2020/2131(INI) A new strategy for European SMEs
Lead committee dossier:
Progress: Procedure completed
ID
EPP
S&D
Renew
Verts/ALE
ECR
GUE/NGL
PPE
RELead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54
Legal Basis:
RoP 54Events
2021/06/18
EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2020/12/16
EP - Results of vote in Parliament
Documents
2020/12/16
EP - Decision by Parliament
Details
The European Parliament adopted by 533 votes to 58, with 82 abstentions, a resolution on a new strategy for European SMEs.
The 24 million SMEs in the EU-27 are the backbone of the economy and, before the pandemic, they generated more than half of the EU’s GDP while employing about 100 million workers. 98.9 % of enterprises in the EU’s non-financial business economy are small enterprises with fewer than 49 workers. However, the economic crisis and the grim economic outlook triggered by the pandemic have brought a considerable and indeterminate number of SMEs and start-ups to the verge of insolvency.
According to Members, SMEs should be at the centre of the European Green Deal and digital strategy, and be properly supported by tailored financial instruments and an SME-friendly legislative environment in order be enabled to play an important role in the growth of the European economy.
Structural challenges prior to the COVID-19 crisis
Parliament stressed the need for the SME strategy to be updated in the light of the COVID-19 crisis while keeping the focus on advancing the transition toward a socially, economically and environmentally resilient society and a competitive economy.
The resolution called for further measures to improve the business environment, such as:
- the adoption of an SME action plan with clear objectives, milestones and timeline, accompanied by regular monitoring, reporting and evaluations;
- measures to promote a more favourable environment for business creation and to strengthen entrepreneurship;
- the setting of ambitious and binding quantitative and qualitative EU-wide targets for the reduction of administrative burdens by June 2021 at the latest;
- improved regulatory alignment to be accompanied by smart digitalisation, increased user-friendliness, more streamlined procedures and more secure and private data procedures;
- more targeted national and EU-level technical and administrative assistance, exchange of best practice and training opportunities for SMEs;
- a binding test that is able to assess, with regard to SMEs, the costs and benefits of legislative proposals, including their economic impact and their impact on SME employees;
- a revived implementation of the small business act (SBA);
- support to a dedicated EU SME envoy to bring more visibility to SMEs’ concerns;
- customised EU funding to attract more participation from non-digital, high-tech and innovative SMEs;
- full and fair access to bank loans for SMEs;
New challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic
Parliament urged Member States and the Commission to address the problem of late payments, which continue to create significant liquidity challenges for SMEs and strengthen monitoring and enforcement of the Late Payment Directive.
Deeply concerned by the fact that sectors such as tourism, hospitality, culture, the creative industries, transport, trade fairs and events, which are largely composed of SMEs, have been hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis, Members stressed the importance of continuous, swift measures aimed at restoring and retaining trust among travellers and operators.
They also regretted that only 17 % of SMEs have so far successfully integrated digital technology into their businesses. They called for the action aimed at tackling skills mismatches and shortages to be strengthened and at equipping SMEs with digital literacy and skills, as well as improving skills in relation to public procurement and financial education, in addition to credit and supply chain management skills for rapidly changing labour markets, also in the light of the acceleration induced by the COVID-19 crisis.
In addition, Members called for increasing the proportion of graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and closing the gap that women face in these fields.
Recovery strategy
While regretting that the recovery strategy gives little support to SMEs, Parliament insisted that a substantial part of the resources of the Horizon Europe programme should be made available to SMEs. It called on the Commission and Member States to:
- invest in the data economy, artificial intelligence, smart production, the Internet of Things and quantum computing and ensure a strong SME component in these fields;
- adopt a favourable regulatory framework and technical and financial support mechanisms, including through private investment, so as to enable SMEs to adopt environmentally friendly practices, products, processes and services effectively and rapidly;
- prioritise the announced intellectual property action plan to strengthen the capacity of European enterprises, especially SMEs, to innovate.
Parliament called on the Commission to put in place a level playing field and a regulatory environment in which SMEs can compete globally, as well as tools such as a single digital entry point to easily identify opportunities for SMEs in international trade agreements.
Documents
2020/12/14
EP - Debate in Parliament
Documents
2020/12/02
EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details
The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the own-initiative report by Paolo BORCHIA (IDG, IT) on a new strategy for European SMEs.
The 24 million SMEs in the EU-27 are the backbone of the economy and, before the pandemic, they generated more than half of the EU’s GDP while employing about 100 million workers. 98.9 % of enterprises in the EU’s non-financial business economy are small enterprises with fewer than 49 workers. However, the economic crisis and the grim economic outlook triggered by the pandemic have brought a considerable and indeterminate number of SMEs and start-ups to the verge of insolvency.
Structural challenges prior to the COVID-19 crisis
Although Members welcomed the Commission’s SME strategy published in March 2020, they stressed the need for it to be updated in the light of the COVID-19 crisis while keeping the focus on advancing the transition toward a socially, economically and environmentally resilient society and a competitive economy. The SME strategy should be aligned with the industrial strategy, the European data strategy and the European Green Deal.
The report called for further measures to improve the business environment, such as:
- the adoption of an SME action plan with clear objectives, milestones and timeline, accompanied by regular monitoring, reporting and evaluations;
- ambitious and binding quantitative and qualitative targets at EU level for the reduction of administrative burdens to be set as soon as possible after conducting an impact assessment and in any case no later than June 2021, and in advance of the Commission communication;
- improved regulatory alignment to be accompanied by smart digitalisation, increased user-friendliness, more streamlined procedures and more secure and private data procedures;
- more targeted national and EU-level technical and administrative assistance, exchange of best practice and training opportunities for SMEs;
- the creation of a single digital entry point for all enquiries on EU financing opportunities for SMEs and ensure that EU support schemes, including those addressing the COVID-19 aftermath, contain a strong SME component;
- a revived implementation of the small business act (SBA);
- support to a dedicated EU SME envoy to bring more visibility to SMEs’ concerns;
- customised EU funding to attract more participation from non-digital, high-tech and innovative SMEs;
- full and fair access to bank loans for SMEs;
New challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic
Recalling that liquidity must be swiftly provided to SMEs, the committee urged Member States and the Commission to address the problem of late payments, which continue to create significant liquidity challenges for SMEs. It urged Member States that still have not done so to implement the Late Payment Directive, in particular regarding public administrations and to business-to-business relations.
Members recognised the need for a temporary relaxation of State aid rules and an acknowledgement that they have led to the uneven implementation of measures across the EU. The Commission and the Council are called on to take swift action to ensure a competitive level playing field among Member States.
Members expressed deep concern that sectors such as tourism, hospitality, culture, the creative industries, transport, trade fairs and events, which are largely composed of SMEs, have been hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis. They stressed the importance of continuous, swift measures aimed at restoring and retaining trust among travellers and operators.
They also regretted that only 17 % of SMEs have so far successfully integrated digital technology into their businesses. They called for the action aimed at tackling skills mismatches and shortages to be strengthened and at equipping SMEs with digital literacy and skills, as well as improving skills in relation to public procurement and financial education, in addition to credit and supply chain management skills for rapidly changing labour markets, also in the light of the acceleration induced by the COVID-19 crisis.
Lastly, Members called for the adoption of a parallel and stronger policy to improve internet infrastructure and connectivity conditions to the benefit of SMEs in remote areas, as a basic condition to improve digitalisation and embrace an effective transformation.
Documents
2020/11/12
EP - Vote in committee
2020/10/20
EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2020/10/07
EP - Specific opinion
Documents
2020/10/06
EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2020/10/05
EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2020/09/30
EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2020/09/30
EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2020/09/24
EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2020/09/17
EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2020/09/07
EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2020/09/02
EP - LEBRETON Gilles (ID) appointed as rapporteur in JURI
2020/06/25
EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2020/06/04
EP - ALIEVA-VELI Atidzhe (Renew) appointed as rapporteur in EMPL
2020/05/28
EP - FERREIRA João (GUE/NGL) appointed as rapporteur in TRAN
2020/05/27
EP - PICIERNO Pina (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in AGRI
2020/05/19
EP - BOURGEOIS Geert (ECR) appointed as rapporteur in INTA
2020/04/16
EP - BORCHIA Paolo (ID) appointed as rapporteur in ITRE
2020/04/07
EP - NEGRESCU Victor (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in CULT
2020/04/01
EP - SCHREINEMACHER Liesje (Renew) appointed as rapporteur in IMCO
Documents
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2021)190
- Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
- Decision by Parliament: T9-0359/2020
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Committee report tabled for plenary: A9-0237/2020
- Committee opinion: PE652.524
- Specific opinion: PE657.461
- Committee opinion: PE653.907
- Committee opinion: PE653.852
- Committee opinion: PE653.798
- Committee opinion: PE653.813
- Committee opinion: PE652.568
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE657.190
- Committee draft report: PE653.858
- Committee draft report: PE653.858
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE657.190
- Committee opinion: PE652.568
- Committee opinion: PE653.798
- Committee opinion: PE653.813
- Committee opinion: PE653.852
- Committee opinion: PE653.907
- Specific opinion: PE657.461
- Committee opinion: PE652.524
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2021)190
Activities
- Tiziana BEGHIN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Adam BIELAN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Daniel BUDA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Maria da Graça CARVALHO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Pilar del CASTILLO VERA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Lefteris CHRISTOFOROU
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Nicola DANTI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Martina DLABAJOVÁ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Jens GIESEKE
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Enikő GYŐRI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- András GYÜRK
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Seán KELLY
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Victor NEGRESCU
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Angelika NIEBLER
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Pina PICIERNO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Markus PIEPER
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Pedro SILVA PEREIRA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Ivan ŠTEFANEC
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Carlos ZORRINHO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Josianne CUTAJAR
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Valter FLEGO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Sandra PEREIRA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Robert HAJŠEL
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Nicolás GONZÁLEZ CASARES
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Henrike HAHN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Marcel KOLAJA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Mislav KOLAKUŠIĆ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Maximilian KRAH
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Lefteris NIKOLAOU-ALAVANOS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Jérôme RIVIÈRE
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Ondřej KOVAŘÍK
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Robert ROOS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Paolo BORCHIA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Isabella TOVAGLIERI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Atidzhe ALIEVA-VELI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Liesje SCHREINEMACHER
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Miroslav RADAČOVSKÝ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Krzysztof JURGIEL
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Lina GÁLVEZ MUÑOZ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Tsvetelina PENKOVA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Łukasz KOHUT
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Maria-Manuel LEITÃO-MARQUES
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Riho TERRAS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
- Claude GRUFFAT
Plenary Speeches (1)
- 2020/12/14 A new strategy for European SMEs (debate)
Votes
A9-0237/2020 - Paolo Borchia - Résolution #
2020/12/16 Outcome: +: 533, 0: 82, -: 58
NI| Amendments | Dossier |
| 762 |
2020/2131(INI)
2020/07/15
IMCO
81 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Recital 1 a (new) 1a. Whereas SMEs are the backbone of the European economy and represent 99% of EU companies;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that the strategy makes no reference at all to COVID-19 and to the emergency that micro- and small enterprises are facing; considers it appropriate, in this regard, for it to be revised in order to take into account the impact the pandemic is having on European SMEs; points out that the implementation of the SME strategy should focus 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 Europeans;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that the implementation of the SME strategy should focus on supporting SMEs to help them maintain their existence, creating an enabling regulatory environment and enhanced advice and technical support while further promoting innovative and sustainable solutions; calls for facilitating as much as possible their access to finance, including easy access to R&D funds, and providing enhanced technical support, such as in form of reinforced one-stop-shops and streamlined and easily accessible regulatory and administrative procedures, with a view to accelerate and take advantage of the green and digital transition, as the COVID-19 crisis has delivered a shock to many SMEs and their role in the everyday life of Europeans
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that the implementation of the SME strategy should focus primarily on supporting SMEs to help them maintain their existence and by aiming at their full recovery and growth, as the COVID-19 crisis has delivered a shock to many SMEs and their crucial role in the everyday life of Europeans; underlines that action should also be taken to support SMEs scaling-up and to enhance their cross- border activities in order to benefit the most from the internal market; recalls that further action should be taken to safeguard SMEs from unfair competition from third countries global players;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Highlights that SMEs in cross- border regions are more severely affected by the internal border closures due to the COVID-19 crisis and that the EU internal market must be made fully operational again as soon as possible; stresses that in times of crisis the free movement of essential goods and services must be guaranteed within the internal market; calls on the Commission to swiftly propose new permanent tools to avoid any disruption of the internal market in the event of a possible second crisis and to take into account SMEs specific needs;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Considers that the SME strategy should go hand in hand with the European Industrial Strategy, in order to facilitate the adoption of new policy measures which promote their internationalisation and ensures their full involvement, while fostering economic growth and job creation within the Single Market;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Notes that maintaining the existence of SMEs is already the subject of the Member States individual policies, many of which are already approved by the Commission as the state aid, therefore, the implementation of the strategy should be a complementary measure and take into account a shock that the COVID-19 crisis has delivered to many SMEs, hence no new burdens for the sector should be imposed in the nearest future;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a 2a. Welcomes the inclusion among the actions identified by the Commission that regarding measures to create an MSME-friendly environment; notes that fostering the generational transition in traditional craft enterprises, some of which are at risk of extinction, can not only be an effective way to encourage self- starting entrepreneurship, but is also a way to promote Europe’s heritage of craft-related knowledge, traditions and skills; points out that it would be useful to provide for incentives for cross-generational projects that can combine the master craftsman tradition with digitalisation, through the involvement of young people at the end of a training pathway;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Stresses that improved access to finance and liquidity are necessary to support SMEs and that EU funds together with national measures are necessary to allow companies to bridge liquidity gaps caused by the crisis; highlights that SMEs need support to compensate for loss in revenues, to finance fixed costs and avoid bankruptcies; calls for supporting possible access to diverse financial resources for SMEs in order for them not to be dependant only on banking system but also to consider the use of other means including private equity and crowdfunding;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 c (new) 2c. Calls for the synchronisation of all financial tools aimed at supporting SMEs within the internal market; insists that programmes crucial for SMEs competitiveness, development and resilience to the crisis, must be included in the next Multiannual Financial Framework and guaranteeing a necessary level of funding that supports them; COVID-19 support schemes should be tailor-made to address challenges of the different sectors affected and to coordinate EU funding with national and regional initiatives; recovery funding also needs to address additional costs that SMEs in particular have to face when complying with additional safety rules during and after the crisis; the European Investment Bank must also continue to support SMEs in particular as part of the sustainable finance approach;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Recital 1 b (new) 1b. Whereas European SMEs are currently experiencing unprecedented challenges because of the COVID-19 crisis that threatens their very existence;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Notes that micro and SMEs should
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Notes that SMEs should not be burdened
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Notes that 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-plating and other regulatory restrictions; recalls that in the post-COVID recovery further market deregulation should be harmonised with workers’ rights protection;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Notes that SMEs should be burdened as little as possible and encourages the Commission to use strong enforcement action to ensure that the single
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Notes that SMEs
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Notes that 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-plating and other regulatory restrictions which will lower costs and facilitate the improvement of SMEs’ activity;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Recognises the support of the State Aid Temporary Framework in the context of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and welcomes its recent amendment enabling Member States to provide public support to all micro and small companies; expresses its concern about the uneven distribution of state aid and Member States’ access to liquidity and fiscal space, which is likely to result in distortions to competition, creating unfair competitive advantages and possible breakdowns in the Single Market;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. notes that specific approaches are needed for SMEs to embrace digitalisation in a way that is tailored to their specific circumstances; Social partners can play a supportive role for enterprises in their efforts to set up skills plans to accommodate ongoing and future changes;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Highlights that beside access to finance, SMEs encounter obstacles in terms of skills, including managerial skills, digital and sustainability related skills and knowledge; Calls for specific programmes to be financed at EU and national levels to enhance SME access to training and mentoring: Adds that particular attention should be given to promote female entrepreneurship;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Recital 1 c (new) 1c. Whereas only 17% of SMEs have so far successfully integrated digital technology into their businesses and digitalisation is crucial for a strong economic growth and creation of jobs within the internal market;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Stresses Member States to avoid practices of unfair competition inside the internal market, as they could seriously affect micro and SMEs and consumer rights;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls for a roadmap towards achieving a major reduction in administrative burden and bureaucracy affecting SMEs in the internal market, to boost SMEs potential for investments and speed up EU economic recovery; this should include the following elements: - supporting SMEs to operate cross- border thus fully reaping the benefits of the internal market; - encouraging scale-up; - strengthening and mainstreaming the SMEs dimension in all impact assessments through a binding SME test performed at an early stage of the impact assessment to analyse the economic impact of legislative proposals, including the compliance costs; - applying of the one-in-one-out rule in such a way that for any additional compliance cost introduced by new legislation, the corresponding amount of compliance cost is reduced; - reducing the regulatory burden through concrete targets at EU and national level (such as a reduction by 30% or cut 1000 outdated rules and regulations), in order to make a real benefit for SMEs to grow and prosper within the EU internal market;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Stresses that excessive regulation is the most burdensome for SMEs, so that in order to achieve the goals of the strategy, greater emphasis should be placed on the proportionality of any new initiatives;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Highlights that unfair competition usually driven by extra - UE companies is very detrimental to the European SMEs, especially in the post-COVID recovery; efficient trade defence instruments should be accessible to SMEs and they should avoid unfair practices from third countries;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Emphasises that SMEs are the largest beneficiaries of free competition in the internal market, hence increasing the level of competitiveness on the EU market will be beneficial for the sector;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Recalls that an effective “green” approach, favourable to SMEs, should avoid imposing extra burdens on SMEs while allowing imports from third countries which are not respecting free trade and “green” standards;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Condemns any attempt to use the COVID-19 crisis as a pretext for protectionist practices and excessive administrative burdens for SMEs operating in the single market, particularly in the road freight transport sector; calls on the Commission to act decisively to protect the freedom to provide services in the EU;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion 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 governments; underlines that SMEs must be given a fair share of the added value of the data they generate and highlights that interoperability and non-discriminatory access to data, including platforms’ data, are key to ensure a digital level playing field within the internal market and to successfully deal with challenges and opportunities emerging from data sharing, data security and cybersecurity issues across the whole internal market;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Highlights the crucial role of
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion 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 governments; recalls that digital trainings and upskilling and reskilling programs for entrepreneurs and employees could support the recovery of SMEs and foster their competitiveness in the EU market;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Recital 1 d (new) 1d. Whereas 78% of SMEs see administrative costs as one of the main barriers for their future growth;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Highlights the crucial role of data as the lifeblood of the digital economy;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion 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 governments; points out that against the background of a future push towards digitalisation in the post-COVID-19 era, real-time and legally secure data access for SMEs in the B2B area will become ever more essential when it comes to countering unfair competition; stresses that improving SMEs’ access to data should be a key issue in the implementation of the European data strategy; notes, in addition, that the role of organisations representing MSMEs is crucial for accompanying SMEs in their transition to sustainability and digitalisation;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Underlines that advanced disruptive technologies, such as blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud and High Performance Computing (HPC) can dramatically boost competitiveness of the SMEs;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Points out that there is the need to facilitate the SMEs’ uptake of Artificial Intelligence by promoting the creation of SME cross-border Alliances for AI in strategic value chains within the internal market, as well promoting investment in the next generation of standards, tools and infrastructures to store and process data; points out that it is important to ensure SMEs’ access to and awareness of ICT standards to innovate and provide more tailored digital solutions;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion 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 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Stresses that start-ups represent the SMEs with the higher potential to grow in new digital sectors such as AI, IOT and robotics; stresses that also microenterprises and micro-companies, that do not dispose of sufficient resources or infrastructure for digital transformation, must have access to sufficient financial resources and be adequately supported; recalls that also traditional SMEs focused on the sustainable development of the society are threatened heavily by the crisis in several sectors and should be adequately supported;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion 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 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Stresses, however, that equal access to investment remains a challenge in the EU, considering the greater difficulties of access to finance in some Member States, thus leading to discrepancies in competitiveness between SMEs in the Single Market; calls on the Commission to address this financial access gap and ensure that SMEs compete on a level playing field;
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 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion 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 as well as with the other Member States 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;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion 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, assistance and services linked to doing business across borders, including advice on public procurement and funding sources;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion 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 53 #
Draft opinion 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; points out, in this regard, that urgent measures such as the extended digitalisation of the relationship between government departments and enterprises, and the interoperability of government databases, are measures that can no longer be postponed;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Stresses the need to utilise the European Public Procurement GovTech Platform (EU GovTech) to carefully monitor the state of SME engagement in procurement challenges across the EU, guiding the subsequent formulation of good practices and further legislative standards;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. It is important for SMEs to have access to information and training sessions on the role of digitalisation in their activity;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Calls to the Commission to launch in 2020 the European GovTech Initiative and a small scale pilot project to promote best practices in creating a synergy effect between the government and start-ups and digital SMEs and to facilitate use among a few Member States a cross-border tool promoting equal market access for European Digital SMEs;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion 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 by eliminating inequalities in access to public procurement contracts and discriminatory, disproportionate or non- objective behaviour on the part of contracting authorities, by using digital tools and platforms to expand cross-border procurement, too; stresses that green public procurement can make an important contribution to building a sustainable economy
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission and Member States to simplify procurement tendering processes by using the flexibility of the EU’s new procurement framework and to enhance opportunities for SMEs including by using digital tools and platforms to expand national and cross- border procurement; stresses that green public procurement
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion 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 60 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Member States to simplify procurement tendering processes by using the flexibility of the EU’s new procurement framework
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion 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 by using digital tools and platforms to expand cross-border procurement; stresses that green public procurement and a simplified access to tenders can make an important
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion 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 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; regrets that the ‘lowest price criterion’ is often still decisive in the tendering processes, often to the disadvantage of SMEs;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Member States to simplify procurement tendering processes
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Stresses the need to increase the SMEs’ share of government contracts, enhancing their access to public procurement and combating tendering criteria that set requirements beyond the fundamental elements of the service or goods purchased, such as price, quality and sustainability;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6a (new) 6a. Recognises that a number of states and cities are able to prohibit or closely regulate the activity of so-called digital platforms; underlines the urgent need for regulation of these platforms on a broader basis to prevent unfair competition and ensure respect for workers’ and consumers’ rights and user safety;
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Notes the low participation of SMEs in public procurement, especially cross- border where they account for only 25% of the value in cross-border procurement (compared to 33% at home); underlines that with the combined procurement spending within the EU reaching 14% of the combined GDP of Member States, increasing the participation rate of SMEs in tenders represents possibly the largest funding opportunity for Digital SMEs; stresses that achieving this aim requires the utilisation of new procurement methodologies (like design contest models) and creation of new tools to put them into practice;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Underlines the need for a significant increase in the SMEs participation in the EU public procurement market; recalls the importance of a European public procurement market for SMEs which is based on moderate-sized tenders that allow them to participate in the procurement process and where real and fair competition between market actors can take place within the internal market; furthermore underlines that is important to make the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) more accessible to SMEs; calls for the creation of digital tools such as platforms for enhancing the access to relevant public procurement information for SMEs;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Considers that the objectives of the ‘SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe’ should be fully matched by financial and other resources to enable Member States to promote SME transition towards sustainability and digitisation, which is of particular importance for the least developed countries and regions in the context of cohesion policy; stresses that such objectives cannot be contradictory and must, on the contrary, accompany measures to safeguard employment with rights and improve working conditions and consumers´ rights in the various sectors of activity;
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion 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 across the single market, including through an active use of infringement procedures in cases where the Directive is not properly implemented; to that aim, encourages Member States to appoint an independent enforcement authority in charge of monitoring the proper application of the late payment rules and empowered to impose penalties in case of delays in payment times. __________________________ 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 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the SME strategy and shares the Commission’s view that SMEs are essential to the European economy and central to achieving the green and digital transition of the EU economy in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal and the EU’s commitment under the Paris Agreement; Insists on sustainability to remain at the core objectives of relevant EU programmes to allow SMEs to take advantage of the green transition in terms of competitiveness, cost reduction and jobs creation; Stresses in this respect the need for increased financial budget to promote a SME-friendly environment and reiterates its position under the MFF Single Market Programme to double the allocation for COSME;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion 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 across the single market; calls upon authorities on European, national, regional and local level to set the right example by paying SMEs on time. __________________________ 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 71 #
Draft opinion 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.
