European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME’s Post

Listening to European Entrepreneurs talk about the issues they are facing and realising that we are not so different but only facing challenges at different levels with different complexity.

📢📢 It's time to rebuild trust and reignite European competitiveness! The countdown to the #SME2B24 Forum is near! 📅 Save the date for 3 September 2024, Brussels. After a challenging period for Europe's economic powerhouses, the #SMEs & #MidCaps, reforms are needed. Our vision of an Economy of Trust, backed by the European entrepreneurs whom we represent, would mean: 👉 EU- and national lawmakers trust in SME and Mid-Caps 👉 The EU-Member States trust each other 👉 SMEs and Mid-Caps trust in the future of Europe and in its possibility to reach ambitious climate goals 🤝 If you want to raise the level of trust, join us this September. Register below ⬇⬇ https://lnkd.in/dny9k48N #EconomyOfTrustEU #CEAPME #EuropeanCompetitiveness Confapi BVMW - Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft e.V. Österreichischer Gewerbeverein ÖGV European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) Regionalna Izba Gospodarcza w Katowicach COTEC Portugal AFDEE Ondernemers voor Ondernemers vzw Sunrise Tech Park SBC - Slovenian Business Club ADEGI - Asociación de Empresas de Gipuzkoa MÜSİAD ESBA - European Small Business Alliance Eurojuris International Danish Export Association Asociace malých a středních podniků a živnostníků ČR European Business Association METI - Mouvement des Entreprises de Taille Intermédiaire SMB Norge Airborne Wind Europe PÁTOSZ European Business Association Georgia Accountancy Europe

Starting this fall, European company owners and entrepreneurs will be more involved in European policymaking. Launched during our #SME2B24 Forum, the "Real Economy Working Groups" is a European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME initiative that will identify the pitfalls and challenges #SMEs and #MidCaps face nowadays and contribute to improving the EU-legislation with their thoughts and proposals. Tomasz Zjawiony, Director of the Regionalna Izba Gospodarcza w Katowicach and Vice-President of the Krajowa Izba Gospodarcza (Polish Chamber of Commerce), said European SMEs and Mid-Caps need a New Growth Agenda to relaunch competitiveness, economic freedom, and free trade. Kieran O'Keeffe, Executive Director of Europe Unlocked, a campaign run this year together with European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME for more competitiveness, explained that this must be accompanied by urgent political and institutional changes on a European level. During the Forum, the EU-African SME Alliance, launched by CEA-PME in 2019, broadened with 8 new signatory organisations from Africa and Europe, building more trust & innovation in international economic relations. Lastly, we'd like to welcome our new board! Together, we'll drive our mission forward, championing the voice of SMEs and Mid-Caps across Europe. https://lnkd.in/dkYDK-TK #EconomyofTrustEU #CEAPME #EuropeanCompetitiveness Confapi BVMW - Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft e.V. Österreichischer Gewerbeverein ÖGV European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) COTEC Portugal AFDEE Ondernemers voor Ondernemers vzw Sunrise Tech Park SBC - Slovenian Business Club ADEGI - Asociación de Empresas de Gipuzkoa MÜSİAD ESBA - European Small Business Alliance Eurojuris International Danish Export Association Asociace malých a středních podniků a živnostníků ČR European Business Association METI - Mouvement des Entreprises de Taille Intermédiaire SMB Norge Airborne Wind Europe PÁTOSZ European Business Association Georgia Accountancy Europe

After tirelessly working for more than a year to make the voice of European #SMEs & #MidCaps heard, with our #EuropeanRealEconomy Manifesto, policymakers are starting to listen and lay the groundwork to safeguard competitiveness and reduce bureaucracy. In their original and subsequential forms, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive totally ignored European entrepreneurs' daily challenges. It's crucial that policymakers grasp the practicalities, costs, paperwork, and obstacles that policies like the #CSRD and #CSDDD can create for 23 Million SMEs and Mid-Caps. Without this understanding, current and future policies that affect businesses generating more than half of our GDP and employing 2 out of 3 employees cannot be implemented. We are glad the EPP decided to focus on competitiveness and effectively analyze new policies' impact on entrepreneurs. The future commissioner "for SMEs and Better Regulation" should be someone who actively listens to European entrepreneurs. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who have supported and endorsed our European Real Economy Manifesto. Your efforts in prioritizing the needs of SMEs & Mid-Caps have been instrumental in our progress. https://lnkd.in/dXxyXWkb European Vocational Training Association - EVTA Confapi BVMW - Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft e.V. Österreichischer Gewerbeverein ÖGV European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) Regionalna Izba Gospodarcza w Katowicach COTEC Portugal AFDEE Ondernemers voor Ondernemers vzw Sunrise Tech Park SBC - Slovenian Business Club ADEGI - Asociación de Empresas de Gipuzkoa MÜSİAD ESBA - European Small Business Alliance Eurojuris International Danish Export Association Asociace malých a středních podniků a živnostníků ČR European Business Association METI - Mouvement des Entreprises de Taille Intermédiaire SMB Norge Airborne Wind Europe PÁTOSZ European Business Association Georgia Accountancy Europe #SMEpower #CEAPME

