EU told to cut red tape burden for small businesses

The European commission was today presented with a 21-strong suggestion ‘blueprint’ for cutting red tape for Europe’s business community.

The proposals were drawn up by the so-called SME ‘low’ level group’, tasked with the job of determining measures for cutting the administration burden on small and medium sized companies.

One proposal concerns the Intrastat regulation which, the group claims, imposes “burdensome” requirements on firms exporting and importing goods within the EU.

The group suggests that the administrative demands on such firms could easily be reduced.

It also says that SMEs which fall below a certain threshold should be excluded from administrative requirements of the WEE (waste, electrical and electronic equipment) directive.

The work of the group focused on the commission’s 13 priority areas for information obligations for SMEs. Out of the 21 proposals made, eight refer to environmental policy, two concern e-commerce and two relate to transport.

Speaking at a news conference in Brussels on Thursday, Arnaldo Abruzzini, secretary general of Eurochambres, which represents European chambers of commerce and industry, said, “Our proposals represent a potential saving for companies of between €2.5bn and €3.5bn annually.

“The suggestions we are putting to the commission come from the grassroots entrepreneurial community and are a big step towards our goal of achieving 25 per cent less red tape. This, in turn, will allow SMEs to prosper and grow.

“The efficient and constructive work of the low level group shows that, even with a tight budget and in a short time, grassroots experience allows tangible results to be obtained.”

The proposals were being presented to Gunter Verheugen, commissioner for enterprise and industry.

“It is of the utmost importance that the commission takes into account and responds to the concerns of European SMEs,” said Abruzzini.

The group was set up in 2007 the SME union of the EPP, Eurochambres and Jade, the European confederation of junior enterprises, to support the commission’s “high level expert group” to fight against administrative burdens.

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