The European Charter for Small Enterprises has been the backbone of the Commission’s policies towards SMEs since it was drawn up six years ago. Designed to promote improvements in the legislative and administrative framework within which small businesses operate, it is now a vehicle for highlighting examples of good practice from which regulatory authorities across the continent can learn. This new emphasis is the focus of this June’s Charter annual conference in Vienna

Evidence shows that the Charter process is helping more and more countries to learn from each other’s good practices. In 2003, there were only five cases. The following year this rose to 23 and by 2005 it had again climbed to 27.

Denmark, for instance, drew on the experience of Ireland, The Netherlands, Finland, Sweden and Norway when introducing support for small companies to use e-business. Stakeholder consultation in Estonia is modelled on the Danish model, while Austria developed its ‘ABC of Business Start-ups’ on the basis of Germany’s ‘€5 business’ competition.

Several Member States provided inspiration for Hungary’s series of regional programmes to inform SMEs about the single market and for Belgium’s guarantee organisation, SOCAMUT.

The Charter’s annual conferences are one of the main forums for exchanging ideas and experiences. To reinforce that role, the Commission has produced a brochure containing 40 examples of good practice, whittled down from the 155 submitted by Member States, Norway, Bulgaria and Romania.

The cases reflect the three priorities of this year’s conference. The first is to help firms to get more out of the single market by ensuring easy access to information on legislation and standardisation. The second focuses on business support, especially for start-ups and business transfers (see separate articles), while the third covers measures to increase the uptake of e-business.

Over one third of complaints to Euro Info Centres (EIC) from SMEs looking to do business in another country concern difficulties in tracking down the relevant information.

To overcome such obstacles, for instance, Estonia’s chamber of commerce and industry’s EIC has developed a special information service with the Bristol EIC in the United Kingdom. This provides entrepreneurs with weekly data on over 2,500 published procurement notices throughout Europe. Subscribers can also receive information tailored to their needs on a daily basis.

Business support services helping a company to maximise its ability and to deal efficiently with officialdom can often mean the difference between success and failure. In the UK, aspiring business people can obtain The No-Nonsense Guide to Government Rules and Regulations. Written in plain English, it explains the legal and administrative rules. Over 350,000 copies of the guide have been distributed since 2003.

Portugal provides an example of the many initiatives now being taken to encourage the development of e-business. A public-private partnership has created seven information and assistance networks in sectors ranging from furniture to tourism. These provide information, assistance and training to help firms join the digital economy
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/library/ee_online/art10_en.htm
Luther Diedericks
http://www.sabusinesshub.co.za