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Underlines the fact that late payments account for a quarter of all SME bankruptcies in the EU and that the situation during this pandemic has become worse; 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 across the single market, also by addressing the issue of unfair payment conditions and misconduct in the B2B relationship, too; points out that the trend towards shorter payment times for new debts – all the more so at this time of pandemic – should be seized more carefully through the introduction of direct universal set-offs between debts payable to and receivables payable by government departments. _______________________________ 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 73 #
Draft opinion 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 and to take appropriate binding measures to reinforce the current framework, so as to ensure and promote prompt payments as a norm across the single market. __________________________
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion 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 76 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Encourages the Commission to place greater emphasis and importance on the role of the EU SME envoy than that afforded to it by the SBA. The establishment of a special envoy for SMEs is an important back-up measure for pro-SME policies insofar as the envoy has a genuine role of monitoring and driving the implementation of those policies. The European envoy should be appointed in cooperation with the European social partners with whom he or she will have to be in constant contact. The EU SME envoy, indeed, will have to ensure the de facto implementation of the European strategy and the application of the Think Small First principle in all EU policies. At the same time, national SME envoys need to demonstrate that they have established a structured ongoing dialogue with the most representative national trade associations in order to provide a contribution, at EU level, based on real practical experiences, to reflect as closely as possible the real needs of MSMEs.
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Highlights the importance of family -run and family-owned businesses, as the backbone of local economies; they create wealth, provide jobs, are locally rooted and connected to local communities; underlines that family businesses make up more than 60% of all companies in Europe, they range from sole proprietors to large international enterprises; big or small, listed or un- listed, family businesses play a significant role in the EU economy.
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Calls on the Commission to examine the need to introduce a European legal framework on franchising as many SME companies are franchise takers of big multinational companies and often faced by an uneven negotiating position and suffocating contract conditions.
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Regrets the fragmentation of the single market for services, preventing SMEs in the services sector from fully benefitting from the European single market; calls on the Commission to swiftly remove remaining barriers to trade affecting the service sector to unlock the full potential of the single market;.
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the SME strategy and shares the Commission’s view that SMEs are essential to the European economy and, for this reason, too, considers the current definition of SMEs to be appropriate;
Amendment 80 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 b (new) 7b. Points out that midcap companies that exceed the criteria of the SME definition contribute significantly to growth and job creation with in the internal market, but receive too little support; calls on the Commission to consider a revision of the current SMEs definition and propose an additional separate midcap definition ensuring that small midcaps with 250 to 499 employees in particular can be better relieved and promoted, while making sure that SMEs funding is not reduced for those SMEs meeting the current criteria.
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion 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 9 #
2. Stresses that the implementation of the SME strategy should focus on supporting SMEs
source: 655.651
2020/09/03
CULT
44 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates the importance of micro, small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) as the backbone of the EU economy, especeially for smaller Member States; Underlines that the COVID-19 crisis has had an unprecedented socio- economic impact on SMEs, especially in the cultural and creative sectors, education, youth, sports and media which are high risk sectors; calls on the European Commission to revise its SME strategy for sustainable and digital Europe, ensuring that funds allocated to European SMEs are widely and readily accessible across Member States, and reach these sectors in order to enable them to address current challenges, and maintain high levels of quality employment and put job retention schemes in place;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Emphasizes that within the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS), it was the live sector that was hit the hardest by the COVID-19 crisis, with live venues for music and performing arts, including festivals, being the first ones to be closed and the last ones to reopen, which is why the live sector needs particular political support;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Underlines that many SMEs in the Cultural and Creative Sectors have higher risk profiles, but lower or no access to financial markets, and therefore need financial support in particular, those generating intangible assets;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Emphasizes the need to protect the cultural diversity created by SMEs by ensuring the support for traditional arts and heritage initiatives while stimulating new innovative and creative projects;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1 c. Highlights the importance of providing support for project development and capacity building for SMEs, especially in the CCS;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates the importance of accessible funding for SMEs across Europe, especially in the
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates the importance of accessible funding for SMEs across Europe, especially in the cultural, creative, educational, youth, media and sports sectors; calls on the European Commission to increase the accessibility
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates the importance of accessible funding for SMEs across Europe, especially in the cultural, creative, educational, youth, media and sports sectors; calls on the European Commission
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates the importance of accessible funding for SMEs across Europe,
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates the importance of accessible funding for SMEs across Europe, especially in the cultural, creative, educational, youth, media and sports sectors; calls on the European Commission to increase the accessibility of funding, in particular in the upcoming InvestEU programme, and to provide equal financial opportunities in all EU Member States; highlights the need for appropriate and effective rules for implementation and utilization of cohesion policies for SMEs in the Cultural and Creative Industries;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates the importance of accessible funding for SMEs across Europe, especially in the cultural, creative, educational, youth, media and sports sectors; calls on the European Commission to increase the accessibility of funding, in particular in the upcoming InvestEU programme, and to provide equal financial opportunities in all EU Member States; emphasizes the importance of synergy between different initiatives and funding available for SMEs and notes that SMEs still struggle with adequate access to funds, particularly for long-term and innovative projects;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines that the COVID-19 crisis has had an unprecedented socio- economic impact on SMEs, especially in the
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Highlights that cultural tourism accounts for 40% of all European tourism and 4 out of 10 tourists choose their destination based on its cultural offering; stresses the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 on the tourism and travel sector; therefore calls for the development of Crisis Management Mechanism with concrete measures in order to answer to the needs of the tourism industry, especially SMEs for the revival of cultural tourism;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the budget of the Cultural And Creative Sector Guarantee Facility, which during the last budget period from 2014- 2020 has benefitted SMEs by securing loans for initiatives in the cultural and creative industry. The Cultural And Creative Sector Guarantee Facility could be included under the InvestEU Program;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Recognizes that the intangible nature of activities in these sectors can limit the access to financial support; welcomes the increased financial support for SMEs via the Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility (CCS GF); calls for an extension of the CCS GF with an increased flexibility for the repayment for SMEs;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2 b. Emphasizes the important role of Horizon Europe in helping the CCI to innovate and develop new technologies, that can have a positive impact on an open and pluralistic cultural creative participation; in this regard welcomes the creation of CCI KIC under the EIT strategy; Underlines the need to simplify the procedures for SMEs in CCI, when applying for funds and calls for a one- stop-shop solution for SMEs applying for funds under Union programmes;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2 b. Welcomes the deployment of the temporary instrument SURE and calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure sufficient financial support for SMEs in the cultural and creative sector, especially in regions most affected;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Regrets the lack of ambition of the revised proposal on the next MFF, and the lack of specific financial support for these sectors in the new Recovery Plan;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Regrets the lack of ambition of the revised proposal on the next MFF
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Regrets the lack of ambition of the revised proposal on the next MFF, and the lack of specific financial support for these sectors in the new Recovery Plan; conciders the current proposals as unacceptable and believes that they will have a negative impact on the sector; urges, in this context, the Commission and Member States to increase the budget of the Creative Europe, Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines that the mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis has had an unprecedented socio-
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 (new) Welcomes the recent enhancements to the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS) Guarantee Facility improving access to finance for several enterprises operating in the cultural and creative sectors during the COVID-19 crisis; calls on the European Commission to ensure that cultural and creative sectors are adequately included in all programmes for entrepreneurship such as COSME and Horizon and to devote adequate resources to the future CCS Guarantee Facility in the upcoming InvestEU programme;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Underlines the need for further investment in digitalisation of European SMEs across sectors, as well as in skills, in particular digital and entrepreneurial skills, which need to be one of the central themes of the curricula for all stages of education as well as basic skills in the training plans for workers and the unemployed, all coordinated in the Digital Education Action Plan; calls for a European initiative on entrepreneurial education in order to prepare the next generation of European SMEs, and also to provide guidance and support to existing SMEs in adapting to current challenges; reiterates the importance of Erasmus+ apprenticeship and entrepreneur exchanges, and calls for more, similar initiatives using new formats and tools.
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Underlines the need for further investment in digitalisation of European SMEs across sectors, as well as in skills, in particular digital and entrepreneurial skills in order to ensure a comprehensive and sustainable digital transformation process, thereby protecting employment and enhancing social inclusion; calls for a European initiative on entrepreneurial education in order to prepare the next generation of European SMEs, and also to provide guidance and support to existing SMEs in adapting to current challenges; reiterates the importance of Erasmus+ apprenticeship and entrepreneur exchanges, and calls for more, similar initiatives using new formats and tools.
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Underlines the need for further investment in digitalisation of European SMEs across sectors, as well as in skills, in particular digital and entrepreneurial skills; calls for a European initiative on entrepreneurial education in order to prepare the next generation of European SMEs especially in the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS), and also to provide guidance and support to existing SMEs in adapting to current challenges; reiterates the importance of Erasmus+ apprenticeship and entrepreneur exchanges, and calls for more, similar initiatives using new formats and tools.
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Underlines the need for further investment in digitalisation of European SMEs across sectors, as well as in skills, in particular digital and entrepreneurial skills; calls for a European initiative on entrepreneurial education in order to prepare the next generation of European SMEs, and also to provide guidance and support to existing SMEs in adapting to current challenges; reiterates the importance of Erasmus+ apprenticeship and entrepreneur exchanges, and calls for
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Calls on the European Commission to develop an integrated support plan for SME’s using cross- financing mechanisms available at European level as well as synergies with the national and local initiatives in order to support SME’s facing big challenges caused by the COVID 19 pandemic and to provide financial means for the establishment of new entrepreneurial initiatives;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Emphasises the importance of the “Think Small First” approach when designing and improving regulation, as SMEs in particular suffer consequences of inefficient regulation and unnecessary administrative burden; highlights that deeper integration of the single market is also crucial for the competitiveness and existence of SMEs;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4а. Recognises and values entrepreneurial efforts in the education sector, especially in the case of SMEs, cooperatives that allow diversification in the education system and in the models offered to families so that they can choose freely;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines that the COVID-19
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Emphasizes that SMEs, especially those in the CCS, are playing a key role in ensuring a sustainable recovery of our European economy;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. Stresses the need for the involvement of young people in entrepreneurial activities; calls on European Commission and Member States to foster entrepreneurial education and create tailored-made support measures enabling access to entrepreneurship and independent worker activities for all Europeans with a special focus on people with fewer opportunities;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. Emphasizes that ensuring diversity among the SMEs in the CCS will safeguard cultural diversity, defy authoritarianism and thus protects values of the Union;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 c (new) 4 c. Calls on the European Commission, in close cooperation with Member States, local authorities and social partners, for the establishment of a European initiative aiming to create more than 1 million new start-ups in Europe offering entrepreneurship opportunities across Europe;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 d (new) 4 d. Stresses the key role of SME’s in sports in ensuring and promoting healthy life, intercultural dialogue, educational and professional opportunities for all; therefore calls for a greater attention to sports dimension under Erasmus+ programme;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines that the COVID-19 crisis has had an unprecedented socio- economic impact on SMEs,
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines that the COVID-19 crisis has had an unprecedented socio- economic impact on SMEs, especially in the cultural and creative sectors, education, youth, sports and media. The cultural and creative industries contribute alone to more than 8.7 million fulltime jobs, from which many are SMEs (3.8 percent of the EU’s workforce), additionally the cultural and creative industries’ turnover was €375 billion in total in 2018; calls on the European Commission to revise its SME strategy for sustainable and digital Europe, ensuring that funds allocated to European SMEs are widely and readily accessible across Member States, and reach these sectors in order to enable them to address current challenges, and maintain high levels of employment;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines that the COVID-19 crisis has had an unprecedented socio- economic impact on SMEs, especially in the cultural and creative sectors, education, youth, sports and media; calls on the European Commission to revise its SME strategy for sustainable and digital Europe, ensuring that funds allocated to European SMEs are widely and readily accessible across Member States, and reach these sectors in order to enable them to address current challenges, and maintain high levels of employment; calls for specific measures by the Commission to facilitate the prompt deployment of funding earmarked for European SMEs in order to ensure their competitiveness and safeguard employment levels;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines that the COVID-19 crisis has had an unprecedented socio- economic impact on SMEs, especially in the cultural and creative sectors, education, youth, sports and media; calls on the European Commission to revise its SME strategy for sustainable and digital Europe, ensuring that funds allocated to European SMEs are widely and readily accessible across Member States, and reach these sectors in order to enable them to address current challenges, and maintain high levels of employment; notes that SMEs are particularly vulnerable to economic shocks due to limited liquidity reserves and high labour intensity;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Stresses the crucial role of SMEs for our economy and social life and their importance in the Cultural and Creative Sector in terms of employment and economic growth; reminds the specificity of the CCS which are mainly based on SMEs ecosystems; stresses the need to take lessons from the current crisis and create a common EU-coordinated ready- to-go plan to lessen the impact of future crisis on SMEs; recommends to include tailor-made crisis support schemes to address challenges of different sectors affected;
source: 655.981
2020/09/04
TRAN
236 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Recital -A (new) -A. whereas the transport sector is strategic for Member States' development, for their economic, social and territorial cohesion, for the functioning of the economy and for the mobility of people; whereas SMEs in these sectors face a number of operational constraints, including fuel costs, tolls or a lack of support infrastructure;
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Recital A A. whereas micro, small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) are defined in the EU recommendation 2003/36;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Recital A a (new) Aa. Whereas SMEs in transport and tourism hold great potential for innovating both sectors, yet still suffer from burdensome bureaucratic procedures that, coupled with a lack of access to finance, does not allow them to effectively invest in digitalization, reskilling of labour and sustainability.
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion 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,
Amendment 100 #
Draft opinion 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 new 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, 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
Amendment 101 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the EU to support the digital and green transitions by investing in artificial intelligence and in lifelong learning, reskilling and upskilling initiatives to foster digital literacy, the uptake of human, social and advanced digital skills and the new skills for new 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, 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. calls, in this regard, on the Commission and the Member States to promote, reinforce and support apprenticeships in order to facilitate the sustainable integration of young people into the labour market;
Amendment 102 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6.
Amendment 103 #
Draft opinion 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 new 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, 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
Amendment 104 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Recognises that SMEs are at Europe’s industrial core and are therefore essential to the large industrial supply chains; considers, in this connection, that the SMEs play a crucial role in maintaining European employment levels and that close cooperation between Member States to facilitate employment tax incentives is therefore of the essence;
Amendment 105 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Recalls that many large companies, including the FAAMG group, the pharmaceutical industry and large retailers, have profited from the COVID- 19 crisis by making extraordinary profits; insists on the need for a solidarity contribution from these large companies towards SMEs in difficulty; insists on the need to put an end to late payments by large companies to SMEs and VSEs in order to avoid cash-flow crises that endanger jobs; calls for listed companies to be required to publish the amount of debts they owe to their SME and VSE suppliers and the average number of days in arrears; supports the establishment of penalties that would be automatically applied for each day in arrears;
Amendment 106 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Considers that the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union has affected SMEs in the EU negatively, especially those doing daily business with the UK; stresses that the new partnership with the UK should pay special attention to the specific situation of SMEs and calls on the EU and the UK to work towards simplification of requirements and formalities for customs procedures for SMEs in order to avoid any additional administrative burden and encourages the Parties to set up SME contact points.
