Small businesses: unlocking Europe's potential - EurActiv Stakeholder Workshop EURACTIV

The 23 million small- and medium-sized companies in the European Union represent 99 percent of businesses. EU institutions have put them at the heart of the Europe 2020 strategy and specific Flagship Initiatives -- such as the
Innovation Union and the Digital Agenda. How can the internet contribute to the growth of traditional SMEs and Europe's economy at large?

EurActiv Stakeholder Workshop; An event organised by Fondation EurActiv with the support of Google.

Contributors include:

• Ioannis TSOUKALAS, MEP
• Michel CATINAT, HoU ICT for Competitiveness and
• Industrial Innovation, DG ENTR
• Werner STENGG, HoU On-line Services, DG MARKT
• Tina SOMMER, President ESBA
• Joan Pijuan, Mainada Kids (Spanish SME)
• John HERLIHY, Vice President, Online Sales, Google


In 2011, the French Government released a study which
highlighted that small and medium business who were
heavily using web technologies were growing and
exporting twice as much as those that were not online.
How can we ensure that more businesses are brought
online, driving revenue and employment in Europe as well
as cross-border competitiveness?

A 2010 study, The Connected Kingdom, highlighted that in
2009 the UK Internet economy was already worth 7.2% of
GDP ,larger than the construction, transport and utilities
industry. The study projected that the sector is growing at
a rate of 10% a year. How can we ensure that such
growth is achieved on a pan-European basis and that the
regulatory framework that is currently being built supports
such expansion?

Over the past 15 years, over 700,000 jobs have been
created in France by the Internet, comprising 25% of all
jobs created in that period. Moreover, McKinsey data has
shown that for every one job lost, 2.4 jobs were created.
How can we ensure that SMEs can thrive online to
stimulate employment and create jobs?

Sound and proportionate EU policies will be crucial to
unlocking the online potential for SMEs, including in areas
like cross-border e-commerce, e-skills and broadband
infrastructure. Are SMEs' needs and requirements in
getting online being addressed in upcoming SME
legislation and in future decision-making in areas such as
e-commerce, data protection and intellectual property?

Small businesses: unlocking Europe's potential - EurActiv Stakeholder Workshop
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