Written question asked by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Thursday, 30 April 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 14 May 1998. It was answered by Barbara Roche (Labour) on Thursday, 14 May 1998 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, What action she is taking to encourage EU support for SMEs. (Failed OPQ).

Answer: Mr. Coaker: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action she is taking to encourage EU support for small and medium enterprises. [40990] Mrs. Roche: The Government recognise the important contribution that SMEs make to EU competitiveness and supports effective action at European level to provide an environment in which SMEs can compete and grow. To help ensure this I maintain close contact with the Commission and with my counterparts in other EU Member States on a range of issues affecting SMEs. SMEs have been a key feature of the UK's Presidency of the EU. We have secured agreement on the package of financial measures for job-creating SMEs adopted at the Luxembourg Job Summit, held a discussion at Industry Council on the Commission's proposals for a Directive on late payment and hosted the Enterprising Europe Conference at which delegates from all Member States considered ways of promoting entrepreneurship in the EU. The Cardiff European Council will consider the report of the Business Environment Simplification Taskforce which the Commission set up at the request of the Amsterdam European Council to identify barriers to growth and job creation faced by SMEs.

Secondary information