Amendment 107 #
Draft opinion 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 108 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Calls on the Commission to ensure complementarity between the objectives of the European SMEs Strategy, the new Circular Economy Action Plan, the updated Skills Agenda for Europe and the European Industrial Strategy, in order to secure the subsistence and development of SMEs during the COVID-19 crisis and thereby counter the rising unemployment rates, particularly in those sectors seriously impacted such as the tourism and hospitality industries;
Amendment 109 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal to launch a programme for “digital volunteers” to allow young skilled people and experienced seniors to share their digital competence with traditional businesses;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas a rapid restart of the transport sector is crucial for the economic recovery of Europe,
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion 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
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Notes the need for developing dedicated skills and competencies creation at an early level in European education systems, in order to foster an entrepreneurial mind-set among our youth and the continued development of new SMEs; calls for additional resources to be earmarked for the promotion of entrepreneurial training and encourages Member States to ensure that national education systems aim to equip young graduates with business creation and management skills;
Amendment 111 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Believes that EU’s entrepreneurs will be at the heart of the recovery process and stresses that promoting entrepreneurship is an important driver for social inclusion, smart, sustainable and inclusive economic growth and competitiveness; calls on the Commission and the Member States to foster and support the development of entrepreneurial spirit and skills and to facilitate the establishment of new business models for SMEs;
Amendment 112 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Considers that support for companies will be essential to cope with the needs in all sectors of activity and that traditional SMEs will need to be supported more than ever, alongside with the more innovative ones; underlines the need for fair competition for SMEs in the European online environment in particular via the future Digital Services Act;
Amendment 113 #
Draft opinion 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 114 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Emphasises that overly detailed legislation in areas such as AI and cybersecurity runs the risk of creating excessive bureaucratic and complicated legislation for SMEs operating in the single market; calls for the shift of focus to be on a principle-based and technology-neutral legislative framework that enhances market development;
Amendment 115 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to encourage and support female entrepreneurship, in particular through easier access to finance or training and by ensuring a better work- life balance;
Amendment 116 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 c (new) 6c. Underlines the importance of boosting entrepreneurship, including among women and young people.
Amendment 117 #
Draft opinion 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 118 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Underlines the importance of SME friendly legislative environment; calls on the Commission for a strict application of the ‘SME test’, which would help implementing the important ‘Think Small Principle’; supports Commission’s plans to appoint an EU SME envoy to address and facilitate SMEs related issues and solutions;
Amendment 119 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Calls on the Member States to make use of the future European Social Fund Plus and of the new possibilities to invest European Regional Development Funds in developing skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas the majority of SMEs live off and for national markets;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion 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
Amendment 120 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Stresses the importance of fostering further synergies between SMEs, research institutes, universities and the education sector to make sure the skills match with the labour market needs;
Amendment 121 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Considers it essential to avoid the relocation of SMEs to Member States with more favourable tax arrangements.
Amendment 122 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 c (new) 6c. Recommends strengthening the exchange of SME focused initiatives, which have proven to be successful and best practices among the Member States; furthermore, recommends the establishment of platforms for exchanges among SMEs that are developing innovative, breakthrough technologies;
Amendment 123 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 c (new) 6c. Underlines the need to include a dedicated component for SMEs in the updated Skills Agenda for Europe;
Amendment 124 #
Draft opinion 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 125 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 d (new) 6d. Emphasises the need to support social and solidarity-based enterprises by creating a favourable environment for their development; stresses that the Commission and Member States should promote the establishment of social and solidarity-based enterprises;
Amendment 126 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 d (new) 6d. Calls on the SME strategy to provide an easy access to finance and to open up suitable tools to support very small projects (common rules on European crowdfunding, common competition rules on venture capital, social economy, commerce, services etc.);
Amendment 127 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 e (new) 6e. Welcomes the financial relief provided by the Commission in saving jobs via the SURE programme and believes that an European Unemployment Reinsurance Scheme could be a further tool to accompany the just transition to a circular, climate-neutral and digital economy and contribute to the resilience of the European economy and European SMEs in particular; awaits the Commission proposal as announced by Commission President von der Leyen in this regard;
Amendment 128 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 e (new) 6e. Underlines that EU legislation must be SME-friendly ; highlights that the scrutiny of the SME dimension in all impact assessments needs to be strengthened and is to be considered a binding SME test within the impact assessment phase, fully committed to the “Think Small First” principle and assessing the economic impact including the compliance costs of legislative proposals on SMEs;
Amendment 129 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 e (new) 6e. Calls on the Commission to consider the need to establish one-stop- shop aimed to support SMEs’ internationalisation, for example by providing information on funds and grants for technical feasibility studies of innovative business products and other relevant information on internationalisation;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Recital A b (new) Ab. whereas micro, small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) make up the vast majority of businesses in the transport sector, and thus possess the greatest potential to create jobs and economic progress;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion 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-
Amendment 130 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 f (new) 6f. Underlines that SMEs need to have access to public procurement tenders as public procurement will provide a lever to boost recovery ; stresses at this effect, unfair selection criteria should be tackled;
Amendment 131 #
Draft opinion 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Recital A c (new) Ac. whereas small businesses are currently hindered by lack of internal market integration, regulation discrepancies and excessive administrative burdens;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines the decisive contribution of SMEs to innovation, job creation, and building an inclusive
Amendment 140 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 o (new) 6o. Recalls the importance to actively support female entrepreneurship at the European and national level, since women are one of the groups, which is suffering the most from the COVID-19 crisis.
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Recital A d (new) Ad. whereas European competitiveness is lagging behind other developed economies, threatening Europe’s potential to generate wealth and prosperity;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines the decisive contribution of SMEs to innovation, including to social 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,
Amendment 16 #
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines the decisive contribution of SMEs to innovation, competitiveness, entrepreneurship, 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 urgent and sustainable finance to bridge the current investment gap and to reinforce SMEs’ ability to innovate and move towards digitalisation and more sustainable, resource-
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Recital B B. whereas,
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion 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, especially in the most vulnerable social categories; recognises that at present SMEs are faced with severe
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Recital B B. whereas, following the COVID-19 outbreak, inequality between Member States in terms of the support they are able to give their SMEs is likely to exacerbate
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines the decisive contribution of SMEs, including family businesses, 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 of the European Green Deal and the related just transition;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Recital B B. whereas, following the COVID-19 outbreak,
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines the decisive contribution of SMEs to innovation, job creation and an inclusive labour market in the European Union; 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 of the European Green Deal and the related just transition;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Recital -A a (new) -Aa. whereas the number of SMEs operating in the transport and tourism sectors has increased to one and two million, respectively, and are responsible for a total of more than 16 million direct jobs;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Recital B B. whereas 99 % of European businesses are SMEs; whereas they represent 50 % of PIB and employ around 100 million people, corresponding to two- thirds of all jobs in the private sector, thus being the backbone of the European economy and key players to foster attractiveness of territories and for the development of identified strategic industrial ecosystems;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Recital B a (new) Ba. whereas the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic has brought a considerable number of SMEs to the verge of insolvency; whereas the non- standard monetary measures from the European Central Bank (ECB) in response to the economic crisis help larger companies, as they rely more on the commercial debt market, but don't improve financial conditions for SMEs;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion 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’ resilience and ability to innovate and
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Recital B a (new) Ba. whereas tourism is a complex sector of many stakeholders, in which mobility plays a crucial part; whereas 90% of the sector is made up of SMEs; whereas the COVID-19 crisis has hit SMEs the hardest; whereas as a consequence, the majority of tourism companies are facing a liquidity crisis;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines the decisive contribution of SMEs to innovation, job creation and an inclusive cross-border 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-
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Recital B b (new) Bb. whereas the financial and ‘irritation’ costs of compliance with overregulation is a drag on businesses; whereas costs and complexities of administrative procedures still represent a major obstacle for SMEs, whereas smart deregulation can increase creativity and innovation;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines the decisive
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Recital B c (new) Bc. whereas innovation does not start with regulation, it starts with entrepreneurs combining ideas and financing; whereas regulation should tackle specific issues like safety and pollution;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion 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,
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Recital C Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion 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 of the European Green Deal and the related just transition; calls upon Member States to improve access to smaller scale credits;
Amendment 25 #
C. whereas many SMEs in the transport sectors, such as those providing
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Considers that a new strategy for European SMEs must be constructed around the protection of employment and workers, guaranteeing them a high standard of working conditions and social protection; considers that such a strategy must support those companies that respect workers' rights and the environment; stresses the need to revise public procurement rules to favour companies that respect these rights; calls for the urgent introduction of a carbon adjustment mechanism at borders that favours companies that respect the ecosystem and support the creation of local jobs;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Recital C C. whereas many
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Welcomes the recent amendment of the State Aid Temporary Framework enabling Member States to provide public support to all micro and small companies; expresses its concern, however, about the uneven distribution of state aid and Member States’ access to liquidity and fiscal space, which is likely to result in disruptions in the Single Market and thus create inequalities as regards the ability to preserve domestic jobs;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Recital C C. whereas many SMEs in the transport sectors, such as those providing active urban mobility, taxi and tourism services, have been seriously affected by unfair competition from multinational companies, so-called digital platforms that have managed to circumvent certain legal obligations imposed on other companies, thereby contributing to social dumping, workplace deregulation and the insolvency of many businesses;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Considers it essential to review climate targets and implementation of the European Green Deal, given that SMEs are already reeling from the COVID-19 crisis and are not in any state to meet further preconditions for immediate access to funding;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Recital C a (new) C a. whereas the COVID-19 crisis has revealed the importance of a clean air to reduce the degree of spread of pandemics; whereas transport and tourism are sectors which have an impact on the state of the environment; whereas SMEs and start- ups will play a crucial role in the transition towards sustainable transport and tourism;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas the concentration of wealth by a small number of large firms, the abuse of market power, the overwhelming bargaining, financial and even political power wielded by these large corporations and the economic groups to which they belong, place strong constraints on SMEs;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the EU recovery instruments and the relevant MFF programmes should complement national schemes, supporting SMEs, particularly in the sectors most affected by the pandemic, and striving to ensure
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Recital -A b (new) -Ab. whereas the tourism sector is key for the economy in a number of Member States; whereas this sector is seasonal and deregulation leads to unfair competition;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Recital C C. whereas European SMEs face a huge lack of investments reaching between 20 and 35 billion euros, despite the support of the EU and its Member States;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas SMEs in the tourism sector are still being heavily affected by the Coronavirus pandemic and have been forced to downsize staff and services both in coastal resorts that offer numerous seaside activities and in mountain areas;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the EU recovery instruments and the relevant MFF programmes should be fully utilised to complement national schemes, supporting SMEs, particularly in the sectors most affected by the pandemic, preserving jobs, income and know-how, and striving to ensure the EU’s industrial independence through such measures as onshoring strategic industrial activities; Recalls, furthermore, that these instruments must contribute to achieving the objectives of sustainable development, the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Recital C a (new) Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the EU recovery instruments and the relevant MFF programmes should complement national schemes, supporting SMEs, particularly in the sectors most affected by the pandemic and SMEs that are active in border regions which have been severely affected by the closure of borders between Member States, and striving to ensure the EU’s industrial independence;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Recital C b (new) Cb. whereas online platforms offer opportunities for SMEs: they allow them to create employment, grow, improve their operational efficiency, assure data security and better reach to consumers, and thus are crucial for their commercial success;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the EU recovery instruments and the relevant MFF programmes should complement national schemes, supporting SMEs, particularly in the sectors and regions most affected by the pandemic, and striving to ensure the EU’s industrial independence;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the importance for the economy and for business of SMEs operating in the transport sector, bearing in mind that uninterrupted freight transport has been essential to ensure the swift and smooth functioning of supply chains for various types of goods
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the EU recovery instruments and the relevant MFF programmes should complement national
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the importance for the economy and for business of SMEs operating in the transport sector, bearing in mind that uninterrupted freight transport has been essential to ensure the functioning of supply chains for various types of goods, as has the transport of workers in key sectors; stresses that SMEs in the tourism sector are facing unprecedented difficulties including a serious liquidity crisis due to the pandemic; stresses the importance of state intervention to shore up SMEs in difficulty, ensuring job retention, the protection of earnings and respect for workers' rights; underlines the need to step up support for SMEs in these sectors at EU level and address the enormous inequalities resulting from different levels of national support; calls on the Commission to monitor developments and assess the possibility of emergency support in addition to measures already announced, including funding and capitalisation, until
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the importance for the economy and for business of SMEs operating in the transport sector, bearing in mind that uninterrupted freight transport has been essential to ensure the functioning of supply chains for various types of goods, as
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the EU recovery instruments and the relevant MFF programmes should complement national schemes, supporting SMEs, particularly in the sectors most affected by the pandemic, and striving to ensure the EU’s industrial
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the importance for the economy
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Recalls that VSEs and the self- employed have also been strongly affected by the COVID-19 crisis; stresses that SMEs, VSEs and the self-employed often find it difficult to access the aid mechanisms put in place by the Member States, in particular the short-time work arrangements that are essential for job protection; stresses the need to make state aid permanent and to increase the authorised amount up to EUR 400 000 in order to support companies in difficulty and to protect jobs;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the importance for the economy and for business of SMEs operating in the transport sector, bearing in mind that uninterrupted freight transport has been essential to ensure the functioning of supply chains for various types of goods, as has the transport of workers in key sectors; stresses that SMEs in the tourism sector are facing unprecedented difficulties including a lack of tourists and a serious liquidity crisis due to the pandemic; stresses the importance of state intervention to shore up SMEs in difficulty through tax cuts and incentives other than subsidies, ensuring job retention, the protection of earnings and respect for workers' rights; underlines the need to step up support for SMEs in these sectors at EU level and address the enormous inequalities resulting from different levels of national support; calls on the Commission to monitor developments and assess the possibility of emergency support in addition to measures already announced, including funding and capitalisation, until tourist and transport flows have returned to their previous levels;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Notes the key relevance that the EU has in protecting SMEs involved in cross-border activities or employing cross- border, seasonal or frontier workers and calls for ensuring clear and transparent information accessible to companies and employers regarding the rules and rights which must be enjoyed by these workers, including through one-stop shop online portals;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the importance for the economy and for business of SMEs operating in the transport sector, bearing in mind that uninterrupted freight transport has been essential to ensure the functioning of supply chains for various types of goods
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls for a European horizontal strategy for SME recovery in order to support them by reducing red tape, improving access to finance and by fostering investments in strategic value chains, start-ups and micro SMEs in line with the European Green Deal;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the importance for the economy and for business of SMEs operating in the transport sector, bearing in mind that uninterrupted freight transport has been essential to ensure the functioning of supply chains for various types of
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion 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;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Recital -A c (new) -Ac. whereas micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), both at national and EU level, are simultaneously very complex and heterogeneous given their size and the very diverse sectors of activity they cover, each with their own - and at times very different - dynamics, particularly the economic, financial, social or even political dynamics that characterise them;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Recital D D. whereas SMEs face tremendous challenges due to the COVID-19 crisis and many of them face the risk of bankruptcy;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Given that transport contributes to better connectivity and that tourism makes a substantial contribution to Member States’ budgets, SMEs in the tourism and transport sector need a suitably well- funded European strategy for enhancing sustainability and competitiveness that can be deployed by the Member States; this is the only way to rescue multiple SMEs in those sectors that have been the hardest hit by the health emergency;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion 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;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Draws attention to the fact that the instruments used in the EU's response to COVID-19 thus far, which are inaccessible to many SMEs, are slow, insufficient and inadequate; advocates for the EU to take more responsibility in terms of funding and guaranteeing SME solvency, jobs, wages and workers' rights, reducing the harmful effects of excessive indebtedness;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion 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; considers the
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Considers it essential to support SMEs in the transition to a circular economy and ensure respect for the climate and energy framework and the Paris Agreement; urges the Commission to facilitate access to funding for SMEs by simplifying procedures and providing better information regarding European calls for tender;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion 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; considers
Amendment 43 #
1a. Stresses the importance of state intervention to cut taxes, through the imposition of a single tax rate for example, streamline bureaucracy, simplify administrative procedures and/or introduce zero taxes for the entire duration of the COVID-19 crisis;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Stresses that SME-related actions should be at the core of
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Asks the Commission to present an updated version of its Communication on 'a new strategy for SMEs', reflecting the points raised in this resolution;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Stresses that SME-related and entrepreneurship-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 and recently created enterprises; considers the strengthening of EU rules on coordination of social security systems as essential for labour mobility and protecting workers
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Calls on the Commission, Member States and local governments to make business climate and competitiveness paramount priorities on their political agendas;
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Stresses that SME-related actions should be at the core of the EU’s digital transition and industrial and green recovery plans and initiatives and should, at the same time, go hand in hand with measures to protect all workers; considers the strengthening of EU rules on coordination and alignment of social security systems as essential for labour mobility and protecting workers, in particular those in precarious situations;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Emphasises the importance of reducing the legislative burden on SMEs; asks the Commission to come up with a Smart Deregulation Agenda, led by the Commissioner for Internal Market, in order to reduce the existing regulatory burden and create a cultural change in the different DG’s; calls on the Member States and the European Commission to adopt a joint roadmap with clear targets and specific mandates, aiming to achieve a swift reduction in the number of rules by at least 30 %;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion 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; considers th
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Welcomes the Commission’s commitment to introduce a “one in - one out” principle as a first step to stem the tide of new regulation, but reminds that it merely maintains status quo, which is not a sufficient ambition;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion 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 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Points out that, in view of the disparities between individual states, which have been aggravated by the COVID-19 emergency lockdown, it is necessary to support the Member States and sectors most affected by the crisis;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Stresses that SME-related actions should be at the core of the EU’s plans and initiatives, particularly those relating to industrial and green recovery
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Regrets that because of central bank monetary measures and the regulatory framework, the size of companies, far more than creditworthiness, now dictates access to credit; suggests action is warranted to stop this diverging access to credit; stresses that regarding the banking sector, there is a need for streamlined customer due diligence requirements so that SMEs can more easily access bank credit;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion 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; considers the strengthening of EU rules on coordination of social security systems and the portability of rights as essential for fair labour mobility and protecting workers, in particular those in precarious situations; stresses, in this regard, the need to ensure respect for the principle of equal treatment of workers and fair and equitable working conditions for mobile workers within the Union;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Recital -A d (new) -Ad. whereas the vast majority of SMEs depend on the banking sector for funding;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Recital E E. whereas the Commission put forward commitments as regards its strategy for small and medium-sized enterprises published in March 2020;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1 c. Calls on the Commission to present a roadmap towards achieving a reduction of at least 30 percent in administrative burdens affecting SMEs, in order to decrease cost pressure and promote competitiveness;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion 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; 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; recalls that the free movement of workers is a fundamental freedom central to the Single Market; recalls furthermore the importance of fostering labour mobility across Europe; stresses that, while important set of measures has been taken to support companies to react to the coronavirus outbreak, specific focus must now be put on mitigating the long-term effects of the crisis;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 d (new) 1 d. Regrets that SMEs are increasingly hindered by unfair competition from multinational corporations (MNCs); stresses that the free movement of workers can contribute to social dumping and that especially MNCs benefit from this;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion 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; 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; stresses the need for adapting and modernising labour regulations with regard to the new realities of modern economy, under the coordination of ELA; underlines the need of coordinated methods and protocols for control on labour conditions throughout the Union, under the coordination of ELA;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 d (new) 1d. Asks the Commission to apply a “think small first” principle across all relevant policy areas, in order to create legislation that spurs growth and development of SMEs;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion 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; 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; requests that the SME-related actions are made conditional on providing for quality jobs; recalls the need to combat undeclared work and the informal economy so as to strengthen those SMEs which respect the rules;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 e (new) 1e. Draws attention to the importance of solid impact assessments taking the competitiveness of European businesses into account, to alert when political proposals may lead to outsourcing of production and deregistering of ships and aircrafts to third countries, leading to loss of jobs, wealth and climate performance.
