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EU should ?concentrate on small businesses?

The EU should focus more on the potential of small and medium-sized businesses to innovate, according the European small and medium-sized businesses organisation UEAPME. The employers’ group argues that the EU must do more for small businesses, in terms of both funding and policy-making.

“Most of the innovation in Europe is actually made and implemented by small and medium-sized businesses, whose methods are characterised more by ongoing permanent innovation processes than by linear, research driven inventions,” UEAPME said in a statement.

The group’s report also calls for start-up businesses to be given better access to finance in order for them to realise their full potential. They also stressed the importance of promoting knowledge transfers via technology centres and incubators.

Paul Reckinger, UEAPME president, said: “The European Commission has recognised in its latest communications the need to expand the definition of innovation to focus on SMEs and take account of non-technical innovation in all economic sectors. “This new approach must now be implemented in all policy areas to become of use. “Small businesses would definitely benefit from a new, refined innovation policy both at EU and member state level.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .