An SME Strategy for a sustainable and digital Europe

Summary:

Communication published on 10 March 2020 by the European Commission, setting out a Strategy designed to help small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) lead the transition to climate neutrality and the digital transformation.

Further information:

This Strategy put forward actions based on three main pillars:

• Capacity-building and support for the transition to sustainability and digitalisation;
• Reducing regulatory burden and improving market access;
• Improving access to financing.

These actions are to be built on the EU's existing SME policy framework and support programmes, notably the 2008 Small Business Act, the 2016 Start-up and Scale-up Initiative, the COSME Programme, and SME support actions funded under the Horizon Programme and ESIF. The Strategy is part of an Industry Policy Package led by a Communication on a 'New Industrial Strategy for Europe'. It builds on findings from Single Market Barriers Communication and on initiatives set out by the Enforcement Action Plan to address those barriers. The Industrial strategy stresses the role of SMEs for a competitive and innovative European industry.

• Alternative Source 1

Official

European Commission: Press Release, 10/03/2020: Making Europe's businesses future-ready: A new Industrial Strategy for a globally competitive, green and digital Europe https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_416

European Commission: Questions & Answers: European Industrial Strategy Package (10 March 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_418

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