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion 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; 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; emphasises that good coordination between Member States and regions is crucial to ensure that SMEs and self- employed entrepreneurs who are active cross-border are protected by national schemes and measures;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 e (new) 1e. Welcomes the relaxation of State aid restrictions, but regrets its uneven implementation across the Union;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Is of the opinion that preventing companies from going bankrupt is key to preserve jobs and ensure a sustainable economic recovery; considers that the EU should therefore develop and reinforce early warning mechanisms to identify companies in distress and help them avoid insolvency; considers that European funding and programmes should be redirected in that sense;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 f (new) 1f. Regrets that the Recovery Plan dedicated little focus to SMEs, and calls for measures to ensure access for SMEs; reminds the Council that the post- COVID-19 survival of SMEs will depend on swift decision-making and the quick availability of liquidity; stresses the urgent need for streamlined customer due diligence requirements so that SMEs can more easily access bank credit;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Highlights that women remain under-represented across occupation and management levels1a and welcomes the European Commission’s initiatives with a particular focus on empowering women and improving gender balance within the European SMEs ecosystem; __________________ 1a The Missing Entrepreneurs 2019, Policies for inclusive entrepreneurship, OECD, https://www.oecd- ilibrary.org/sites/d23b6508- en/index.html?itemId=/content/componen t/d23b6508-en
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 f (new) 1f. Asks the Commission to intensify its efforts to improve the functioning of the single market for transport enterprises, reducing market barriers, streamlining regulation and ensuring that all SMEs can benefit from a fully integrated internal market for transport services.
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion 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 1 g (new) 1g. Calls on the Commission, when designing new EU programmes, to explicitly consider whether the funding can reasonably be used by SMEs;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion 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 58 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 h (new) 1h. Calls on the Commission to ensure that recovery measures benefit all sectors; points out that it would be unjust to give extra support to certain sectors simply because activities are carried out in these sectors that are EU pet projects;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Calls for the systematic application of health and safety measures in the workplace
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the objectives of the 'SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe’ should be fully matched by financial and other resources to enable Member States to promote SME transition towards sustainability and digitisation, which is of particular importance for the least developed countries and regions in the context of cohesion policy
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion 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) as well point 8 of the Commission Statement following the presentation of Commission Directive (EU) 2020/739 on adapting
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Recital A A. whereas micro, small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) in the transport and tourism sectors are being most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak owing to the enforcement of mobility restrictions
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Recital F F. whereas small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the EU economy; whereas SMEs employ around 100 million people and they account for more than half of Europe’s GDP;
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the objectives of the 'SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe’ should
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion 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 and based on regular consultations with the relevant stakeholders in order to provide a coordinated, up-to-date and efficient response in case of future cross-border threats to public health;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the objectives of the
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion 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; stresses the need to ensure the efficient and rapid implementation of health protocols, as well as their adoption by workers in the various occupational sectors, in particular through on-the-job training;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the objectives of the 'SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe’
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion 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; encourages Member States to raise awareness of Occupational Safety and Health and to take all necessary actions to ensure the safety and health of workers, including through strengthening inspections, where and when necessary;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the objectives of the 'SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe’ should be fully matched by financial and other resources to enable Member States to promote SME transition towards sustainability and digitisation, which is of particular importance for the least developed countries and regions in the context of
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion 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 64 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the objectives of the 'SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe’ should be fully matched by financial and other resources
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Calls for the systematic application of health and safety measures in the
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the objectives of the 'SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe’ should be fully matched by financial and other resources to enable Member States to promote SME transition towards sustainability and digitisation allowing their competitiveness within the framework of the European Green Deal, which is of particular importance for the least developed countries and regions in the context of cohesion policy; stresses that such objectives cannot be contradictory and must, on the contrary, accompany measures to safeguard employment with rights and improve working conditions in the various sectors of activity;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion 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; considers also that SMEs employing seasonal and cross-border workers deserve special protection;
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the objectives of the 'SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe’ should be fully matched by financial and other resources to enable Member States to promote SME transition towards sustainability and digitisation, which is of particular importance for the least developed countries and regions, as well as outermost, insular and remote regions, in the context of cohesion policy; stresses that such objectives cannot be contradictory and must, on the contrary, accompany measures to safeguard employment with rights and improve working conditions in the various sectors of activity;
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion 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 2 a (new) 2a. Points out that the strategy on SMEs should be based on an approach that puts knowledge first since a skilled workforce is essential to make SMEs thrive and enable them to successfully cope not only with the environmental and digital transition, but also with the traditional challenges these enterprises have faced; Is of the opinion that those capabilities many SMEs are still lacking, should be prioritised, such as digital literacy, public procurement literacy and financial education as well as credit and supply chain management skills; deems that chambers of commerce, tourism associations and relevant stakeholders can have a central role in identifying skill shortages at local level; Calls for the development of a specific approach on micro-enterprises skills;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion 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 2 a (new) 2a. Stresses that thousands of SMEs in tourism, are struggling to survive, while many of them are facing insolvency; calls on the Commission and Member States to assess the possibility of enhanced emergency support, by taking all appropriate measures to urgently avoid the bankruptcy of viable SMEs, including, for example, guarantees and cheap loans and arrangements for outstanding debts, such as tax relief, deferral of bank loan repayments and solutions to cover the risks incurred by service providers until tourist and transport flows resume;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Considers th
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Is convinced that the reconversion and thriving of SMEs and start-ups in the fields of sustainable transport and sustainable tourism sectors is not only necessary to comply with the latest climate and environmental objectives of the Union, but also a boost to recovery and resilience in post-COVID times, namely through the creation of numerous permanent quality jobs;
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Considers that the
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Recital A A. whereas micro, small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) in the transport and tourism sectors are being most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak owing to
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Recital G G. whereas SMEs provide two out of three jobs, bring training opportunities across regions and sectors, including for low-skilled workers, and support society’s welfare, including in remote and rural areas;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls on the Commission to prepare an action plan to guarantee the functioning of transport activities in future crises, creating legal certainty for businesses and citizens and avoiding the uncoordinated manner in which transport organisers have been treated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Considers that the reduction of the regulatory burden and the simplification of rules on access to finance for
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Expresses concern regarding the difficulties in accessing EIB funding lines faced by most SMEs, particularly those with limited capitalisation, and calls for conditions of access to be brought into line with the reality confronting SMEs in the Member States;
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Considers that the reduction of the regulatory burden and the simplification of 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 recovery and enhanced job creation;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Highlights the need of programs for SMEs in Transport and Tourism meant to promote re-skilling and up- skilling of employees, intended to facilitate the transition towards a data driven economy and improving EU SMEs competitiveness with regards to digitalization; Points out that, in order to bridge the digital gap, it is necessary to increase the share of graduates in STEM subjects and to address the gap women are facing in this field; welcomes in this regard the European Skills Agenda;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Considers that the reduction of the regulatory burden and the simplification of
Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Considers that the EU's strategy for SMEs should not exhaust incentives for SME participation in 'important projects of common European interest' (IPCEI) and should also promote other ways for SMEs to become involved in relevant projects at local, regional and national levels, furthering economic, social and territorial cohesion in the EU;
Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Considers that the reduction of
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Notes that a failure to prevent a wave of bankruptcies in the tourism sector will put the surviving big companies in a dominant position, leading to higher prices for consumers and lower incomes for the remaining SMEs;
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Considers that the reduction of the regulatory burden and the simplification of 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 recovery; calls in this regard for the reduction of ‘gold plating’ of EU rules in Member States;
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 c (new) 2c. Underlines the high relevance data will play in the future transport market, especially in guaranteeing the uptake of AI technologies in the sector; Calls on the Commission to structure its Mobility Data space taking into consideration the specific needs of EU SMEs, by facilitating data sharing, improving data quality and promoting interoperability of data, therefore boosting innovation in the sector and enhancing their competitiveness globally;
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Considers that the reduction of the regulatory burden and the simplification of 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 recovery; recognises that access to credit and European funding should be made more easily available to small and medium-sized businesses through regional one-stop shops;
Amendment 76 #
2c. Advocates establishing, redirecting and/or strengthening the mission of public bodies, whether at national or EU level, whose purpose it is exclusively to address SME concerns.
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Considers that the reduction of the regulatory burden and the simplification of 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 recovery; therefore calls for the swift implementation of the European patent to promote SMEs’ innovation potential;
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 d (new) 2d. Notes the potential new SME business models hold in creating better and more attractive opportunities for women in the transport sector; Regrets that the gender gap in entrepreneurship and access to finance for micro, small and medium enterprises led by women still persists; Welcomes the European Data Strategy released by the European Commission and asks for an action plan to unleash the full potential of women’s entrepreneurship and boost female employment in tourism and transport SMEs.
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to urgently support businesses, especially SMEs, by reducing unnecessary administrative burdens and by facilitating their access to liquidity; welcomes in this respect the temporary SURE initiative, proposed by the Commission; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that alternative financing options, such as credit unions and private equity investors are available to SMEs; calls for the establishment of capacity building programmes, within the Recovery plan, aimed at helping SMEs, particularly micro SMEs to readjust their businesses to COVID-19 affected markets;
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 d (new) 2d. Advocates designing and implementing financial support policies suited to the needs of SMEs, whether developed within the financial system or at the various levels of public administration at national or EU level; highlights the importance of public banking to support SMEs and to promote development;
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Highlights the importance for SMEs of achieving the transition to digitalisation, as well as of considering the employment opportunities and benefits associated, such as flexible patterns of work organisation, enhanced opportunities for people with disabilities and a better work-life balance; calls on the European Commission to put forward a European Teleworking Agenda with a view to developing a legislative framework laying down clear minimum standards and conditions for remote work across the EU, while supporting European SMEs’ productivity and competitiveness;
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 e (new) 2e. Highlights the need to design and implement measures to promote training for leaders and executives and provide management, organisational, technological and commercial support, designed specifically for the needs of microenterprises and, to a lesser extent, small businesses;
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion 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 8 #
Draft opinion Recital A A. whereas micro, small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) in the transport and tourism sectors are being most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak owing to the enforcement of mobility restrictions and health protocols concerning hospitality establishments;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Recital H H. whereas complex administrative and legal procedures constitute a significant obstacle for SMEs in making their business more resource-efficient;
Amendment 80 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 e (new) 2e. Takes note of the potential transport SMEs present in decarbonizing the sector, contributing to the EU’s 2050 net zero goal; Stresses the need for EU programs intended to support through advising and financing transport SMEs with business models that promote the Green Deal objectives.
Amendment 80 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Notes the vital role that SMEs and social impact investment can have in creating access and opportunity for people with disabilities or vulnerable minorities to the labour market, and calls for enhanced support for those companies that both offer social employment and that foster social impact in their communities through the provision of social services or goods or the creation of social value chains;
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 f (new) 2f. Sees the need to strengthen policies and practices which effectively facilitate EU funding for SMEs, particularly micro- and small businesses, given their real economic clout and their structural weaknesses, taking into consideration, whenever possible, existing sectoral and national specificities;
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Welcomes that the Commission’s SME strategy addresses the simplification work as one of three cornerstones for the EU's work with SMEs; considers the reduction of red tape as an important prerequisite for the ability of the economy to recover, innovate and to transition to, among others, climate-smart production, as well as a prerequisite for EU companies' competitiveness;
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 g (new) 2g. Considers that EU strategy for SMEs should, at all times, take full account of their national specificities, thereby ensuring due regard for the broad national autonomy of Member States in a general Community framework;
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls for abolishment of rules and for giving priority to an effective resumption of economic activities, and insists that it is essential to place the SMEs at the core of the ‘after crisis’ single market; proposes that a single market consistency plan be put forward with a strong focus on making market access and access to finance for SMEs easier;
Amendment 83 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 h (new) 2h. Advocates the need for effective measures to protect SMEs from the immense, and at times staggering, bargaining, financial and even political power held by large companies and the economic groups to which they belong, in the context of the economic relations established between both corporate groups; emphasises that such relations are formed either as suppliers of the former as opposed to the latter or as customers of the former as opposed to the latter (dominant sphere of companies operating as natural monopolies or oligopolies, such as those in the energy, banking and insurance, communications, telecommunications and other sectors);
Amendment 83 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Stresses the need for further simplification of the rules of access to the Single market for SMEs and self- employed persons, as well as the further promotion of labour mobility, under simple rules, accessible to SMEs, though avoiding any form of abuse of workers’ rights and worsening working conditions;
Amendment 84 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 Amendment 84 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Expresses its concern over the Commission’s new proposal for harmonised standards and their increased involvement in the voluntary system for producing technical standards; emphasises that this restricts the ability of the European legislative framework to adapt to technological advances entering the market which in turn undermines Europe’s ability to impact the technical content in international standards and, as a result, the competitiveness of the European industry and SMEs;
Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Believes that the digitalisation provides an abundance of opportunities for SMEs and can significantly improve their productivity, business management and resilience; considers that an ambitious timetable is needed to harmonise digital aspects of the single market and foster e-Government solutions; calls for standardisation and digitalisation of procedures and forms which will help SMEs in the long-term;
Amendment 86 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recognises that a number of
Amendment 86 #
Draft opinion 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 3 3. Recognises that a number of states and cities are able to prohibit or closely regulate the activity of so-called digital platforms; underlines the urgent need for regulation of these platforms on a broader basis, through the harmonisation of European legislation, to prevent unfair competition and ensure respect for workers' rights and user safety throughout the EU; underlines at the same time the need for specific measures to modernise taxi services.
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion 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 88 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recognises that a number of states and cities are able to prohibit or closely regulate the activity of so-called digital platforms and stresses the need to protect European SMEs more effectively; underlines the
Amendment 88 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6.
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Highlights the efforts of some European cities to deal with the negative impact of short-term rentals in the context of the right to housing and eagerly anticipates the findings of the current study being undertaken by the European Commission, in the hope of reconciling business activity with the public interest, particularly in the case of SMEs;
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Recital A A. whereas micro, small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups in the transport and tourism sectors are being most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak owing to the enforcement of mobility restrictions;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Recital I Amendment 90 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Welcomes the opening of the public consultations of the Digital Services Act package by the European Commission. The package is due to increase and clarify rules for liability of online platforms and provide greater regulatory oversight over their activities.
Amendment 90 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the EU to support the digital and green transitions in a coherent and flexible manner 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 new occupations and sectors
Amendment 91 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Recommends immediate and substantial support for European SMEs in order to meet the next financial planning challenges;
Amendment 91 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the EU to support the digital and green transitions by investing in
Amendment 92 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Recognises the importance of strong commitment to the "Think Small First” principle; full application of the SME Test in the impact assessments that will or might have effects on SMEs is needed; the final outcome of the legislative process should be covered by evidence-based impact assessments. Encourages EU member states and other EU institutions to apply the SME Tests in all policy-making process.
Amendment 92 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the EU to support the
Amendment 93 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Stresses the need to monitor the European transport sector, ensuring that public funding is used to support all struggling companies without distorting competition;
Amendment 93 #
Draft opinion 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
Amendment 94 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Recognises the need to ensure a good representation of SMEs in the public consultation process in order to make sure that their views are properly and adequately collected, analysed and represented in the impact assessments;
Amendment 94 #
Draft opinion 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 new
Amendment 95 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 d (new) Amendment 95 #
Draft opinion 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,
Amendment 96 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 e (new) 3e. Calls for improving the effectiveness of tools intended to help SMEs deal with unfair or discriminatory rules and decisions in another EU country and increasing the awareness of businesses on the availability of such problem-solving mechanisms; awareness- raising in particular must be increased substantially, as in some EU countries surveys show that only 15% of businesses are aware of SOLVIT, and far less have decided to use it.
Amendment 96 #
Draft opinion 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 new occupations and sectors that will emerge from the transition to a sustainable
Amendment 97 #
Draft opinion 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 new occupations and sectors that will emerge from the transition to a sustainable, c
Amendment 98 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the EU to support the digital and green transitions by investing in human - centric and dignity-based artificial intelligence and in reskilling and upskilling initiatives to foster digital literacy, the uptake of advanced digital skills and the new skills for new 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, 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
Amendment 99 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the EU to support the
source: 657.173
2020/09/07
INTA
75 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph -1 (new) -1. whereas the World Investment Record 2020 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) projected that FDI would continue to decrease between5%and 10% in 2021, with a new increase in 2022 because of global supply chain restructuring and to a possible improvement of global economy;
Amendment 10 #
1 a. Welcomes the new SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe, especially its focus on the EU’s twin transitions to a sustainable and digital economy as well as on reducing regulatory burden for SMEs and improving their market access and access to financing; believes that focusing on digital and innovative solutions will increase Europe’s global competitiveness as a whole;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Asks for a consistent European Strategy for SMEs, in line with the Green Deal, to transform our economies and strengthen its resilience through the pooling of strategic investments to support SMEs, and to speedily support SMEs by all means in order to mitigate the impact of the COVID crisis on workers, consumers and families;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Recalls that European SMEs need an open trade policy to recover from the coronavirus crisis; welcomes the European Union trade policy review as key framework to respond the challenges faced by SMEs in international trade, particularly with ;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Whereas SMEs represent 99 % of all businesses in the EU, and in the past five years SMEs have created around 85 % of new jobs and provided two-thirds of the total private sector employment in the EU;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Stresses that a stronger participation by SMEs in global markets creates opportunities and enhance productivity, by accelerating innovation, facilitating spill-overs of technology and know-how.
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Reiterates its strong support for the goal outlined in the Commission’s Green Deal regarding the introduction of a Carbon Border Adjustment (CBA) mechanism; calls on the Commission to bring this reform forward as part of the Commission Work Program for 2021; underlines that the CBA mechanism shall be a corner stone to achieve European carbon neutrality by 2050 and that, in order to actively integrate SMEs, it must foresee measures specifically designed to cater to SME needs;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Reminds that engaging in international markets can be expensive and unaffordable for most of the European SMEs without appropriate tools and support. Asks the Commission to facilitate SMEs access to finance for new investment, information, skills and technology, helping to increase their international competitiveness and their ability to face trade costs not only through free trade agreements but also through effective and operative desk in our trade partners;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Welcomes the European Union trade policy review responding to the new global challenges and taking into account the lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis; emphasizes that it must recognise the challenges faced by SMEs in international trade;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Whereas for the European Union, the average contribution to the economy by SMEs is around 56 percent;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph -1 a (new) -1 a. whereas following the2008 global financial crisis, cross-border investment flows in productive assets stopped expanding, along with slow growth in trade and a slowdown in global value chains; whereas in the current context, anti–COVID containment measures and the prospects of a COVID–induced global recession are leading companies to reassess and delay new investment projects, to which restrictive measures on investment adopted by governments during the crisis are to be added to these eventualities;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 d (new) 1 d. Whereas the COVID-19 virus and following lockdowns has caused profound disruptions to global supply chains and trade;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 e (new) 1 e. Whereas trade and investment barriers, administrative costs and bureaucracy affect SMEs disproportionally due to their size and limited resources to overcome them, SMEs benefit more from rule-based trade opening than large companies;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 f (new) 1 f. Whereas the purpose of the Small Business Act for Europe (SBA) and the Think Small First principle is to increase competitiveness and support entrepreneurship;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 g (new) 1 g. Whereas only 9 % of EU SMEs protect their intellectual property rights (IPR), partly due to differing national legislation within the EU;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 h (new) 1 h. Whereas already before COVID- 19, European competitiveness was lagging behind other developed economies, threatening Europe’s potential to generate wealth and prosperity;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 i (new) 1 i. Stresses that SMEs need clear, consistent and predictable legislation in order to grow and create jobs;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Encourages the Commission to fully support SMEs in overcoming all barriers that prevent their access to third- country markets; calls on the Commission to reduce administrative and regulatory burden for SMEs and facilitate surpassing of red tape; calls on the Commission to support SMEs focusing on green technologies and innovations that are already exporting goods and services to third countries and thereby, foster conditions for level playing field; requests the inclusion of an SME chapter in every trade agreement; underlines the need for the effective enforcement of trade agreements as a priority task of the Chief Trade Enforcement Officer; clear and strong efforts should be made in order to re-start International cooperation and revive a functioning multilateral dispute settlement system.
