European Economic and Social Committee

Brussels, 11 Mars 2016
Meeting of the SMEs, Crafts and Professions Category
Memo for the file: meeting of 3 February2016

Spokespersons:Mr Panagiotis Gkofas – Mr Arno Metzler

Present:MsAngelova, MrBarker, MsBontea, MrBurns, Mrde Brauer, MrDe Lotto, MrDi Fazio, MrDimitriadis, MrEdelényi, MrGeisen, MrGkofas, MrIvaşcu, MrKomoróczki, MrLannoo, MrLasiauskas, MrLobo Xavier, MrMalosse, MsMartinović Džamonja, MrMoisio, MrMulewicz, MsPäärendson, MsPari, MrRamos, MrRizzo, MsSharma, MrStoev, MrWalker, MrZahradník

Apologies received:MsCalderone, MsGondard-Argenti, MsJelić, MrKolbe, MrLiebus, MrLustenhouwer, MrMetzler, MrSchwannecke, MsSchweng, MrSvensson, MrThomopoulos, MrZahra

Absent:MrBaráth,MsButaud-Stubbs, MrLyon, MsVadász

Observers: MrCappellini, MrCloquet, MrMarcatonio, MsCalderone's alternate and Ms Viard

Guest speakers:Ms Eva Dimovne Kersztes, MsMaria Vigliarolo-Del Colombo, MrLuca de Carli, MrWojciech Sopinski

Adoption of the draft agenda
The agenda was adopted.
/ Introduction to the category's long term objectives and draft 2016 annual work programme
The spokesperson pointed out that the speakers invited to the meeting would cover a wide range of subjects: trade, access to finance, rural development, internationalisation, TTIP.
Mr Gkofas explained that, given the budgetary situation and the entry into force of the new Members' Financial Statute, the Category could plan two yearly meetings with reimbursement for members and one to be held during the Plenary Session, on either the first or the second day, to be decided by the members. He also proposed to hold further meetings without interpreting during Plenary Sessions so thatmembers would have an opportunity to present the situation of SMEs and issues in their countries and/or listen to external speakers.
Mr Burns, Mr Komoroczki, Mr Stoev, MrEdelény and MrDi Faziospoke. The majority of members preferred the second day of the Plenary Session, cover both the presentation of the situation of SMEs in Member States and a debate on specific issues, e.g. small businesses in rural and remote areas andvocational training, with in-house and external speakers.
Appointment of Arno Metzler as spokesperson for the Liberal Professions within the Category
Mr Arno Metzler was appointed without any objections.

FIRST PANEL

Luca De Carli, Policy Officer, DG TRADE, DGA2.G.1, Trade Strategy – SME chapter in TTIP negotiations
Mr De Carli started his statement by pointing out that, contrary to comments made by some members, SMEs were indeed a priority for the EC, for example in the design and structure of FTA.
In his presentation Mr De Carli presented the main priorities of the European Commission (EC) within the SME chapter of the TTIP negotiations, namely to:
  • Consolidate the position of SMEs on international markets
  • Improve the information available to SMEs on market conditions in partner countries (web-sites and tools useful for the post-TTIP)
  • Create a TTIP implementation committee composed of government representatives and interacting with SMEs' representatives, involving all the other TTIP stakeholders.
Mr Gkofas commented on the issues to be tackled by the EC in order to support SMEs and on the fact that the EC TTIP approach regarding SMEs was a very positive step.
A debate ensued, with questions from Mr Malosse, MrRamos, MrRizzo, MrEdelény, Ms Päärendson, Mr Barker and MrDi Fazio, and replies from Mr De Carli.
Maria Pia Vigliarolo, Policy Officer,DG GROW, DDG2.H.1, COSME Programme, SME Envoys and Relations with EASME – Past, present and future of EU SME policies
Ms Vigliarolo made her presentation with the support of a Power Point slide show available at
She stressed the main priorities areas of SME policies identified during open consultations, namely:
  • Access to markets
  • Access to finance
  • Reduction of the administrative burden
  • Promotion of entrepreneurship
  • Skills development
Ms Vigliarolo also announcedup-coming EU initiatives in 2016 and 2017:
  • VAT Action Plan
  • Business insolvency
  • Facilitatingthe use of digital technologies
  • Standardisation
  • IPRs framework
  • Public procurement
Mr Gkofas, MrKomoroczki, MrLannoo, Ms Martinović, MrMoisio, MsSharma, MrZahradnik, MrBurns and MrDi Fazioalso welcomed the planned initiatives, suggesting a revision of the SBA and recommending improved communication with SMEs and SMEs' organisations.
Ms Vigliarolo replied to the members and confirmed that the EC did not intend to reform the SBA but rather to concentrate and improve what already exists.
Wojciech Sopinski, Policy Officer, DG GROW, H/2, SME Access to Markets –
Internationalisation of SMEs' opportunities, partnership
Mr Sopinski provided an overview of the major EC initiatives concerning SME internationalisation aimed at improving the number of SMEs exporting, despite the difficulty in accessing markets due to their size, as they were innovative and created jobs.
Policy initiatives:
  • Mainstream SMEs in international trade, for example an SME chapter in TTIP
  • Regulatory policy dialogues with third countries
  • Creation of an EU Economic Diplomacy service under consideration within the Commission services with a view to improving trade promotion
Technical initiatives:
  • Enterprise Europe Network - consortia in Member States and third countries providing services to SMEs to find partners and provide support abroad
  • EU Business Centres in US and China offering on-the-spot advice to EU companies
  • SMEs IPR helpdesks in China, ASEAN and MERCOSUR countries for advice to EU companies struggling with IPR related issues before or after settling down in the country
Financial programmes:
  • Access to a finance portal providing access to all SME programmes
A question and answer session followed. Ms Martinović, MsSharma, MsPäärendson, Mr Ivaşcu, MrDe Lotto and MrBurnsspoke in the debate.
Éva Dimovné Keresztes DG AGRI, H.1, Consistency of rural development, Policy analysis and Coordination– Role and perspectives of SMEs in EU rural development policies and investment opportunities
Ms Dimovné Keresztes made a presentation following a Power Point slide show available at