📣 New European Commission: Now a Real Change for the Real Economy! We launch the #BolzanoAppeal together with Confapi, BVMW - Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft e.V. and INSME - The International Network for Small and Medium Enterprises. We are calling the New European Commission to focus on the 5 most important priorities to create now the real change needed by the real economy, #SMEs & #MidCaps: 1. Cut Bureaucracy Compliance Costs by 50% 2. Increase Foreign Trade by 5% 3. Reduce Labour and Skills Shortage, to raise GDP by 1.5% 4. Stop further “Self-defeating legislation“ 5. Invest in SMEs and Mid-Caps as the most sustainable investment for Europe Read the Bolzano Appeal Here 👇👇 https://lnkd.in/dReRQt8Q Please also let us know your expectations for the new European Commission, which will soon start working! Click here for our survey 👇👇 https://lnkd.in/dREyznDu Österreichischer Gewerbeverein ÖGV European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) Regionalna Izba Gospodarcza w Katowicach COTEC Portugal AFDEE Ondernemers voor Ondernemers vzw Sunrise Tech Park SBC - Slovenian Business Club ADEGI - Asociación de Empresas de Gipuzkoa MÜSİAD ESBA - European Small Business Alliance Eurojuris International Danish Export Association Asociace malých a středních podniků a živnostníků ČR European Business Association METI - Mouvement des Entreprises de Taille Intermédiaire SMB Norge Airborne Wind Europe PÁTOSZ European Business Association Georgia Accountancy Europe

📣 Calling all #SME Entrepreneurs and Employees across Europe! 📣 The new European Commission is set to influence small and medium-sized enterprises like yours, and we want to ensure your voice is heard loud and clear! 📄 We invite you to participate in our short survey: 👉 What do you expect from the new Commission? 👉 What do you need to thrive in the coming years? 👉 What do you hope for in terms of support and policy changes? 🔗 Click here to take the survey 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dUPhKJ2S 🔗 Click here to take the survey in other languages 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dREyznDu 🟢 By taking just a few minutes to share your thoughts, you'll be helping us indicate to the Commission whether its priorities truly align with the real needs and challenges faced by #SMEs like yours. This is your chance to weigh in on critical issues like economic relief, policy priorities, and growth challenges. #YourSMEmatters Confapi BVMW - Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft e.V. Österreichischer Gewerbeverein ÖGV European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) Regionalna Izba Gospodarcza w Katowicach COTEC Portugal AFDEE Ondernemers voor Ondernemers vzw Sunrise Tech Park SBC - Slovenian Business Club ADEGI - Asociación de Empresas de Gipuzkoa MÜSİAD ESBA - European Small Business Alliance Eurojuris International Danish Export Association Asociace malých a středních podniků a živnostníků ČR European Business Association METI - Mouvement des Entreprises de Taille Intermédiaire SMB Norge Airborne Wind Europe PÁTOSZ European Business Association Georgia Accountancy Europe

⭐ Real Economy Working Groups Kick-off! Many were the entrepreneurs participating in the kick-off of our first two Working Groups GROW and TRADE, which together will unleash the potential of small and medium-sized enterprises to drive economic growth and bolster competitiveness. 📍Leading the discussion of the working group GROW - and underlining the necessity of tackling critical challenges that hinder SME #growth, like bureaucratic burden and advocating for SME-friendly policies - Mr. Artur Romanek and Ms. Lucyna Kaminska from the European Commission intervened by presenting what DG GROW has done until now in terms of reduction of reporting obligations and bureaucratic burden for SMEs and what’s on the EU agenda at the current stage. 📍Equally vibrant was the debate in the Working Group TRADE, where the priorities are - enabling better access for SMEs to EU internal and international #trade, more support for internationalization and access to markets for SMEs, and strengthening cooperation with like-minded neighboring countries. We had the pleasure of having the intervention from Ms. Geraldine Emberger, Advisor for Implementation of EU Trade Agreements at DG TRADE, who provided a detailed and comprehensive explanation of the functioning of the EU Trade Policy and the existing tools available to SMEs to improve their market access. 💡 If you want to join our Working Groups, contact us at info@cea-pme.com! #SMEs #Entrepreneurship #EconomicGrowth #Innovation #Collaboration Confapi BVMW - Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft e.V. Österreichischer Gewerbeverein ÖGV European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) Regionalna Izba Gospodarcza w Katowicach COTEC Portugal AFDEE Ondernemers voor Ondernemers vzw Sunrise Tech Park SBC - Slovenian Business Club ADEGI - Asociación de Empresas de Gipuzkoa MÜSİAD ESBA - European Small Business Alliance Eurojuris International Danish Export Association Asociace malých a středních podniků a živnostníků ČR European Business Association METI - Mouvement des Entreprises de Taille Intermédiaire SMB Norge Airborne Wind Europe PÁTOSZ European Business Association Georgia Accountancy Europe

