A new EU SME Envoy… promises, promises…
The corona pandemic has plunged European micro, small and medium-sized businesses into dire straits. Now, of all times, the millions of entrepreneurs and self-employed in Europe lack a strong advocate in the EU Commission.
In March 2020 the European Commission promised with the new SME Strategy to strengthen the role of the EU’s “SME Envoy” – a representative inside the EU and in each member state that monitors all policies and verifies if they are SME-compatible. But since then, nothing happened. The last SME-Envoy, DG GROW Commissioner Bienkowska ended her mandate in September 2019, and now after 1,5 years and the worst economic crisis after the end of WW2 we are still waiting for the Commission to nominate the new SME Envoy. EPP Members of the European Parliament, Henna Virkkunen and Jens Geier asked on Dec. 1st 2020 which is the timeline for appointing the new SME Envoy. Only last week, on Feb. 18th 2021, Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton answered… without answering. The nomination would be “ongoing”.
But we ask who will check right now at the EU Commission that the money of the Recovery Fund will be spent well to help foremost the SMEs, and particularly reaching them fastly, directly and with simplified procedures?
(copyright Annemarie Thiede)
Markus Jerger, General Director of the German Der Mittelstand/BVMW comments: “The EU Commission must end its economic hibernation. BVMW and European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME urge Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioner Breton to immediately fill the position of the EU SME Envoy. As required by the EU Parliament, this institutional SME representative must be centrally placed in the Commission so that the interests of small and medium-sized businesses can be effectively represented throughout all policy issues and regardless the different tasks of each Directorate.”
Newsletter complete version