Mr Gkofas, MrBurns, MrKomoroczki and Ms Sharmaspoke in the debate with the guest speaker.

SECOND PANEL

Presentation of each member and proposals for a draft annual work programme for the category
Mr Gkofas asked members to introduce themselves and provide inputs for the category's work programme.
Mr Walker: UK - Small business alliance at national and EU level.
Priorities: focus on micro business that were the small businesses of the future, insert reference to "micro" enterprises in the title of the category, administrative and fiscal burdens at national and EU level.
Mr Rizzo: MT – Liberal professions' organisation, personally from the accounting sector.
Priorities: professional ethics
Mr Ramos: PT – Liberal professions – Engineers.
Priorities: financial aspects for regulated professions to be better communicated. Professional knowledge associated with universities.
Mr MulewiczPL – Business centre, direct selling enterprises.
Priorities: focus on small companies and individual entrepreneurs starting and expanding this business.
Ms Martinović: HR – Chamber of Commerce.
Priorities: Support SMEs in manufacturing sector, facilitate investment in research, development and innovation to develop new products, education and training, complete removal of internal market obstacles.
MrBarker: UK - Institute of Directors and business associations of which 90% were SMEs. Priorities: Creation of entrepreneurial environment as good as in the USA. Finance of start-ups and scale-ups, remove regulatory burden. Education and training targeted to SMEs.
Mr DFazio: IT – Intellectual professions - micro enterprises and self-employed and senior/middle management.
Priorities: compiling data on members' expertise.
MrEdelény: HU - Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Priorities: SME support with reference to Hungarian best practice regarding access to finance. Vocational education, positioning and exploitation of the expert craftsmen(entrepreneurial knowledge and pedagogical knowledge), skills indentification.
Mr Geisen: LU - Crafts and SMEs associations at national, EU and international level. Personally owner of a family company that had upgraded itself.
Priorities: Competiveness of SMEs and need for administrative simplification, specifically in family business, professional training.
MrIvaşcu: RO – Chamber of Commerce and Industry and member of International and EU level organisations.
Priorities: increase the number of meetings to be held outside Plenary Sessions. Information technology, labour costs and impact of migration. Administrative burden, involvement of SMEs in R&D, investment in EU production.
MrKomoroczki: HU - Cooperatives and rural SMEs.
Priorities: Invite a representative of DG TAXUD, vocational training.
MsPäärendson: ET – Industry organisation, mostly SMEs.
Priorities: Focus on start-ups that often moved out of the EU, and the major obstacle to their growth in the Single Market. Debriefing on International FTA from the EC with opportunities by sector and by country.
Date of the next meeting
The next meeting would be held on 12 May at 2.30 p.m. and would be mainly focused on themes related to the liberal professions.
Conclusions of the meeting
Mr Gkofas presented the following conclusions:
  • The category would hold additional meetings without interpretingpossibly during the second day of Plenary Sessions.
  • The possibility of holding more meetings outside Plenary Sessions would be explored.
  • Drafting of a work programme on the basis of the inputs presented during the meeting and of other proposals to be sent to the spokesperson.

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