1. Initiative to improve SME Statistics
Making European SME data more meaningful for Policy making
SBS Working Group Meeting
Luxemburg, 20 November 2014
Christian WEINBERGER,
Senior Adviser - Entrepreneurship & SME Policy
European Commission - DG Enterprise

2. Setting the Scene

3. 85% of new jobs are created by SMEs
So creating more start-ups will create more jobs
But what if …
… all these SMEs are created as Spin-offs of large companies

4. We have 23 Mio SMEs in Europe
So creating one new job in each company would easily create 23 Mio new jobs
But what if …
… all these SMEs are One Person Companies

5. SMEs have 65 Million employees
This represents 1/3 of the whole EU labour force (188 mio)
In the sectors covered they employ 68% of the sector workforce
Does that mean that the number of SMEs in the non-covered sector is as high as in those covered ?

6. Need to provide impact assessment data
Some EU Directives only apply to legal companies
e.g. the accounting directive
How many of the 23 mio SMEs have to follow the requirements of the accounting directives?

7. The requirements

8. Size categories

9. How to account for partners

10. Implement the official EU SME Definition 1
Implement the official EU SME Definition 1.a full respect of the employee brackets of the definition 1.b taking into account partner enterprises 1.c respecting the limits for turnover and balance sheet total

11. remove the current limitation to certain NACE sections (only B to J, L, M and N) and extend the coverage to ALL business sectors in particular - the financial sector, - health & social sector, - education & training sector, - agriculture, forestry and fishery - and others

12. Introduce the additional size class OPE of one-person-enterprise, i. e
Introduce the additional size class OPE of one-person-enterprise, i.e. companies with no full time permanent employee except the owner "non-employer businesses"

13. distinguish between the legal form of companies of a) personally held companies such as - self-employed, - sole proprietors, - partnerships, etc. and b) separate legal entities (separate from the owner(s)) like - Ltd, srl, GmbH, - share companies (SA, AG, PLC) - co-operatives etc.

14. Make data available not only at Member States level but also at regional level (NUTS2)

15. 5 dimensional Matrix
- size class (one person, micro, small, medium, large) 
- part of an enterprise group or not
- activity (NACE)
- legal form
- territory (MS, region)

16. The SME Envoys
The 28 national SME-Envoys (incl. HR)
EU SME-Envoy

17. Role and Tasks Inside Outside watchdog function (Think Small First)
burden reduction ( SME Test)
Co-ordination of Public Services
Identify and spread Good Practices
Build links
Outside
Dialogue with SME organisations
Inform and Communi-cate with "SME Public"
Focal point for com-plaints & suggestions
Collect Feedback on new initiatives & legislation
Facilitate Access to SME Programs & Support

18. SBA SME Portal SME definition SME Test SME Envoys
SME Portal
SME Performance Review
SME definition
SME Test
SME Envoys