(May 29) An efficient use of resources, technology and innovation to support for small and medium-sized enterprises: Europe searches the right path to 2020. The conference-debate “Mission Growth : Europe at the Lead of the New Industrial Revolution”, underway in Brussels, has the clear goal to restore the EU’s ability to compete with new markets and face the crisis and the rising public debt of its member States. In his speech, EU Vice-President of the European Commission Antonio Tajani, following the words of President José Manuel Barroso, said that “Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) represent 99% of EU companies and provide 67% of all jobs. A recent study points out that 85% of newly created jobs is generated by SMEs. The way out of the crisis must be based on the support to enterprises efforts to innovate, to improve quality and sustainability and to export. In such a troubled situation,” continues Tajani, “in which governments ask citizens and enterprises for sacrifices and for fiscal loyalty, I believe it is a moral duty, and not only a legal obligation, that public administration be timely in paying their debts towards companies. For this reason, the immediate implementation of the Directive on Late Payments is necessary without waiting for March 2013. This directive would unlock 180 billion for enterprises. Thousands of companies’ going bankrupt could then be avoided without further loss of jobs and with a positive impact on public finance itself.” (Lam/Peg)
