European Commission, “Annual Report on European SMEs 2013/2014: A Partial and Fragile Recovery“, Final Report – July 2014, SME Performance Review 2013/2014.
The SME Performance Review is one of the main tools the European Commission uses to monitor and assess countries’ progress in implementing the Small Business Act (SBA) on a yearly basis. With an emphasis on the measures from the SBA Action Plan, the review brings comprehensive information on the performance of SMEs in EU Member States and other 9 partner countries. It consists of two parts – Annual Report on European SMEs and SBA country fact sheets.
Brussels, 3 October 2014 – The European Commission published today the 2013/2014 Annual Report on European SMEs. The report, prepared on a yearly basis, provides an overview of the size, structure and importance of SMEs to the European economy and their contribution to growth and jobs, as emphasised in the Small Business Act and Europe 2020 strategy. Comparisons with important partner countries outside the EU and with the large enterprise sector are also included.
There can be no doubt that SMEs have had to navigate a difficult economic terrain in recent years. This Annual Report on the economic performance of European SMEs is a testament to those challenges – but also a window to the progress achieved by businesses across the EU28 in spite of these challenging economic conditions.
