1. The international comparison of the SME statistics of the CEECs Availability of data Comparability of data Impact on SME indicators More careful use of the data Recommendations CEECs Central and Eastern European Countries UNECE: 27 CITs European Countries in Transition 8 Accession Countries (ACs) : from this: 3 OECD members 2 Candidate Countries (CCs) 5 other Eastern European countries 12 CIS countries

2. Availability of data National publications Statistical yearbooks SME reports Working papers International publications UN ECE ILO, UNCTAD, UNIDO, World Bank OECD European Commission Observatory of European SMEs /First glance 2002/ Eurostat publications /DOSME, SBS, Scoreboards/ Regional publications

3. Comparability of data Registered and active enterprises The role of licensing, tax and other regulations The non-observed economy Criteria of activity Inputed employment Pluriactivity, hybrid entrepreneurs Portfolio entrepreneurs Full employment + business Part time employment + business Pensionars business Pseudo-entrepreneurship /Employment – Wages/

4. Impact on SME indicators On enterprise density On entrepreneurial dynamism On average enterprise size On employment share On other measures of entrepreneurship

5. More careful use of the data 1/ in presentation 2/ in interpretation Registered or active enterprises All enterprises or enterprises of the private sector Data including or excluding agricultural activities The SMEs share in total GDP/employment of the economy or the business sphere Employment size-classes with or without correction based on the EU value indicators criteria Enterprise group links? Independence?

6. Recommendations More information on the available data Facilitated access to data More careful presentation of the data More careful interpretation of the data Surveys, studies on the impact of pluriactivity, pseudo-entrepreneurship, country-specific regulations Improved comparability Bilateral comparative studies Periodical syntheses