The EPP Group welcomes the Small Business Act (SBA) midterm review presented by European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani, and expresses its support for the new proposals which have been made. According to the EPP Group's SME Circle Chairman, Bendt Bendtsen MEP, and the Chairman of the European Parliament Intergroup on SMEs, Othmar Karas MEP, Member States have to act quickly to ensure the full implementation of the EU policy framework that is strengthening European SMEs.

The MEPs particularly welcomed the proposals on improving SMEs' access to finance and on the SME performance review. "Two years after the adoption of the SBA, it is clear that Member States have to step up their efforts to implement this policy framework. The Commission's regular monitoring has to ensure that implementation is carried out in a systematic and comprehensive manner", Othmar Karas MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group, said.

Bendt Bendtsen MEP appreciated the emphasis on the implementation of the 'SME test'. He criticised that according to the Commission's assessment, only a few Member States are applying this instrument: "The SME test can only unveil its full benefits if applied in an independent manner and throughout the whole legislative process. The Commission's SME test will be of no use if Member States continue gold plating, i.e. asking businesses to do more than required when transposing EU Directives into national law". MEPs Bendtsen and Karas called on the Commission to put forward minimum standards for the implementation of an SME test in national law-making.

In Europe, SMEs represent more than 99% of all European businesses and are crucial to our economic growth and job creation in Europe. "Successful small and medium-sized enterprises are vital for driving innovation and an increased competitiveness of Europe's economy. In this context, the Commission's Communication strikes the right note to revitalise the SBA policy priorities such as the 'Think Small First' principle."

The new SBA proposals include concrete measures such as improved access to finance, a smart Regulation to enable SMEs to concentrate on core business, making full use of the Single Market and helping those SMEs facing globalisation.

European Commission's Small Business Act for Europe.

For further information:

Bendt BENDTSEN MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845125

Othmar KARAS MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845627

Peter Adler, EPP Group Press & Communications Service, Tel: +32-474-203005

Daniel Köster, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, Tel: +32-487-384784