SMEs & Economic Policy

The vast majority of the Chamber network’s members are SMEs. For this reason, EUROCHAMBRES aims to achieve a more SME-friendly regulatory and policy environment by working towards the enhancement of the Small Business Act for Europe (SBA) and the swift implementation of the SME and the Industrial Strategies. In this framework, the effectiveness of the Enterprise Europe Network, in which Chambers are heavily involved, is a top priority.

Chambers are acutely aware of the pivotal role of financial liquidity in businesses’ capacity to grow and scale up. Therefore, EUROCHAMBRES defends EU initiatives, programmes and legislation that facilitate adequate access to a range of financing solutions for all types of business, particularly start-ups and SMEs. This includes debt financing, the main source of financing for European businesses, as well as equity financing, particularly relevant for innovative companies.

EUROCHAMBRES’ actions in the framework of better regulation focus on two main aspects: minimising the administrative and regulatory burdens on businesses from existing EU legislation and ensuring that the impact of future legislation on SMEs is rigorously tested. EUROCHAMBRES thus advocates for a “think small first” approach and the systematic application of the SME Test at EU and national level and regularly assesses the way in which the Commission applies its specific guidelines.