Boost our #SingleMarket: Once Only and deeper integration of services sector! Between 53 and 59% of costs, and between 44 and 53% of time when trying to expand abroad in Europe - that's how much the European Union can save to #SMEs and Self-Employed by using the new “Once Only Technical System”. And if we focus on the service sector, removing 25% of non-tariff barriers can produce an average of 2.3% of economic growth or 77 billion added value for at least each of the next 5 years. Have a look at the studies by DG GROW & EconPol Europe below: https://lnkd.in/ddJRHu-r Confapi BVMW - Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft e.V. Österreichischer Gewerbeverein ÖGV European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) Regionalna Izba Gospodarcza w Katowicach COTEC Portugal AFDEE Ondernemers voor Ondernemers vzw Sunrise Tech Park SBC - Slovenian Business Club ADEGI - Asociación de Empresas de Gipuzkoa MÜSİAD ESBA - European Small Business Alliance Eurojuris International Danish Export Association Asociace malých a středních podniků a živnostníků ČR European Business Association METI - Mouvement des Entreprises de Taille Intermédiaire SMB Norge Airborne Wind Europe PÁTOSZ European Business Association Georgia Accountancy Europe

How can we turn Europe into an SME superpower? Yesterday, we had the pleasure of hosting our third SME Roadshow in The Hague, organised together with our Dutch member federation VNO-NCW and in collaboration with MKB-Nederland. The event brought together key representatives from European and national institutions, #SMEs, and #entrepreneurs across Europe. We tackled pressing #SME issues and explored questions like: 🔹 What is the economic state of European SMEs? 🔹 What are the regulatory burdens on SMEs? 🔹 What has been the reflection on SME policy in the last five years? Martina Dlabajova, Member of the European Parliament and co-Chair of its SME Intergroup, emphasised, "The last five years have brought more awareness to the challenges facing European SMEs. It is key for policymakers and SME stakeholders to keep working together in the next EU cycle." Additionally, Fabrice Le Saché, Chair of the BusinessEurope SME Committee, highlighted, "The #SingleMarket is Europe's precious treasure. This is the basis of a strong economy and is key in trade negotiations. But to make it stronger, we should reverse its increasing fragmentation." SMEs are the lifeline of Europe’s economy, creating jobs and wealth where most of their business is conducted. However, recent years have presented significant challenges: persistent labour shortages, higher energy prices, costlier credit, and a flood of new regulations, all while the need for sustainability and innovation grows. European SMEs are struggling to thrive, and we must reverse this trend. Let's continue to work together to support and empower our SMEs. What was your key takeaway from the event? Share your thoughts below! 👇

A new Start for Europe’s #SMEs and #MidCaps with MORE TRUST, better enforcement, and faster approvals? The new Commission responds to the concerns raised by the European entrepreneurs through CEA-PME. There should be less red tape alongside companies being directly involved in implementing new policies. We look forward to seeing this in action, particularly with the CO2 reduction target for 2040, which needs to be more realistic for SMEs and Mid-Caps. https://lnkd.in/dHseVbg8 🗓 Trust in the European entrepreneurs is also the main topic of our #SME2B24 Forum. On 3 Sep, we debate how Europe can enhance its Potential and regain Competitiveness. Join us 👇👇 https://lnkd.in/dny9k48N #EconomyOfTrustEU #CEAPME #EuropeanCompetitiveness Confapi BVMW - Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft e.V. Österreichischer Gewerbeverein ÖGV European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) Regionalna Izba Gospodarcza w Katowicach COTEC Portugal AFDEE Ondernemers voor Ondernemers vzw Sunrise Tech Park SBC - Slovenian Business Club ADEGI - Asociación de Empresas de Gipuzkoa MÜSİAD ESBA - European Small Business Alliance Eurojuris International Danish Export Association Asociace malých a středních podniků a živnostníků ČR European Business Association METI - Mouvement des Entreprises de Taille Intermédiaire SMB Norge Airborne Wind Europe PÁTOSZ European Business Association Georgia Accountancy Europe