More opportunities, less bureaucracy for small and medium-sized enterprises!

The European Parliament’s plenary session yesterday discussed the situation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union. Fidesz MEP András Gyürk emphasized during the debate that the survival of SMEs, one-person and family businesses is an essential factor for a well-functioning European economy. Therefore, it is crucial to provide assistance for these undertakings. The success of these actions is determined by three factors: reduction of administrative burden, provision of additional funds and granting the necessary respect for SMEs. In her plenary speech, Fidesz MEP Enikő Győri warned: “The European left wants to further increase the burden on businesses, be it tax or sustainability. Instead, the focus should be on stimulating competitiveness, otherwise the EU will lag behind its competitors definitively”.

In his contribution MEP András Gyürk underlined that the reduction of administrative burden is a crucial component of efficient supporting measures for small- and medium-sized enterprises. „It is positive that the European Commission recognized the importance of reducing red tape for SMEs. In the current situation, it would be particularly irresponsible to burden SMEs with the ideological expectations of the European left. The Commission’s efforts in this area are therefore to be welcomed,” highlighted the Fidesz MEP. The European Commission must provide additional resources and opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises to reflect their importance and role. “It is incomprehensible that, 18 months after taking office, the Commission has been unable to define the role and powers of the EU SME Envoy. Addressing this deficiency is not enough alone, but is a necessary step towards taking due account of the views of SMEs in policy decisions,” declared MEP András Gyürk. 

In her plenary speech, MEP Enikő Győri expressed her content that there is a consensus on the importance of SMEs. Accordingly, she urged a number of concrete steps to support them: “First of all, the SME test of legislation needs to be put into practice,” so that all legislative proposals impact on SMEs is taken into account. “Secondly, the Commission must update its SME strategy published in March last year to take into account the effects of the COVID crisis. Thirdly, the Commission and the Member States should do their utmost to give priority to SMEs in the national recovery plans. The Commission should give Member States a free hand so that they can use EU funds as effectively as possible to help SMEs recover,” she emphasized.

Finally, MEP Győri recalled Ursula von der Leyen’s promise to reduce administrative burdens: “I want to see that every legislative proposal creating new burdens relieves people and businesses of an existing burden. Instead of this the Commission and the European left want to further increase the burden on businesses, be it tax or sustainability. Instead, we need to aim at stimulating competitiveness, otherwise the EU will lag behind its competitors definitively,” concluded the Hungarian MEP.