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Encourages the Commission to fully support SMEs in overcoming all barriers that prevent their access to third- country markets; requests the inclusion of an SME chapter in every trade agreement as done in the EU-Japan agreement and the modernised Agreement with Mexico, and that they should be included when revising existing FTAs; underlines the need for the effective enforcement of trade agreements, especially for SMEs, as a priority task of the Chief Trade Enforcement Officer;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Encourages the Commission to fully support SMEs in overcoming all tariff and non-tariff barriers that prevent their access to third-
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph -1 b (new) -1 b. Calls on the Member States to properly implement the Directive 2011/7/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 on combating late payment in commercial transactions (Late Payments Directive) to all SMEs, since they are among the most affected by the COVID–19 crisis; calls on the Commission to properly monitor the implementation of the Late Payments Directive and to impose penalties on those Member States that fail to comply with this Directive;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 32 #
2 a. In this regard, reminds the Commission that all SMEs chapters in Trade agreements should tackle the most common obstacles for European micro and SMEs such as the limited information about the working of the foreign markets, and in particular difficulties in accessing export distribution channels and in contacting overseas customers; costly product standards and certification procedures, and, in particular, a lack of information about requirements in the foreign country; unfamiliar and burdensome customs and bureaucratic procedures; and poor access to finance and slow payment mechanisms.
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Highlights the significance of the ongoing plurilateral WTO negotiations on e-commerce; calls for a comprehensive and ambitious set of rules, to facilitate the free flow of data across borders while guaranteeing European data protection standards, to address digital trade barriers including data localisation requirements and ensure that businesses, especially SMEs, can compete globally on a level playing field;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2 b. Reminds that SMEs are not always aware of trade preferences in force foreseen by the relevant trade agreements; Calls the Commission to better inform on active trade arrangements and preferences both directly and involving Member States;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to be more active in its support of national and regional export agencies as well as SME business organisations at EU, national and regional level in order to allow SMEs to overcome the information gap and take better advantage of trade agreements; opines, in this respect, that the Commission could set up an SME internationalisation platform to monitor progress; welcomes that the EU Delegations have a crucial role in providing support to SMEs by addressing queries and practical difficulties of SMEs linked to the implementation of FTAs;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to be more active in its support of national and regional export agencies in order to allow SMEs to overcome the information gap and take better advantage of trade agreements; opines, in this respect, that the Commission could set up an SME internationalisation platform to monitor progress; notes that this platform could include circular economy proofing, whereby Commission could clearly indicate whether imported products into the EU satisfy EUs recyclability standards;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to be more active in its support of national and regional export agencies in order to allow SMEs to overcome the information gap and take better advantage of trade agreements; opines, in this respect, that the Commission could set up an SME internationalisation platform to monitor progress; recalls that the EU Delegations also have a crucial role in providing support by addressing queries and practical difficulties of SMEs linked to the implementation of FTAs;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to be more active in its support of national and regional export agencies in order to allow SMEs to overcome the information gap and take better advantage of trade agreements; opines, in this respect, that the Commission could set up an SME internationalisation platform to monitor progress and to facilitate the role of trade fairs and exhibitions as an effective tool to help SME access in global markets;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to be more active in its support of national and regional export agencies in order to allow SMEs to overcome the information gap and take better advantage of trade agreements; opines, in this respect, that the Commission
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls that small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the EU economy; underlines that the proper functioning of the internal market and the creation of a capital market union remains an absolute priority for SMEs; highlights that due regard should be given to the innovation cycle and market deployment of newly available technologies; stresses that the wellbeing of EU single market depends on the ability of EU SMEs to adapt to the impending revolution in information technologies; recognizes the role of micro enterprises and startups in the process of deployment of new and disruptive technologies of tomorrow. Therefore, sufficient support must be given to them; recognizes the importance of maintaining strong and predictable intellectual property rights framework;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3 a. Calls for specific programmes to be financed at EU and national scales to enhance SME access to training and mentoring; underlines that climate- related technology transfer should be further encouraged in bilateral trade and investment agreements by flanking measures which encourage the involvement of SMEs and global supply chain intermediaries in the development o f knowledge acquisition; adds that particular attention should be given to promote female entrepreneurship;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Calls on the Commission to take
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Calls on the Commission to take greater account of the role of SMEs when it comes to negotiating public procurement chapters in trade agreements; welcomes the announcement from the Commission that it will launch a new information portal on customs procedures and formalities; calls on the Commission to deliver on its objective of launching a self-assessment tool for rules of origin to help SMEs assess whether a product benefits from preferences under a given trade agreement; reiterates the importance of clear rules on cross border data flows in achieving EUs digital strategy objectives; reiterates that SMEs will play a pivotal role in scaling up data driven technologies and businesses; underlines the need to promote interoperability and access to data internationally in order optimize various processes in international trade;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Calls on the Commission to
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 bis. Urges the European Commission to propose an ambitious, effective and binding European legal framework, based on due diligence, to ensure sustainable supply chains in the EU market and thus defend sustainable European SMEs ;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Recalls that access to financing is essential for SMEs considering the greater difficulties of access to finance in some Member States; calls on the Commission to address this financial access gap and ensure that SMEs compete on a level playing field; asks the European Investment Bank to pay particular attention to SMEs when defining its policies; draws particular attention to SMEs, which need funding
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Recalls that access to financing is essential for SMEs; asks the European Investment Bank to pay particular attention to SMEs when defining its policies
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Recalls that access to financing is essential for SMEs; asks the European Investment Bank to pay particular attention to SMEs when defining its policies; draws particular attention to SMEs, which need funding and technical assistance to comply with the Green Deal and digitalisation objectives in order to remain competitive; recalls that this also includes making progress on investment facilitation agreement, e-commerce directive and continued work on multilateral services agreement;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Recalls that access to financing is essential for SMEs; asks the European Investment Bank to pay particular attention to SMEs when defining its policies;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls that small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the EU economy; underlines that the proper functioning of the internal market and the creation of a capital market union remains an absolute priority for SMEs; Notes that only a small percentage of firms who export goods outside the EU are SMEs, and that global markets are an important source of potential for SMEs to increase competitiveness, economic growth and innovation; Notes that frictionless trade and freedom of movement of the EU’s Single Market provides SME’s with the necessary scale and experience to export beyond the borders of the EU and to access further desirable markets.
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5 a. Calls on the Commission to rethink and rewrite its SME Strategy presented on 10 March 2020. The strategy has to be updated to reflect the financing needs of SMEs during the pandemic in order to save businesses and jobs. The survival and recovery of SMEs, family businesses and self-employed persons means the survival of the European economy; they are the key for the Union to get back on its feet as quickly as possible after the COVID-19 pandemic is gone;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5 a. Reminds the importance played by the the rise of global value chains(GVCs) and the digital transformation, offering new opportunities for SMEs to integrate into the global economy. Calls on the Commission to continue its work on GVCs focusing on tools to help European SMEs to specialise in specific segments of production and improve their export basket.
Amendment 52 #
6. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the EU’s safeguard and trade defence instruments in order to better protect European industry, in particular when it affects sectors with a majority of SMEs
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission to
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the EU’s safeguard and trade defence instruments in order to better protect European industry, in particular when it affects sectors with a majority of SMEs
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the EU’s safeguard and trade defence instruments in order to better protect European industry, in particular when it affects sectors with a majority of SMEs; calls on the EU to adequately examine interest of security and public order regarding incoming FDI and acquisitions and flank them with a pan- European screening coordination mechan ism, especially regarding strategic sectors such as health, food or technologies.
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the EU’s safeguard and trade defence instruments in order to better protect European industry, in particular when it affects sectors with a majority of SMEs. Asks, in this regard, that the Commission foresees a more immediate and direct mechanism for SMEs to lodge their complaints in case of unfair trade practices.
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the EU’s
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 – subparagraph 1 (new) Stresses that the EU is experiencing an economic and social shock resulting in rapidly rising unemployment rates as well as sinking of the EU GDP in the second quarter of2020 by 12.1%; reminds that different regions in the EU are more adversely impacted than others; stresses the need for strong social safeguards and social inclusion in the SME strategy in order to balance this stark reality; recalls that this crisis is also an unprecedented opportunity to shift our priorities towards a more social and sustainable modus operandi; underlines that eliminating tax competition within the EU would significantly contribute towards social stability in the EU and could also contribute towards upskilling and reskilling of workers;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6 a. Calls on the Commission to continue its efforts to support MSMEs, with specific focus on, and measures for women-led MSMEs; calls on the EU and its Member States to pay particular attention to the special circumstances of women-led MSMEs when establishing export help-desks, to take advantage of the possibilities created by FTAs and to strengthen services, technologies and infrastructures (such as access to internet) that are of particular importance to the economic empowerment of women and women-led MSMEs; calls on the Commission to help set up partnerships between female entrepreneurs in the EU and their counterparts in developing countries.
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6 a. Applauds the Commission for having taken the Decision (EU) 2020/1101 of 23 July 2020 in order to extend the validity period on relief from import duties and VAT exemption on importation granted for goods needed to combat the effects of the COVID–19 outbreak during 2020, a decision that takes burdens out of European SMEs;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6 bis. Stresses that European SMEs have been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic; underlines its strong dependence on supplies; calls for long- term measures to strengthen a more integrated, local and robust European industrial sovereignty in order to avoid disruptions in supply chains;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6 a. Calls for a particular focus on SMEs in the current EU trade policy review in order to create better opportunities for SMEs; asks the Commission to make the "Think Small First" principle a vocal point of European trade policy to spur growth and development of SMEs;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6 a. Calls for the Commission to speed up investigations in sectors where SMEs are preeminent.
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6 b. Reiterates its call on the Commission to monitor the effects of its trade policy on SMEs, for example by ensuring a good representation of SMEs in the public consultation process in order to make sure that their views are properly and adequately collected, analysed and represented in the impact assessments;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6 b. Urges the Commission and the Member States to champion the digital transformation of SMEs, by modernising regulatory frameworks and strengthening capacity of SMEs to participate in the digital economy; urges the Commission and the Member States to develop capacity-building initiatives for exporting SMEs;
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6 ter. Promote and support local purchasing programs to support our SMEs ;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 c (new) 6 c. Calls on the Commission, Member States and local governments to make business climate and competitiveness paramount priorities on their political agendas, and foster an entrepreneurial culture throughout the single market, where innovation, problem solving, risk taking, job creation and contributing to the prosperity of the EU is rewarded;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 c (new) 6 c. Encourages uptake and investment in new technologies, skills and innovation and support existing SMEs to take advantage of the benefits of the digital transformation, and promote the development of smart transport modes and tourism destinations;
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 c (new) 6 quater. Calls for preferential access for European SMEs to European public procurement ;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls that Europe's 25 million small and medium-
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 d (new) 6 d. Welcomes the Commission’s commitment to introduce a "one in - one out" principle when creating new laws as a first step to stem the tide of new regulation and cut red tape, but reminds that it merely maintains status quo, which is not a sufficient ambition; calls also for more clarity on how the Commission intends integrate this principle in terms of trade policy;
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 d (new) 6 d. Is of the opinion that the Union should show leadership in addressing constraints and challenges when it comes to internationalisation by advocating for simplified rules oforigin, dedicated chapters for SMEs in its free trade agreements (FTAs) with third countries and pushing for an inclusive and ambitious SME agenda at the WTO;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 e (new) 6 e. Calls on the Commission to enable micro- and small-sized enterprises to develop a stronger position in global supply chains with an increase on the information available to SMEs on new opportunities and the possible linkages and partnerships with larger businesses; recommends the European External Action Service that the Delegations of the Union in third countries should establish strategic dialogue platforms with business networks;
Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 e (new) 6 e. Calls on the Commission to present a roadmap towards achieving a reduction of at least 30 % of outdated rules and regulations affecting SMEs, in order to decrease administrative burdens and cost pressure, promote competitiveness and make a real impact for SMEs to grow and prosper within the EU;
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 f (new) 6 f. Stresses the importance of IPR strategies for SMEs in order for them to protect their R&D investments and collect growth capital; calls therefore for a reinforcement of cross-border cooperation on IPR, for example through a wide territorial application of the new Unitary Patent (UP)/ Unitary Patent Court (UPC) framework throughout the EU, which could increase legal certainty and lower cost for SMEs to ensure IPR and operate on a European level;
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 f (new) 6 f. Urges the Commission and the Member States to champion the digital transformation of transport and tourism, by modernising regulatory frameworks and strengthening capacity of SMEs to participate in the digital economy; urges the Commission and the Member States to develop capacity-building initiatives such as travel-tech incubators, accelerators, mentoring opportunities and other non- tech initiatives;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls that small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the EU economy depending around 13 million employees on SMEs exports; underlines that the proper functioning of the internal market and the creation of a capital market union, remains an absolute priority for SMEs;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Regrets the serious impact of the COVID19 pandemic and necessary health measures implemented to suppress the spread, including the lockdown of economies, on global trade with both imports and exports of the EU being reduced and value chains interrupted or halted as a result; Notes that further disruption will be experienced by European businesses due the United Kingdom leaving the European Union and the Commission must therefore ensure that trade flows and sustained value chains, including trading routes for freight traffic across the EU, remain open to allow free access to sales markets maintain integrity of the single market.
source: 657.238
2020/09/08
ITRE
326 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 1 a (new) - having regard to Article 3(3) TEU which refers to internal market, sustainable development and social market economy,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 c (new) - having regard to the Commission communication of 19 February 2020 entitled ‘Shaping Europe’s digital future’ (COM(2020)0067),
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Believes that the"green transformation" presents significant business opportunities for SMEs, but they face size and resources-related constraints that hinder them to fully seize these opportunities; calls on the Commission and the Member States to provide tailored support to SMEs and legislation reflecting their needs and challenges while also providing clear information and awareness on the advantages brought about green choices, practices and business models;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Calls on the Commission to guarantee full balance between the representation of large and small companies in all relevant bodies and committees associated with EU policymaking, starting with the Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB); considers the presence of only one SME representative in the RSB for the entire SME sector as insufficient in view of the great variety of SMEs in Europe;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Welcomes the Commission’s commitment to introduce a “one in - one out” principle as a first step to stem the tide of new regulation, but reminds that it merely maintains status quo, which is not a sufficient ambition;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 b (new) Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Considers that the objectives of the EU in the area of sustainability and digitisation should be fully matched by financial and other resources to enable Member States to promote SME transition within this area, this being of particular importance for the least developed countries and regions in the context of cohesion policy; stresses that such objectives cannot be contradictory and must, on the contrary, accompany measures to safeguard employment with rights and improve working conditions in the various sectors of activity;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 c (new) 1 c. Considers it highly important for the Commission to focus on strengthening the Single Market in view of facilitating SMEs’ access to the market, operating across borders, diversifying and strengthening short and sustainable supply chains; asks the Commission to use strong enforcement action to ensure that the Single Market benefits all businesses and consumers; calls in this regard for particular attention to be given by the Commission to fighting unfair market practices and better protection of SMEs;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 c (new) 1 c. acknowledges that while many SMEs are willing to invest in energy- efficient, circular and environmentally friendly processes there are significant barriers, in particular financial, preventing them to do so; calls on the Commission and the Member States to remove such barriers by providing the right regulatory framework, technical and financial support schemes for successfully and swiftly taking up green practices, processes and services;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 d (new) 1 d. 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 user-friendly digital access to information, procedures, assistance and services linked to doing business across borders, including advice on public procurement and funding sources;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 d (new) 1d. Expresses concern regarding the difficulties in accessing EIB funding lines faced by most SMEs, particularly those with limited capitalisation, and calls for conditions of access to be brought into line with the reality confronting SMEs in the Member States;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 e (new) 1e. Considers that the EU's strategy for SMEs should not exhaust incentives for SME participation in 'important projects of common European interest' (IPCEI) and should also value and promote other ways for SMEs to become involved in relevant projects at local, regional and national levels, furthering economic, social and territorial cohesion in the EU;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 c (new) - having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal(COM(2019)0640),
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 e (new) 1 e. Insists that sustainability should remain at the core of EU policies and programmes and that measures should be put in place to allow all SMEs to take full advantage of the green transition
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 f (new) 1 f. Reiterates its call on the Commission to tackle the major barriers for SMEs to put sustainable circular products and services on the EU market; asks for the adoption of measures to increase consumer awareness and strengthen transparency throughout the supply chain about the environmental and social footprint of products and services, and to boost public and private demand for environmentally sustainable products and services; calls for improved access for SMEs to environmental sustainability related funding; calls for the promotion of open and collaborative networks, matching services and exchange of best practice, price incentives and the development of green transition and circular metrics and indicators;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that SMEs will improve their access to
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that SMEs will improve their access to global markets only if supported by a structured and predictable e
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that SMEs will improve their competitiveness and their access to global markets only if supported by a structured and predictable ecosystem both at the local level and internationally; recalls in this regard the role of chambers of commerce operating at the local level and abroad;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that SMEs will improve their access to global markets only if supported by a structured and predictable ecosystem that goes from local to global, taking into account the opinions of their regions; recalls in this regard the role of chambers of commerce abroad; recalls that smaller and micro-enterprises risk exclusion from global markets in the absence of adequate support;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that SMEs will improve their access to global markets only if supported by a structured and predictable
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that SMEs will improve their access to global markets only if supported by a structured and predictable ecosystem; recalls in this regard the role of chambers of commerce and similar institutions abroad; recalls that smaller and micro-enterprises risk exclusion from global markets in the absence of adequate support;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that SMEs will improve their access to global markets only if supported by a structured and predictable ecosystem; recalls in this regard the role of SME organisations and chambers of commerce abroad; recalls that smaller and micro-enterprises risk exclusion from global markets in the absence of adequate support;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 d (new) - having regard to the Commission proposal for a Regulation of 4 March 2020 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1999(European Climate Law) (COM(2020) 80 final, 2020/0036(COD)),
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Points out that the strategy on SMEs should be based on an approach that puts knowledge first since a skilled workforce is essential to make SMEs thrive and enable them to successfully cope not only with the environmental and digital transitions, but also with the traditional challenges these enterprises have faced; is of the opinion that those capabilities many SMEs are still lacking, should be prioritised, such as digital literacy, public procurement literacy and financial education as well as credit and supply chain management skills; deems that the chambers of commerce can have a central role in identifying the skills shortage at local level; calls for the development of a specific approach on micro-enterprises skills;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Welcomes the achievements of the application of the Better Regulation principles so far; notes that further progress needs to be fulfilled, in particular in the realm of simplification and standardisation of forms and procedures, with the consistent implementation of the “once only” and “digital by default” principles, both at EU and Member State levels; underlines that the results of the SME Test reported in the impact assessment of future proposals should clearly demonstrate how the simplification would be attained in line with the “one in, one out” principle or, where possible, simplify even further (one in, two out);
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Stresses the need for all available knowledge to foster innovation, development and entrepreneurship. Encourages the incorporation of regional development agencies in the planning and execution of the new SME strategy to take advantage of their proximity, knowledge and experience in supporting this productive fabric. Considers intelligent specialisation as a key agent to promote cooperation between SMEs to create synergies in the innovation process. Highlights the importance of having efficient mechanisms for the exchange of good practices in this area.
