Press Release: Supporting SMEs: Commission tables initiative to facilitate transfer of businesses

The European Commission on 14 March 2006 tabled an initiative to tackle the problems associated with the transfer of ownership of businesses, which mostly affect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Commission called upon Member States to ensure that tax systems are transfer-friendly, provide adequate financial conditions, to raise awareness, consider soft factors and support mentoring and to organise transparent markets for business transfers. This initiative was part of the European Commission’s new strategy to promote SMEs.

European Commission: Memo: MEMO/06/122, Business transfers – 690,000 companies and 2.8 million jobs at stake every year, 14.3.06 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/122&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=fr

European Commission: PreLex: COM(2006) 117, Communication … Implementing the Lisbon Community Programme for Growth and Jobs Transfer of Businesses – Continuity through a new beginning, 14.3.06 http://ec.europa.eu/prelex/detail_dossier.cfm?CL=en&ReqId=0&DocType=COM&DocYear=2006&DocNum=0117

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