation among experts in both the public and the private spheres, including the EU Market Access Teams; agrees that SMEs from some smaller and newer Member States are at a disadvantaface particular challenges because they may lack either diplomatic representation, experienced partners or both in some third markets; stresses that nevertheless EU-initiatives shall not interfere in the competition between individual companies from different member states on third markets by providing direct or indirect subsidies on a selective basis considering the origin of the company.
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Stresses that the internationalisation of SMEs is a process and in order to be successful particularly SMEs already need support services at the local level and not only on third markets; recognises that on third markets e.g. common EU lobby, trade policy and market access efforts as well as complementary programmes in case of market failure can add substantial value in this process;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recommends that theexisting EU SME Centres be expanded and provided with joint helpdesks that are tailored to needs, and that theyshould be evaluated if they work in an effective and efficient manner and if they are in line with the guiding principles before any new EU initiatives are initiated; urges that any EU-Helpdesks should be located close to where the SMEs actually set up shop and where they represent an added value to the helpdesks already functioning in the Member States;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for concrete initiatives on the part of the EU to improve the protection of SMEs' intellectual property rights (IPR) in third countries, such as has been achieved with the SME IPR helpdesk in China; the SME IPR helpdesk in China could therefore function as a model if optimised properly through an evaluation process;