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Emphasises that with global and even more concerning, European supply chains currently interrupted by restrictive measures on trade, it is increasingly important to ensure that European industry and SMEs can source inputs from a diverse range of third countries; by harmonising the technical content of European and international standards, regrets that this is currently being hamstrung by a bureaucratic approach by the Commission;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Regrets that because of central bank monetary measures and the regulatory framework, the size of companies, far more than creditworthiness, now dictates acces to credit; suggests action is warrented to stop this diverging access to credit; stresses that regarding the banking sector, there is a need for streamlined customer due diligence requirements so that SMEs can more easiliy access bank credit;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Stresses the importance of increasing SMEs awareness of the single market, its rules and tools, also by simplifying the reference framework and improving communication on tailored opportunities ;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Calls on the Commission to stand up for open and rules-based cross-border trade and improve access to international markets for Europe’s SMEs;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 b (new) 2 b. Underlines that initiatives and programmes such as EIC, EIT, InvestEU and Digital Europe will be crucial in ensuring support to SMEs developing innovative solutions and breakthrough technologies, contributing to achieve EU technological leadership and future growth; Calls on the Member States to ensure the support to innovation opportunities for SMEs and maximise synergies with similar EU programmes in their national innovation strategies; stresses that innovative SMEs specialising in forefront technologies, such as AI, Big Data, VR/AR, sustainable transport, robotics, distributed ledger technologies, digital health, 3D printing, energy storage, innovative food production or recycling, rely on outside revenues to survive, especially in times of recession;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 b (new) 2 b. Calls for strengthening the actions aimed to tackle skills’ mismatches and shortages and to equip SMEs with robust basic, digital and green-related skills for rapidly changing labour markets; underlines the need to support SMEs to enforce their capacities to undertake an efficient transformation and to increase labour skills, also in light of the acceleration induced by the Covid-19 crisis and stresses the role that the Commissions` Skills Agenda can play to this end, in particular promoting investments in further vocational trainings and apprenticeship programmes in SMEs;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 d (new) - having regard to the Commission communication of 11 March 2020 entitled ‘A new Circular Economy Action Plan For a cleaner and more competitive Europe’ (COM(2020)0098),
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 b (new) 2 b. Notes its concern over the Commission’s new proposal for harmonised standards and their increased involvement in the voluntary system for producing technical standards, emphasises that this restricts the ability of the European Legislative Framework to adapt to technological advances entering the market which in turn undermines Europe’s ability to impact the technical content in international standards and, as a result, the competitiveness of European industry and SMEs.
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 b (new) 2 b. Recalls that SMEs usually do not have sufficient financial and human resources to participate on an equal footing with other stakeholders, in particular multinational corporations, in the process of formulating policies and rules affecting them; calls on the Commission and the Member States, therefore, to ensure a greater and more transparent involvement of SMEs in order to ensure an inclusive and effective policy formulation process.
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 c (new) 2 c. Believes that circularity principles must be at the centre of the modernisation of the Union’s economy by prioritising the reduction of its energy and resource needs and the transformation of the whole industrial sectors, its production processes, business models, value chains and ultimately its products and services; Calls on the Commission to set sectoral resource efficiency targets and to implement supporting, monitoring and control measures based on measurable and credible indicators;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the opening of fast-track training programmes in digitalisation through the Digital Europe programme; stresses that training is instrumental to enhancing the skills of SME personnel in areas such as
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the opening of fast-track training programmes in digitalisation through the Digital Europe programme; stresses that training is instrumental to enhancing the skills of SME personnel in areas such as blockchain, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence; calls on the Commission to carry out an ex post evaluation in order to ensure that the programme meets its objectives; agrees with the European Commission that at least one Digital Innovation Hub per Member State[1]should have a high degree of specialisation in artificial intelligence1a; _________________ 1aWHITE PAPER On Artificial Intelligence - A European approach to excellence and trust - COM(2020) 65 final
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the opening of fast-track training programmes in digitalisation through the Digital Europe programme; stresses that training of entrepreneurs and their personnel is instrumental to enhancing the skills of SME personnel in areas such as blockchain, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence; calls on the Commission to carry out an ex post evaluation in order to ensure that the programme meets its objectives and provides training programmes and accompanying measures dedicated to micro, small and medium-size enterprises;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the opening of fast-track training programmes in digitalisation through the Digital Europe programme; stresses that training is instrumental to enhancing the skills of SME personnel in areas such as blockchain, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence; calls on the Commission to carry out an ex post evaluation in order to ensure that the programme meets its objectives and ensures that no Member State or company takes advantage of such digitalisation to undermine citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the opening of fast-track training programmes in digitalisation through the Digital Europe programme; stresses that training is instrumental to enhancing the skills of SME personnel in areas such as blockchain, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence; calls on the Commission to make sure that Digital Europe will support training initiatives for and provide technical assistance to micro enterprises and to carry out an ex post evaluation in order to ensure that the programme meets its objectives;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the opening of fast-track training programmes in digitalisation through the Digital Europe programme; stresses that training is instrumental to enhancing the skills of SME personnel in areas such as blockchain, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence; calls on the Commission to carry out an ex post evaluation in order to ensure that the programme meets its objectives and provides training programs and accompanying measures dedicated to Micro SMEs;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 e (new) Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3 a. Reminds that enhancing managerial skills of both employees and entrepreneurs in small enterprises is a relevant way to improve their innovation capacities; underlines how the adoption of management training programmes together with technical assistance in the use of ICT and new technologies could be an effective combination to improve the ability of smaller companies to benefit from in-house innovation, understand local markets, benchmark their performances, integrate IPR in the overall business strategy and open up SMEs to the new opportunities of the ongoing digital transformation;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3 a. Believes that, in order to make public administration more business friendly, e-government tools, digital innovation policies and the enhancement of digital skills should be promoted within the public sector and among its employees; calls on the Commission to ensure the exchange of national and regional best practices in the field, with specific reference to the public management of economic competitiveness;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3 a. Calls on Member States to ensure SMEs develop the necessary skills for successfully engaging in the green and digital transitions; believes that special attention should be given to enhance workforce’s digital literacy as well as to raise awareness and increase preparedness on the threats associated to ICTS, such as cyberattacks and data breaches.
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3 a. Regrets that the promotion of equality is a factor of competitiveness. Insists that the so-called "glass ceiling" hampers competitiveness by making it difficult, based on gender, for available skills and knowledge to be integrated into the production system.
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 b (new) 3 b. Notes that harmonising intellectual property rights has long been known as an important step in delivering a single market, therefore, calls on the Commission to prioritize the proposed Intellectual Property Action Plan in order to create a single market that also embraces copyrighted goods and patented inventions which will benefit the global competitiveness of innovative SMEs;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Calls for pervasive EU innovation policies and instruments to also support no
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Calls for EU innovation and digital policies and instruments to also support non-digital SMEs, particularly in traditional sectors where digitalisation is not well developed; notes that further action shall maximise access to information and take-up of digital technologies to professionalise business management and further explore use of cloud computing, AI and data analytics tools; deplores that most SMEs do not have access to the data they create; welcomes in this respect the European Data Strategy geared towards creating a genuine market for data, where SMEs will have easy access to and use of data;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Calls for EU innovation policies and instruments to also support non-digital SMEs, particularly in traditional sectors, such as manufacturing, where digitalisation is not well developed; regrets that non-digital SMEs are increasingly excluded by European-level R&I financing programmes;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Calls for EU innovation policies and instruments to also support non-digital SMEs, particularly in traditional sectors where digitalisation is not well developed or is not relevant in the productive and manufacturing processes;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Calls for EU innovation policies and instruments are kept as sector-neutral as possible to also support non-digital SMEs, particularly in traditional sectors where digitalisation is not well developed;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 f (new) - having regard to its resolution of 15 January 2020 on the European Green Deal (2019/2956(RSP))
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Calls for EU innovation policies and dedicated instruments to
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Calls for EU policies and instruments to support innovation and digitalisation of all SMEs; considers it imperative to digitalise the Union’s SMEs including traditional ones; calls on the Commission and the Member States to invest, inter alia, in the data economy, artificial intelligence, smart production, Internet of Things (IoT), quantum computing,
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Recalls the role of vocational
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Recalls the role of vocational training and of lifelong learning, which is essential for promoting the
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Recalls the role of vocational training and life-long learning, which
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Recalls the role of vocational training, which is essential for
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5 a. Regrets that the gender gap in entrepreneurship and access to finance for micro, small and medium enterprises led by women still persists; welcomes the gender-smart financing initiative that the Commission will launch; calls on the Commission to assess the barriers that still hamper from fully unleashing women’s entrepreneurial potential and to enhance the exchange of best practices also when it comes to boosting women's skills and self-confidence in this field; underlines that the use of sex- disaggregated data will help make this assessment more thorough and will improve the overall quality of the decision-making process;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5 a. Insists that this process of connecting skills and training requires a structured, systematic and intense relationship between the education system and the productive system. Encourages the development of these connection strategies and highlights the role that SMEs can play in this process.
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Highlights the need to design and implement measures to promote training for leaders and executives and provide management, organisational, technological and commercial support, designed specifically for the needs of microenterprises and small businesses;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 g (new) - having regard to its resolution of 17 April 2020 on EU coordinated action to combat the COVID-19pandemic and its consequences (2020/2616(RSP))
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Recalls that the SME strategy needs to cover different sizes and types of SMEs, from traditional, social to high- tech end; considers SMEs involved in traditional handicrafts
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Recalls that SMEs involved in traditional handicrafts represent a particularly vulnerable segment of the SME network; acknowledges their economic and social value
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Recalls that SMEs involved in traditional
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Recalls that
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Recalls that SMEs involved in traditional handicrafts represent a particularly vulnerable segment of the SME network; acknowledges their economic and social value, and calls on Member States to ensure
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Recalls that SMEs involved in traditional handicrafts represent a particularly vulnerable segment of the SME network; acknowledges their historical, cultural, economic and social value, and calls on Member States to ensure the sector’s competitiveness;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Recalls that SMEs involved in
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6 a. Encourages the development of a specific digitisation strategy for European SMEs operating in the field of quality food production and processing as a key factor for their operation both in the single and international markets.
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6 a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure the investments needed infraestructure to guarantee broad access in all European regions, in particular in rural areas and the regions covered by the Article 174 of the TFEU;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Regrets that SMEs are increasingly hindered by unfair competition from multinational corporations (MNCs), whose increasing prominence within the internal market has contributed to social dumping and labour deregulation, as well as the insolvency of many SMEs; calls for a rigorous and effective enforcement of competition regulation to ensure that SMEs benefit from the Single Market on a fair basis and harness the opportunity to scale-up;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 h (new) - having regard to its resolution of 23 July 2020 on the conclusions of the extraordinary European Council meeting of 17-21 July 2020 (2020/2732(RSP))
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Regrets that SMEs are increasingly hindered by unfair competition
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7.
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Regrets that SMEs are increasingly hindered by unfair competition from multinational corporations (MNCs), whose increasing prominence within the internal market has contributed to
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Regrets that SMEs are increasingly hindered by unfair competition from multinational corporations (MNCs)
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7 a. Calls to allow European champions to emerge, while creating opportunities for SMEs to profit from such champions, e.g. by involving SMEs in the supply chain; emphasises that with global and European supply chains currently interrupted by restrictive measures on trade, it is increasingly important to ensure that European industry and SMEs can source inputs from a diverse range of third countries, by harmonising the technical content of European and international standards; regrets that this is currently being hamstrung by a bureaucratic approach by the Commission;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Advocates the need for effective measures to protect SMEs from the immense, and at times staggering, bargaining, financial and even political power held by large companies and the economic groups to which they belong, in the context of the economic relations established; stresses that such relationships are highly discriminatory for SMEs, with the dominance of large companies acting within the framework of natural monopolies or oligopolies in areas such as energy, banking and insurance, communications and telecommunications, etc.
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7 a. Welcomes the Commission’s REFIT initiative to see if the SME definition is still fit for purpose; notes that clarity is needed on how entrepreneurs, self-employed workers, start-ups, cooperative businesses and mid-caps that face similar challenges to SMEs are considered;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7 a. Stresses the importance of promoting the social prestige of entrepreneurship and encouraging entrepreneurial culture. Encourages the incorporation of skills and attitudes related to entrepreneurship in the early stages of education.
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7 a. Calls upon Member States to improve their legal systems of enabling to recover businesses in danger of insolvency through mechanisms of a second opportunity.
Amendment 179 #
7 b. Recalls that mid-caps that do not meet the criteria to be classified as SMEs contribute significantly to employment and growth,especially in some Member States, and therefore require an additional and separate mid-cap definition, without prejudice to the definition of and support for SME, in order to ensure that mid-caps with 250 to 499 employees can receive more assistance and be better promoted;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 12 a (new) - having regard to the Commission communication of 27 May 2020 entitled ‘Europe's moment: Repair and Prepare for the Next Generation’ (COM(2020)456),
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 c (new) 7 c. Highlights that the SME strategy should be developed in line with the Industrial Strategy, the Green Deal, the European Data Strategy and the Circular Economy Action Plan;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 d (new) 7 d. Highlights that lighthouse initiatives such as the battery or hydrogen alliances need to entail strong SME components;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 e (new) 7 e. Calls on the Commission for a swift appointment of a high level SME Envoy; calls on the Commission to place the SME Envoy as a central unit under the President of the Commission to allow oversight over SME issues in all Directorates-General; underlines that in order to create a level playing field in cross-border business and avoid unnecessary burden, focus should be put on addressing gold-plating by the SME Envoy and the Regulatory Scrutiny Board;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 f (new) 7 f. Calls on the Commission to expand the Regulatory Scrutiny Board, while ensuring a majority of independent experts, and to increase its own staff in addition to the support it receives by the Joint Research Centre; stresses that scrutiny of the SME dimension in all impact assessments needs to be strengthened including through competent representatives; recalls that during the EU’s legislative processes, focus should be on quality of the impact assessment rather than on speed;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 g (new) 7 g. Calls on the Commission to provide SMEs with a true single-entry point for all enquiries on EU financing opportunities; Ensures that EU support schemes, including addressing the COVID-19 aftermaths, contain a strong SME component;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 h (new) 7 h. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the funding under the European Innovation Council goes primarily to high-risk and high potential SMEs and innovators;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 i (new) 7 i. Calls on the Commission to recognize sector-specific 'first movers' within the scheme of European SMEs in order to ensure that current role models continue to have a motivation to lead the way within innovation, decarbonisation and agile business development, in line with the Union's priorities and 2050 climate target;
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 j (new) 7 j. Highlights that the SME strategy should be developed in line with the Industrial Strategy, the SME strategy, the Green Deal, the European Data Strategy and the Circular Economy Action Plan; calls on the Commission to present and commit to a roadmap, including a timeline for actions and mid-term checkpoints, on the implementation of the SME Strategy;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution Subheading 2 a (new) - Notes that the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the fragility of the European industrial system, and calls for a European response to guarantee support to the fabric of SMEs in the EU; Considers that a European insurance scheme would be instrumental to cover business interruption losses for SMEs; Calls on the European Institutions, Governments, the insurance sector and businesses to devise a framework that would adequately support SMEs in case of future systemic risks.
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Notes that following the WHO’s pandemic alert, trade restrictions and supply chain disruptions have increased; In this sense, calls on the European Commission so that companies supplying medical supplies are not faced with difficulties in the internal market such as those that occurred during the COVID19 crisis.
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 12 b (new) - having regard to the Commission communication of 27 May 2020 entitled ‘Adjusted Commission Work Programme 2020’ (COM(2020)440),
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Notes that following the WHO’s pandemic alert, trade restrictions and supply chain disruptions have increased, demonstrating once again the need for the European Union to gain industrial autonomy and to ensure that strategic value chains, including the manufacturing industry, are located within its borders;
Amendment 191 #
8. Notes that following the WHO’s pandemic alert, trade restrictions and supply chain disruptions have increased; acknowledges the important to prioritise proposals that will benefit SME most efficiently, if we are to realise the full potential of the EU single market even in times of crisis;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Notes that following the WHO’s pandemic alert, trade restrictions and supply chain disruptions have increased; notes that many European companies were forced to stop production due to shortage of raw materials and components from China;
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Notes that following the
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8 a. Is deeply concerned that the tourism and the hospitality industry, which is largely composed of SMEs, has been one of the sectors hit the hardest by the COVID-19 crisis; underlines the importance of continuous swift measures aiming at restoring and retaining the trust among travellers and operators; calls on the Commission to enable the exchange of best practices among Member States and regions to contribute to identifying the way forward for the sector’s recovery;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8 a. Acknowledges the COVID-19 pandemic has substantially changed the landscape in which SMEs are operating; calls for an overhauled strong and strategic SMEs agenda based on this new reality, with a concrete implementation plan of those instruments included in the EU Recovery programme
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Is concerned that following the COVID-19 emergency, inequality between Member States in terms of their ability to support SMEs and of fiscal policy will exacerbate competition disparities within the internal market;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Draws attention to the fact that the instruments used in the EU's response to COVID-19 thus far, which are inaccessible to many SMEs, are slow, insufficient and inadequate; advocates for the EU to take more responsibility in terms of funding and guaranteeing SME solvency, jobs, wages and workers' rights, reducing the harmful effects of excessive indebtedness;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9 a. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal to support the sectors that have been the most hit by the current crisis and asks it to prepare a working plan with real objectives which pays attention to the SME of these sectors so that they can recover their competitiveness in as short a timeframe as possible.
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9 a. Insists on the need for extreme vigilance and control measures to prevent covert protectionist measures that could increase the effect of these inequalities. Calls for special vigilance with regard to standards that prevent SMEs from accessing the market in certain Member States.
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 1 b (new) - having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 12 c (new) - having regard to the findings of the Digital Economy and Society Index 2020, published on the 11th of June 2020,
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Urges Member States to implement the Directive on combating late payment in commercial transactions; recalls that liquidity must be swiftly provided to SMEs, while measures for SME re- capitalisation should also be reinforced; urges the Commission to swiftly equip the Late Payment Directive1a with strong monitoring and enforcement tools and to take appropriate binding measures to reinforce the current framework, so as to ensure that prompt payments are the norm across the Single Market; _________________ 1aDirective 2011/7/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 on combating late payment in commercial transactions
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Urges Member States to implement
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Urges Member States to implement the Directive on combating late payment in commercial transactions and calls on the Commission to assess the need for its revision; recalls that liquidity must be swiftly provided to SMEs, while measures for SME re-
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Urges Member States to implement the Directive on combating late payment in commercial transactions, in particular with regard to public administrations; recalls that liquidity must be swiftly provided to
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Urges Member States who did not made yet to implement the Directive on combating late payment in commercial transactions; recalls that liquidity must be swiftly provided to SMEs, while measures for SME re-
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Welcomes the relaxation of State aid restrictions, but regrets its uneven implementation across the Union; calls on the Commission and the Council to restore a competitive level playing field among Member States; calls for a more flexible approach on State aid rules when they aim at overcoming the geographical disadvantage affecting those SMEs located in the most peripheral territories of the European Union, such as islands, outermost regions as well as mountainous and sparsely populated areas;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Welcomes the relaxation of State aid restrictions, but regrets its uneven implementation across the Union;
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Welcomes the temporary relaxation of State aid restrictions, but regrets its uneven implementation across the Union; calls on the Commission and the Council to restore a competitive level playing field among Member States;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 12 d (new) - having regard to the Commission communication of 1 July 2020 entitled ‘European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience’ (COM(2020)0274),
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Welcomes the relaxation of State aid restrictions, but regrets its uneven implementation across the Union; calls on the Commission and the Council to
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11 a. Notes that SMEs in the transport and tourism sectors are being most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak; underlines the need to relieve these sectors from administrative burdens and cost-driving regulation;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 b (new) 11 b. Recalls the importance to improve the access of SMEs in the culture and creative sector to digital technologies and support programmes as the COVID-19 crisis has shown their crucial role for our economy and social lives;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 c (new) 11 c. Calls on the Commission to analyse carefully the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on SMEs, calls on the Commission to conduct new impact assessments when proposing legislation, especially in the area of the Green Deal, taking into account SME`s concerns resulting from the COVID 19 crisis;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Regrets that no more than 600 000 SMEs are able to export outside the EU; welcomes the new portal created by the Commission to support SMEs through information on administrative procedures and international trade regulations; urges the Commission to ensure multilingual access to this tool; believes that the development of accompanying measures and instruments is essential to helping Micro and SMEs to internationalise; call on the Commission to foresee instruments like its previous "Mission for Growth";
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Regrets that no more than 600 000 SMEs are
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Calls for special support for social SMEs, including social economy enterprises, as already called for in the European Parliament
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Calls for special support for social SMEs, including cooperatives, as already called for in the European Parliament’s position on the COSME programme, since they create public value for the local communities where they are rooted; points out that social innovation should be further encouraged;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Calls for special support
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13 a. Highlights the role that the social economy has in fixing employment to the territory, in promoting entrepreneurship and in the quality of labour relations. Encourages to promote social entrepreneurship and support for initiatives that boost the participation of workers in the capital and the management of SMEs.
