Liikanen seeks to boost EU’s small firms

Date: 24/02/2000

By Peter Chapman

Erkki Liikanen is preparing to unveil revised plans for a new multi-million-euro 'enterprise' programme next month aimed at boosting the EU's ranks of small and medium-sized firms (SMEs).

Officials say the Finnish Enterprise Commissioner hopes to publish his proposals on 8 March, after redrafting his original plans following complaints that they did not put enough emphasis on small firms.

One Liikanen aide said the programme for 2001-2005 would now pursue similar priorities to those set out in the Union's current enterprise scheme, which includes a raft of measures to help SMEs such as efforts to boost their access to finance, increase companies' knowledge of EU initiatives and improve the business skills of European entrepreneurs.

Liikanen has yet to decide, however, what level of funding to propose for the new plan. The existing programme was given a budget of €127 million and while Liikanen wants more money to be made available for the new scheme, he is acutely aware of member states' reluctance to loosen the purse strings.

Gary Parker of small-business lobby group UEAPME said funding was still a major cause of concern for members of his organisation. "We like the look of the new programme, but the budget needs to be higher than last time. The money was spread too thinly and a number of actions that we wanted were wiped out," he added.

The Commissioner's proposals are likely to be discussed at next month's Lisbon summit on innovation and knowledge.

The Portuguese presidency has said that the event will be used to "redefine at the highest level the content of the European strategy for growth, competitiveness and employment". Small businesses, seen by many as the engine of growth in the Union, are expected to loom large in the discussions.

Erkki Liikanen is preparing to unveil revised plans for a new multi-million-euro 'enterprise' programme aimed at boosting the EU's ranks of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).