Small and Medium-sized companies, the key assets for economic recovery

Barcelona (CNA).- In an act with the President of the Committee of the Regions of the European Union, the Italian Mercedes Bresso, the Catalan Minister for Innovation, Universities and Business, Josep Huguet, has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to small and medium-sized businesses as the engine to exit the economic crisis. These companies represent, according to Huguet, “the nuclear element” of the country’s productive fabric. Catalonia has received the award for “European region 2012” and will be pioneering the implementation of the Small Business Act 2010-2013 strategy.
Minister Huguet feels confident that Catalonia “will recover from the economic crisis with its companies in a good shape, and with muscle”. He also thinks that Catalonia will become “a European referent” with “better, larger and more innovative companies”.

Catalonia will be a pioneer, implementing the European strategy to support small and medium-sized companies with the Small Business Act (SBA) 2010-2013. A committee has been set up to review and evaluate the implementation of the SBA’s recommendations and concrete actions. The Economics professor at the Universitat de Barcelona, Maria Callejon, will coordinate this expert group.

The Minister has explained that the implementation plan, written by the Secretary of Industry and Business of the Catalan Government, consists of 47 actions. Its objective is that Catalonia will exit the economic crisis with greater strength and that it will keep its position as one of Europe’s engines, where small and medium-sized businesses will lead the recovery. Huguet also stressed that one of the plan’s goals is to increase the size of Catalan companies; in 2013 the average size should exceed 4 employees. Another goal is to increase to about 20% the number of companies and that have a consolidated international presence.

Besides, Catalonia has been awarded with the prize of the “European dynamic region of 2012”. The European Union awarded Catalonia for its policy regarding small and medium-sized businesses.

The President of the Committee of the Regions, Mercedes Bresso, has affirmed that, if Catalonia’s experience goes well, it will be an example of “good practices” for the rest of European regions. Bresso has pointed out the “political engagement” of Catalonia with small and medium-sized businesses. She has also commented on the importance of territorial strategies for businesses.

The Catalan Minister for Innovation, Universities and Business has presented the Catalan strategy for small and medium-sized businesses in front of a specialised audience. Among the listeners there were representatives from the chambers of commerce, employer associations such as Foment del Treball (the main business association) and Pimec (the association of small and medium-sized businesses). The Spanish Federation of Independent Workers, ATA, was also present. They all support the implementation plan of the SBA in Catalonia.