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 12 e (new) - having regard to the Annual Report on European SMEs 2018/2019 of November 2019,
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14.
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14.
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Regrets that the Recovery Plan dedicated little focus to SMEs
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Regrets that the Recovery Plan dedicated little focus to SMEs
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Regrets that the Recovery Plan dedicated little focus to SMEs, and calls for measures to ensure access for SMEs; reminds the Council that the post-COVID- 19 survival of SMEs will depend on swift decision-making and the quick availability of liquidity;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14 a. recalls the central role that many SMEs have in industrial ecosystems and European strategic value chains; calls on the Commission and on Member States to ensure SMEs full participation to any industrial policy instrument;
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Advocates establishing, redirecting and/or strengthening the mission of public bodies, whether at national or EU level, whose purpose it is exclusively to address SME concerns;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 b (new) 14b. Sees the need to strengthen policies and practices which effectively facilitate EU funding for SMEs, particularly micro- and small businesses, given their real economic clout and their structural weaknesses, taking into consideration, whenever possible, existing sectoral and national specificities;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 c (new) 14c. Considers that EU strategy for SMEs should, at all times, take full account of their national specificities, thereby ensuring due regard for the broad national autonomy of Member States in a general Community framework;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Urges Member States to acknowledge as top political priorities the protection of employment and SMEs’ production-capacity;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 12 f (new) - having regard to the OECD Report ‘The Missing Entrepreneurs 2019’ of December 2019,
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Urges Member States to acknowledge as top political priorities the protection of employment and SMEs’
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Regrets that numerous SMEs are unable to access EU funding because of
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Regrets that numerous SMEs, including micro-entreprises and startups, are unable to access EU funding because of the excessive complexity of the relevant procedures and eligibility criteria; calls on the Commission to reduce such barriers and to further support tailored incentives for SMEs, including micro-enterprises;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Regrets that numerous micro enterprises and SMEs are unable to access EU funding because of the excessive complexity of the relevant procedures and eligibility criteria; calls on the Commission to reduce such barriers, in particular by simplifying procedures and ensure online access to information;
Amendment 234 #
16. Regrets that numerous Micro and SMEs are unable to access EU funding because of the excessive complexity of the relevant procedures and eligibility criteria; calls on the Commission to reduce such barriers and to provide instruments on the basis of the size of the enterprises;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Regrets that numerous SMEs are unable to access EU funding because of the excessive complexity of the relevant procedures and eligibility criteria; calls on the Commission to reduce such barriers and to provide instruments on the basis of the size of the enterprises;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Regrets that numerous SMEs are unable to access EU funding because of the excessive complexity of the relevant procedures and eligibility criteria; calls on the Commission to re
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Advocates designing and implementing financial support policies suited to the needs of SMEs, whether developed within the financial system or at the various levels of public administration at national or EU level; highlights the importance of public banking to support SMEs and to promote development;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16 a. Recalls that, in order to help startups thrive, it is crucial to ensure “patient capital” enabling them to grow even when the business they are developing is not immediately marketable; welcomes in this regard the role of the European Innovation Council and, in particular the dedicated budget for SMEs in Horizon Europe;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16 a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to use positive public relations incentives, such as environmental awards promoting environmentally friendly behaviours, indoing so raising awareness among business and communities while also helping SMEs to gain recognition for their environmental efforts and performances;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas the Commission’s communication ‘An SME strategy for a sustainable and digital Europe’ was published on 10 March 2020,
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16 a. Calls on the Commission, when designing new EU programmes, to explicitly consider whether the funding can reasonably be used by SMEs;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Urges Member States to guarantee equitable access to bank lending for SMEs; notes the importance of traditional banking models, including small regional banks, savings cooperatives and public bodies; recognises that bank lending is traditionally the main source of external financing for SMEs in the Union, as bank financing accounts for more than three- quarters of SME financing, compared to less than half in the US, which makes SMEs particularly vulnerable to a contraction in bank lending; notes that crises contribute to the fragmentation of bank financing and credit conditions; regrets the gap between credit conditions for SMEs located in different euro area countries; calls on the Member States to work together with the financial sector as regards their obligation to ensure full and fair access to bank loans for SMEs; stresses the important and well-developed role of banks with specific local and regional knowledge in granting loans to SMEs, given their long-term relationships with SMEs; points out that where well- established local banks exist they are effective in granting loans to SMEs and avoiding losses; stresses, therefore, the importance of developing local banks;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Urges Member States to guarantee equitable access to
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Urges Member States to guarantee equitable access to bank lending for SMEs; notes the importance of traditional banking models, including small regional banks, savings cooperatives and public bodies; is of the opinion that the initiatives of the Capital Markets Union can also help SMEs grow through alternative ways of accessing finance, which are not as much developed in the European Union as elsewhere;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Urges Member States to guarantee
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Urges Member States to guarantee equitable access to bank lending for SMEs; notes the importance of traditional banking models, including small regional banks,
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17 a. Calls for the swift adoption and implementation of the European Green Deal initiatives, particularly those which offer the greatest employment and competitiveness opportunities to SMEs; such as the implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan, which maximises benefits for sustainable, local agri-food, textile and construction SMEs, but also provides major business and innovation opportunities for SMEs in response to enhanced eco-design standards or increased durability, reusability, reparability of products, including ‘right to repair’;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 b (new) Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 c (new) 17 c. Calls for using front-running environmentally sustainable SMEs as the standard in their product or service group; calls for stronger promotion of successful examples of environmentally sustainable and eco-businesses1a at European and national level to showcase the economic opportunities associated with sustainable business practices, while providing valuable input for effective policy formulation; _________________ 1a https://www.eea.europa.eu/help/glossary/e ea-glossary/eco-industry
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas the Commission’s communication ‘An SME strategy for a sustainable and digital Europe’ was published on 10 March 2020,
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 d (new) 17 d. Emphasises the need to increase awareness among SME owners and managers, SME associations and support organisations about financing possibilities for more performant technologies, about contracting services (ex. consultancy, coaching and training) related to eco- design and efficient resource usage and management, and about green entrepreneurship and green technologies, products and services; calls on the Member States and the Commission to enhance the provision of SME services in these areas, in particular at the regional and local level, and calls for the increased dedication of European Structural Funds and the JTF to these objectives;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 e (new) 17 e. Asks the Commission to evaluate the potential creation of ‘Green Hubs’, as an equivalent to the Digital Hubs, providing concerted information, advice, assistance and training as regards sustainable business transformation adapted to the needs of different types of SMEs, environmentally sustainable entrepreneurship and business models, including the shortening and greening of value chains, eco-innovation, access to funding and markets for environmentally sustainable SMEs as well as the exchange of best practices, linking of various actors and potential business partners, including from a circular economy perspective; emphasises that such hubs would need to be closely linked with existing networks and structures, such as the EEN or European Resource Efficiency Knowledge Centre, in order to avoid any overlaps;
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 f (new) 17 f. Welcomes the Commission's proposal for Sustainability Advisors; calls for the swift adoption of such proposal, based on an open transparent selection process following an open call for interest as well as sketching out his/her portfolio with clear roadmap, timeline, objectives and milestones;
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 g (new) 17 g. Calls on the Commission to develop and promote an SME toolbox for sustainable company policies, including corporate social and environmental responsibility, sustainable accounting and reporting, and tools for implementing low-waste and circular production models, sustainable supply chains and energy audits;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 h (new) Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Calls for increasing SMEs’ share, in particular micro-enterprises' share, of government contracts obtained from public procurement by
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Calls for increasing SMEs’ share of government contracts obtained from public procurement by safeguarding SMEs’ access and combating tendering criteria that set demands or qualifications beyond the fundamental elements of the service or goods purchased; calls to reserve a share of public procurement for SMEs, where possible, in order to increase SME`s overall share in public procurement; calls for the possibility for public policy makers to use local SMEs to a certain extent;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. C
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Calls for increasing SMEs’ share of government contracts obtained from public procurement by safeguarding SMEs’ access, including through the division of larger contracts into smaller lots, and combating tendering criteria that set demands or qualifications beyond the fundamental elements of the service or goods purchased;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Calls for increasing SMEs’
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) A a. whereas European competitiveness is lagging behind other developed economies, threatening Europe’s potential to generate wealth and prosperity,
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Calls for increasing SMEs’ share, in particularly Micro, of government contracts obtained from public procurement by safeguarding SMEs’ access and combating tendering criteria that set demands or qualifications beyond the fundamental elements of the service or goods purchased;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18 a. Highlight the central role of public procurement in influencing the environmental behaviours of the industry, including SMEs by exerting supply chain pressure towards high environmental standards; calls therefore on the Member States to fully exploit the green public procurement policies, and to tailor them also for SMEs participation, which can play a significant role in creating demand for green products and services by requiring, for example, that products contain a minimum amount of recycled content or achieve specified levels of energy and resource efficiency;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18 a. Calls on the Commission to promote the continued and constant competitiveness of small and medium- sized enterprises by stimulating innovation and facilitating their participation in innovation procurements and pre-commercial procurements, which are generally accessible only to large industrial groups; calls on the European institutions to introduce a criterion for the applicability of existing and future European legislation to the economic dimension of SMEs with a view to regulatory simplification in relation to their field of action;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18 a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to simplify public procurement processes by using the flexibility of the EU’s new procurement framework; supports the Commission's call on Member States and contracting authorities to divide large public procurement contracts into smaller lots in view of facilitating SME participation, thereby contributing to the shortening and diversification of supply chains; calls for more guidance to public authorities and to SMEs on existing flexibilities and adaptation of public procurement rules to this end;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18 a. Underlines the importance to work in partnership with national administrators to create a European public procurement market which is based on moderate-sized tenders that allow SMEs to participate in the procurement process and where real and fair competition between market actors can take place; highlights the need to make the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) more accessible to SMEs;
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18 a. Stresses the need to strengthen tools to protect SMEs when third countries adopt illegal measures having a negative impact on EU businesses;
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18 a. Calls for more efficient public procurement through guidance, recommendations, exchange of knowledge and experience as an objective;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 b (new) 18 b. Calls on Member States to design their tax systems so that they are better suited to the often capital poor environment within which start up and micro enterprises operate by ensuring that stock options are only taxed at the point of sale and that they can be issue without voting rights;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 c (new) 18 c. Highlights that stock option tax benefits should, wherever possible, be recognised across Member State borders to allow employees to take advantage of their free movement rights without facing unfavourable and often punitive tax treatment;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Urges the Commission to rely on trade defence instruments (TDI) in order to reduce market distortions resulting from third-country trade; calls for the ‘think small first’ principle to be made a key point of European trade policy and calls for introduction of measures which allow SMEs to easily identify relevant and beneficial aspects of the agreements; welcomes the announcement from the Commission to launch a new information portal on customs procedures and formalities;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the 25 million SMEs in the EU-28 are the backbone of the economy, generat
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Urges the Commission to rely on trade defence instruments (TDI) in order to reduce market distortions resulting from third-country trade; calls for the ‘think small first’ principle to be made a key point of European trade policy and include in trade agreements a standalone SME Chapter that signposts Micro and SME- friendly provisions from other chapters and provides a fast means for Micro and SME owners to identify relevant and beneficial aspects of the agreement;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Urges the Commission to
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 a (new) 19a. calls on the Commission to monitor developments and assess the possibility of emergency support in addition to measures already announced, including funding and capitalisation;
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Notes that the COVID-19 crisis has pushed SMEs towards innovative technologies, ways of organising their work and business models, such as remote working, e-commerce and the sharing economy, and calls on the Commission to ensure that R&I investment is geared towards SME participation; calls therefore for a substantial under the Horizon Europe to be made available for SMEs through the European Innovation Council, but also collaborative parts of the programme; calls on the Commission to ensure that Horizon Europe’s Partnerships and missions will be transparent and inclusive throughout their implementation, in particular as regards SME participation, the setting of their strategic research agenda and annual work programmes as well as fair sharing of finding and results;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Notes that the COVID-19 crisis has pushed SMEs towards innovative technologies and digital business models, such as e-commerce and the sharing economy, and calls on the Commission to ensure that R&I investment is geared towards SME participation; stresses the need to strengthen SMEs cybersecurity standards, ensuring that responsible authorities and administrations should collaborate with the private sector to develop one-stop-shops in the Member States to facilitate access to information, guidelines and advice for SMEs to identify and implement action to increase cybersecurity in their activities;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Notes that the COVID-19 crisis has pushed SMEs towards innovative
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20 a. Underlines that for a just, inclusive and effective ecological transition is critical to ensure adequate knowledge, skilling and re-skilling of SMEs’ owners and employees; calls, therefore, on the Commission and the Member States to set-up initiatives aimed at identifying and filling the knowledge and skills gap of the SMEs and their workforce in the context of the transformation of products, processes and services within the ecological transition, while also to design and implement programs to retrain workers whose skills are rendered obsolete by the transition;
Amendment 277 #
20 a. Stresses that investments in innovation should prioritize ecosystems that are inclusive of SMEs and that strengthen co-creation, maturation and transfer of excellent technology to industry as well as the uptake of new technologies, while encouraging businesses to scale up,: notes that the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will be crucial in this regard; notes that equity and loan-based funding should be reserved to SMEs involved in ‘close-to-market’ activities and projects in the higher Technology Readiness Levels;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20 a. Urges to increase funding from COSME and Horizon Europe for the development of eco-innovative solutions by and for SMEs, particularly for the improvement of product design, resource use reduction and improved processes performance; believes that besides non- technological, organisational, system innovation and public sector innovation must be given as much attention as technology driven solutions, in order to foster the green and digital transition;
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20 a. Highlights that it is paramount that the Recovery Plan helps channel our SME strategy providing SMEs with the adequate human resources as well as the technological capacity to be more resilient and competitive in the data economy;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas that before the COVID19 25 million SMEs generated more than half of the EU’s GDP, and employed about 100 million workers; whereas 98.9 % of enterprises in the EU’s non-financial business economy are small enterprises with fewer than 49 workers;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20 a. calls for European research support instruments and initiatives to ensure the widest participation of SMEs in calls and projects; recalls, in this regard, the importance of the Fast Track to Innovation programme;
Amendment 281 #
20 b. Underlines the importance of targeted public policies to support horizontal needs related to the digital transformation processes in micro and SMEs, such as the reduction of the administrative burden, but also the improvement of e-commerce capabilities and uptake of new technologies; calls on the Commission to develop a pilot initiative to accelerate e-commerce adoption in SMEs, for example through training and advisory activities, technical assistance, best practices or integration of the knowledge triangle, involvement of all relevant stakeholders and local authorities;
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 b (new) 20 b. Believes that the current IPR regime is not favouring innovation often to the detriment of SMEs; believes that increased transparency, innovative management and licensing practices, like the open source model, can bring faster market solutions; calls on the Commission to strike a balance between the enforcement of intellectual property rights and the push for innovation, in particular when it comes to ensuring access to medicines, protecting public health and climate change related innovations and technologies;
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 b (new) 20 b. Calls the Commission and the Member States to ensure that, whenever possible, R&I instruments, such as the EIC Accelerator, offer fast-track opportunities to start-ups that are developing innovative technologies that can support, for example, the testing, treating or monitoring of the COVID-19 outbreak;
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 c (new) 20 c. Welcomes the enhanced role that InvestEU will play within the Recovery plan, in particular the SME window shall serve as the main financial tool to consolidate SMEs business models, helping them to invest into corporate governance practices, skills and projects that foster competitiveness and market- based innovation;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 d (new) 20 d. Welcomes the inclusion of SMEs in the European Space Programmes, including in the development of many downstream services and applications; recognizes the key role that SMEs play in the defence supply chains in Europe, and welcomes the new opportunities for SMEs within the European Defence Fund;
Amendment 286 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Regrets that only 17 % of SMEs have so far successfully integrated digital technology into their businesses, and calls for instruments such as the
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Regrets that only 17 % of SMEs have so far successfully integrated digital technology into their businesses
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Regrets that only 17 % of SMEs have so far successfully integrated digital technology into their businesses, and calls for instruments such as the Enterprise Europe Network and the Digital Innovation
Amendment 289 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Regrets that only 17 % of SMEs have so far successfully integrated digital technology into their businesses, and calls for instruments such as the Enterprise Europe Network and the Digital Innovation Hubs to be reviewed in order to assess and improve their effectiveness involving actively SMEs representatives;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B a (new) Ba. whereas micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), both at national and EU level, are simultaneously very complex and heterogeneous given their size and the very diverse sectors of activity they cover, each with their own - and at times very different - dynamics, particularly the economic, financial, social or even political dynamics that characterise them;
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Regrets that only 17 % of SMEs have so far successfully integrated digital technology into their businesses, and calls for instruments such as the Enterprise Europe Network and the Digital Innovation Hubs to be
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21 a. Urges Member States to utilise part of the Recovery Fund to financially support SMEs to adopt the adequate skills and the latest digital technologies and forms of connectivity; calls on the Commission to implement a single European digital and data market accessible to SMEs, and ensure that data can flow within the EU and across sectors, promote investment in next generation standards, tools and infrastructures to store and process data and pool European data in key sectors, with EU-wide common and interoperable data spaces;
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21 a. Recalls the importance of instruments such as the Enterprise Europe Network and the Digital Innovation Hubs, which are essential to enable the internationalisation, the digitalisation and the pursuit of innovation of SMEs at the local level, including in the environmental field; calls also for the assessment of their outreach through a thorough analysis of the categories of enterprises benefitting from their action, in order to improve their effectiveness and to ensure that these instruments are fit for purpose;
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21 a. Highlights the vital role of non- personal data and transfer of technologies from academia to SMEs; supports the Commission in establishing European data spaces for non-discriminatory, trusted and secure non-personal data sharing to ramp up data flows between businesses and with governments, using an open data model;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21 a. Demands to substantially augment COSME and Horizon Europe resources dedicated to SMEs eco-innovation development,such as reduced and more efficient resourceand energy use;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 b (new) 21 b. Welcomes the Green Deal package with specific regard to the measures immediately beneficial to the European SMEs, such as the Circular Economy Action Plan and the initiatives of the so- called “renovation wave”; points out that the right to repair, while beneficial to consumers, can push SMEs into entering the reparation market segment and that policies aiming at increasing the energy efficiency of buildings can be beneficial not only to the SMEs of the construction sector, but also to promote energy savings among other small and medium firms, thus contributing to reducing their operational costs; calls for the enhancement of a market for Energy Service Companies (ESCos);
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 b (new) Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 b (new) 21 b. Calls on the Commission to adopt a parallel and stronger policy to improve internet infrastructure and connectivity conditions across rural, sub-urban and more peripheral areas and regions, as basic condition to improve digitalisation and embrace an effective transformation; calls on the Commission to consider binding targets for connectivity;
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 c (new) 21 c. Recalls that innovation in SMEs is a key driver for productivity and inclusive growth, it can help solve global and societal challenges and offer better working conditions; recalls that technology development and digitalisation are increasing the opportunities for SMEs to innovate and prosper, accelerating the spread of knowledge, the emergence of new business models and increasing their ability to scale more quickly;
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 c (new) 21 c. Is of the opinion that sustainability advisors will be essential in promoting green opportunities among SMEs, including micro-enterprises, and will enable them to understand the changes in the environmental legislation as well as the opportunities arising from the Green Deal, in line with their structure, business model and, more generally, their needs, since there is no one-size-fits-all approach;
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 8 a (new) - having regard to the Paris Agreement, ratified by the European Parliament on 4 October 2016,
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B a (new) B a. whereas SMEs are vital for the development and resilience of European industrial value chains and contribute significantly to local, regional and national economies;
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 d (new) 21 d. Highlights that collaboration and cooperation are crucial dimensions to improve SME`s performances; to this end, clusters and partnerships with all actors in the knowledge triangle (education, research and innovation), and especially with research centres and academia, shall be better promoted and encouraged; calls on the Commission to support the creation of innovation agreements with clusters of SMEs in order to reduce administrative burden, simplify procedures and establish shared services facilities;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 e (new) 21 e. Welcomes the analysis of the Commission on the first industrial ecosystems and stresses the importance of deepening it and broaden it where necessary; underlines the importance of complementing it with a strong horizontal ecosystem for innovation that addresses key transversal issues such as the reduction of red tape and administrative costs, the expansion of infrastructures, the flexibility of the labour market and the mobilisation of skilled labour, the supply of raw materials and the modernisation of competition law;
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 f (new) 21 f. Emphasises that overly detailed legislation in areas such as AI and cybersecurity run the risk of creating excessively bureaucratic and complicated legislation for SMEs operating in the single market; calls for the shift of focus to be on a principle-based and technology-neutral legislative framework that enhances market development;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Calls for a binding SME test able to assess the
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Calls for a binding SME test able to assess the economic impact of legislative proposals on SMEs; calls
Amendment 307 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Recalls the need to actively involve SME representatives in policy-making in order to reach a sustainable approach to the Green Deal objectives, which need to be based on accurate sustainability assessments; reminds the commission that labelling poses administrative burdens for businesses, recognises that only essential information should be demanded, whereby simple and automated compliance is key;
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Recalls the need to actively involve SME and workers’ representatives in policy-making in order to reach a sustainable approach to the Green Deal objectives
Amendment 309 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Recalls the need to actively involve SME representatives in policy-making in order to reach a sustainable approach to the Green Deal objectives, which need to be based on accurate sustainability assessments; welcomes the Commission proposal to provide Enterprise Europe Networks with dedicated Sustainability Advisors;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas the economic crisis and the consequent grim economic outlook triggered by the pandemic has brought a considerable number of SMEs to the verge of insolvency; whereas the liquidity crunch many SMEs are suffering from will not only have negative repercussions on their day-to-day operations, but also on their future growth perspectives, preventing them from properly planning long-term investments;
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Recalls the need to actively involve SME representatives in policy-making in order to
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 a (new) 23 a. Calls the Commission and the Member States to launch a European Renovation Wave, which could support struggling SMEs across Europe, boosting the energy and the construction sector, while providing benefits for the businesses and spurring local renewable energy sources; stresses the need for private investment and European Funds to prioritise SMEs through renovation and retrofit projects, financial and fiscal incentives; underlines the role of the Just Transition Fund in financing, inter alia, upskilling and reskilling workers for construction and renovation sectors where SMEs account for 97% of their operators;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 a (new) 23 a. Considers that a digital product passport, well designed and synchronised with existing systems, could help reduce this burden, however, considers that a digital product passport, well designed and synchronised with existing systems, business, standardisation bodies and global standards.
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 a (new) 23 a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that recovery measures benefit all sectors; points out that it would be unjust to give extra support to certain sectors simply because activities are carried out in these sectors that are EU pet projects;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 b (new) 23 b. Regrets the absence of measures specifically targeted to SMEs in the EU Strategy for Energy System Integration1a; stresses that SMEs are essential in building a smart, digital and resilient energy infrastructure and their role shall be encouraged; calls the future PCIs lists to prioritise projects that include SME applicants; _________________ 1aCOM(2020) 299 - "Powering a climate- neutral economy: An EU Strategy for Energy System Integration"
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Recalls that achieving climate neutrality is a global challenge, and notes that a carbon border mechanism can play an essential role in protecting the competitiveness of European SMEs, while pushing for the adoption of high
Amendment 316 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Recalls that achieving climate neutrality is a global challenge, and notes that a WTO-compatible carbon border mechanism and a special carbon leakage protection for industrial SMEs can play an essential role in protecting the competitiveness of European SMEs, while pushing for the adoption of higher environmental standards by the EU’s international trade partners; acknowledges that only a WTO conform mechanism will avoid retaliation by trade partners which could significantly harm the competitiveness of European SMEs; acknowledges that only a WTO conform mechanism will avoid retaliation by trade partners which could significantly harm the competitiveness of European SMEs;
Amendment 317 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Recalls that achieving climate neutrality is a global challenge, and notes that a
Amendment 318 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Recalls that
Amendment 319 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Recalls that achieving climate neutrality is a global challenge, and notes that a carbon border mechanism can play an essential role in protecting the competitiveness of European SMEs, while pushing for the adoption of higher environmental standards by the EU’s international trade partners; common standards or measures should be voluntary in order to meet specific national conditions and challenges, existing national work should be used and duplication of work avoided.
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic has brought a considerable number of SMEs to the verge of insolvency; whereas the non-standard monetary measures from the European Central Bank (ECB) in response to the economic crisis help larger companies, as they rely more on the comercial debt market, but don't improve financial conditions for SME's;
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Recalls that achieving climate neutrality is a global challenge, and notes that the evaluation of a carbon border mechanism
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Recalls that achieving climate neutrality is a global challenge, and notes that a
Amendment 322 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 a (new) 24 a. Highlights the increasing role of standard setting in the context of the ongoing digitalisation and adoption of green technologies; stresses the importance of involving SME representatives in standardisation processes, to ensure that standards are fit for SME needs and are known among SME stakeholders;
Amendment 323 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 a (new) 24 a. Welcomes the introduction of the EU SME Envoy; believe he should be endowed with sufficient political power to truly give and impulse for SME-friendly policies and have a monitoring role on their implementations
Amendment 324 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 a (new) 24 a. Calls for non-repayable financing and incentives to be made available for SMEs to respond to the green transition;
Amendment 325 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 b (new) 24 b. Calls for specific support instruments dedicated to SMEs originating from workers buy-outs;
Amendment 326 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 c (new) 24 c. Recalls that special attention should be paid to SMEs involved in urban regeneration projects;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic has brought a considerable number of SMEs and start- ups to the verge of insolvency; whereas to minimise the economic, social and strategic risks associated with the disappearance of these companies, the EU and the Member States should act boldly and swiftly;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic has brought a considerable number of SMEs to the verge of insolvency; whereas domestic safety measures against the pandemic, while necessary, are hindering the recovery as SMEs do not have the tools to face a protracted crisis;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic has brought a considerable and indeterminate number of SMEs to the verge of insolvency;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) C a. Whereas the impact of the capital shortfall as a consequence of the COVID- 19 crisis will be uneven across sectors, company types and Member States, hence leading to divergences in the single market; whereas the latter is aggravated by different abilities of Member States to provide for state aid; whereas SMEs have been particularly affected by the COVID- 19 crisis
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas the concentration of wealth by a small number of large firms, the abuse of market dominance, the overwhelming bargaining, financial and even political power wielded by these large corporations and the economic groups to which they belong, place strong constraints on SMEs;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C b (new) Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C b (new) Cb. whereas the vast majority of SMEs depend on the banking sector for funding;
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 a (new) - having regard to the Commission communication of 10 March 2020 entitled “A New Industrial Strategy for Europe (COM(2020) 102 final),
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C c (new) Cc. whereas the majority of SMEs live off and for national markets;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) D a. Whereas in its resolution “EU coordinated action to combat the COVID- 19 pandemic and its consequences” the Parliament stressed that the European Green Deal and digital transformation should be at the core of the post-COVID recovery and reconstruction strategies; whereas in this recovery and reconstruction phase EU and national policy makers have the unique opportunity to simultaneously strengthen and transform the way our economy and its actors are working, accelerating the transition to an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable society;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) D a. whereas, despite the COVID-19 emergency, the environmental and digital transitions are still a priority since the pandemic has not stopped the climate emergency and the European Union is still facing competition from other global players in the digital and technological sphere; whereas innovation represents an effective way for SMEs to build long-term and sustainable growth;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas, following the COVID-19 outbreak, inequality between Member States in terms of the support they are able to give their SMEs is likely to exacerbate distortions of competition on the single market between SMEs from different countries;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D b (new) D b. Whereas the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices, innovations and technologies creates new jobs and business opportunities for SMEs whilst improving their competitiveness and reducing their costs, provided the right administrative, regulatory and technical conditions are in place;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D c (new) D c. Whereas the adoption of circular economy principles across the EU has the potential to increase EU GDP by an additional 0.5% by 2030 creating around 700 000 new jobs1a; whereas benefits associated with the circular economy - such as increased efficiency, reduced material costs, increased profitability through closed loop models, and increased resilience to resource scarcity and price fluctuations can significantly enhance SMEs competitiveness; _________________ 1a Circular Economy Action plan COM (2020) 98 final
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D d (new) D d. Whereas the energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors provide great employment and business opportunities for SMEs; whereas resource and energy efficiency and renewable energy use can substantially reduce SMEs’ costs and enhance their competitiveness, but remain largely untapped, in particular for non- energy intensive SME;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D e (new) D e. Whereas SMEs make a crucial contribution to achieving a net zero GHG emission economy by developing eco- friendly innovations, products, processes and services, often at a faster pace than bigger companies thanks to their greater adaptability and flexibility; whereas only around a quarter of European SMEs offer green products and services1a, whereas SMEs hold further unlocked potential to tackle pressing environmental and societal concerns; whereas SMEs should receive support not only in relation to eco-innovation, but also to elevate climate-oriented, ecological standards in their sector; _________________ 1a Eurobarometer (2018). Flash Eurobarometer 456 - SMEs, resource efficiency and green markets. (pp. 75-78) https://ec.europa.eu/commfrontoffice/publ icopinion/index.cfm/survey/getsurveydetai l/instruments/flash/ surveyky/2151
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D f (new) D f. Whereas besides a minority of high-tech SMEs directly delivering eco- innovations, there are many other SMEs, which wish to improve their environmental performance and resource efficiency and deserve access to funding and technical support; whereas eco- innovation is a very effective measure to improve existing businesses within the framework of the green economy;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 a (new) - having regard to the Commission communication of 10 March 2020 entitled ‘A New Industrial Strategy for Europe’ (COM(2020)0102),
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) E a. Whereas some SMEs are innovative agents and better equipped to face and drive changes, others are more vulnerable to disruption; it is thus crucial that EU policies and legislations offer the right framework to enable a swift transition to a circular, green and more sustainable business operations and practices for all type of SMEs;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E b (new) E b. Whereas resource scarcity, accelerated consumption, ecological decline and EU’s dependency on imported raw materials and resources pose significant risks for the prosperity of the European industrial sector; whereas, considering that SMEs represents the 99% of all businesses in the EU, it is of utmost importance they engage and drive the change towards a highly energy and resource efficient, fully renewable-based, net-zero GHG and toxic-free industrial base; whereas the adoption of circular economy principles can benefit SMEs in several ways such as reducing exposure to resource prices volatility and consumption, stimulating innovation, increasing efficiency and environmental sustainability thus overall enhancing SMEs competitiveness;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas many SMEs still lack full access to digitalisation; whereas focus on R&I
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas many SMEs still lack full access to digitalisation; whereas focus on R&I
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F a (new) F a. whereas in the European Union there are still “missing entrepreneurs”, such as youth, women, migrants, seniors, whose entrepreneurial potential still needs to be fully developed; whereas the enhancement of the entrepreneurial culture of under-represented or disadvantaged categories can represent an instrument to enable them to fully contribute to the digital and environmental transitions and to increase their participation in the labour market;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F a (new) F a. Whereas innovation is vital to SMEs and crucial for competing in the global market; whereas there is large potential for SMEs participation in the innovative green technologies value chain and hence playing a role in ensuring the attainment of the EU’s climate and energy goals; whereas green jobs compare favourably to ones in other sectors as they tend to be safer, better paid and more skilled.
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F a (new) Fa. whereas many SMEs have been seriously affected by unfair competition from multinational companies, so-called digital platforms that have managed to circumvent certain legal obligations imposed on other companies, thereby contributing to social dumping, workplace deregulation and the insolvency of many companies;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F a (new) F a. Whereas, according to Eurobarometer, almost a quarter of SMEs in Europe have already started the transition to sustainability but, at the same time, a third of SMEs report that they face complex administrative procedures while attempting to make their activities more resource-efficient;
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 a (new) - having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal (COM(2019)0640),
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F a (new) F a. whereas almost a quarter of SMEs in Europe have already enabled the transition towards more sustainable business models, and this is a positive signal of SMEs readiness to embrace the necessary change;
Amendment 61 #
F b. Whereas there are great potential and relative economic and environmental benefits for SMEs to improve their energy and resource efficiency while also employing renewable energy for the outstanding energy demand, but such potential remains largely unexploited; whereas SMEs could contribute, through their energy and resource consumption behaviours, to a quick shift towards acircular and net-zero GHG economy;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G G. whereas the financial and ‘irritation’ costs of compliance with overregulation is a drag on businesses; whereas costs and complexities of administrative procedures still represent a major obstacle for SMEs
Amendment 63 #
G. whereas the costs and complexities of administrative procedures still represent a major obstacle for SMEs’ access not only to intellectual property protection in several Member States, but also to funding opportunities, including those under the scope of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF);
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G G. whereas the costs and complexities of administrative procedures
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G a (new) Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G a (new) G a. whereas digitalisation and deployment of innovative solutions will be crucial for SMEs contribution to the success of the European Green Deal;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G b (new) G b. whereas innovation in SMEs is often the outcome of collaborative efforts in which businesses interact and exchange knowledge and information with partners as part of broader innovation systems;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G c (new) G c. whereas grants are typically more likely than tax credits to reach SMEs or activities in which SMEs are more likely to be involved;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 b (new) - having regard to the Commission communication of 11 March 2020 entitled ‘New Circular Economy Action Plan. For a cleaner and more competitive Europe’ (COM(2020)98),
Amendment 70 #
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. whereas
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. whereas mid-caps that do not meet the criteria to be classified as SMEs contribute significantly to employment and growth, especially in some Member States, and therefore require an additional and separate mid-cap definition, without prejudice to the definition of SME, in order to ensure that mid-caps with 250 to 499 employees can receive more assistance and be better promoted; insists that EU SME definition should not be modified and resources earmarked for SMEs should not be diluted;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. whereas mid-caps that do not meet the criteria to be classified as SMEs contribute significantly to employment and growth,
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H a (new) H a. Whereas in its SME Strategy the Commission confirmed the validity of the current SME definition; whereas it will further examine and report on specific issues raised in the most recent public consultation, such as complex ownership structures or possible “lock-in effects”; whereas the Commission still needs to comply with the judgment of the European Court of Justice of 15th September 2016 requiring the clarification on the criteria of ‘independence/ autonomy’;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H a (new) H a. whereas micro-enterprises represent a relevant share of European SMEs and have very often difficulties in accessing finance as well as in gaining a complete knowledge of the opportunities at the European and at the national level, whereas this category of enterprises has also been hit very hard by the COVID-19 crisis and, without prejudice to the current definition of SME, it deserves to receive more assistance and be better promoted;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H b (new) H b. whereas the public administration, both at the European and at the national level, has a key role in ensuring the ease of doing business and in promoting investments aiming to boost economic competitiveness, while safeguarding the highest standards of transparency and workers’ health and safety;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H c (new) H c. whereas the single currency has contributed to enhancing the Single Market and has thus been beneficial to many European SMEs;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph -1 (new) -1. Welcomes the SME Strategy and shares the Commission’s view that SMEs are essential to the European economy and central to achieving the EU's green and digital transition in line with the Paris Agreement and objectives of the European Green Deal and the European Digital Strategy; calls for the adoption of an action plan with clear objectives, milestones and timeline, accompanied by regular monitoring, reporting and evaluations;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 b (new) - having regard to its resolution of 15 January 2020 on the European Green Deal (2019/2956(RSP)),
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph -1 (new) -1. Welcomes the new EU SMEs strategy; reiterates the importance of SMEs and start-ups for the competitiveness, prosperity and technological sovereignty of Europe, while also their key role for ensuring successful ecological and sustainably digital transitions;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph -1 (new) -1. Asks the Commission to present an updated version of its Communication on 'a new strategy for SMEs', reflecting the points raised in this resolution;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Calls
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Calls on
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Calls on Member States to adopt a roadmap with targets, aiming to achieve a swift reduction in the number of rules by at least 30 %; considers that an important part of an improved business climate in the EU is the work of simplifying the regulations for companies.
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Calls on Member States to adopt a roadmap with targets, aiming to achieve a swift reduction in the number of rules by at least 30 %; calls on Member states to ensure application of the "one in one out" principle and prohibit gold-plating;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 10 b (new) - having regard to the Commission proposal for a Circular Economy Action plan COM (2020) 98 final
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Calls on Member States and the European Commission to adopt a roadmap with targets, aiming to achieve a swift reduction in the number of rules by at least 30 %;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to adopt a roadmap with targets, aiming to reduce to a minimum administrative and regulatory burden for SMEs stemming from policies and regulation, while continuing to ensure high levels of environmental protection and social standards; to this end calls for improved regulatory alignment, smart digitalization, increased user-friendliness, more streamlined procedures, and more secure, privacy-proof data; further demands increased and more targeted public technical and administrative assistance and trainings for SMEs facilitating the full and correct application of EU and national regulation;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Calls on the European Commission to adopt a roadmap identifying the areas for reducing the administrative burden which SMEs suffer from and the way forward, as well as sharing best practices in this domain with the scope of helping Member States undertake concrete actions to make the regulatory framework on SMEs less cumbersome; underlines that, in order to monitor the effectiveness in the reduction of the red tape, it is also important to assess such measures ex-post, taking into account the SMEs perspective and not undermining workers’ rights and environmental standards;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Welcomes that the commissions SME strategy addresses the simplification work as one of three cornerstones for the EU's work with SMEs; considering the reduction of red tape an important prerequisite for the economy's ability to recover, innovate and to transition to, among other things, climate-smart production, as well as a prerequisite for EU companies' competitiveness.
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Believes in the need to strengthen the principle of „big on big things, small on small things“ and calls for a new inter- institutional commitment to reduce administrative burden; asks the Commission to apply a “think small first” principle across all relevant policy areas, in order to create legislation that spurs growth and development of SMEs;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Welcomes the Commission plan to appoint a dedicated EU SME Envoy to bring more visibility to SMEs' concerns; Calls on the Commission to build on the existing “SME Performance Review” process and engage in an annual debate on the “State of the SMEs Union” to be held in the European Parli |