EU enterprise policy

EU enterprise policy aims to provide an environment that is conducive to business creation and development, and particularly that of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which account for the vast majority of companies in the EU and roughly two-thirds of jobs.

Businesses, whatever their size, are key to the EU’s competitiveness and prosperity. In Article 173 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the EU has set itself the goal of creating the best possible conditions for competitiveness.

EU enterprise policy seeks to support businesses in a number of ways, including:

• supporting sustainable growth, digitisation, competitiveness and resilience;
• facilitating access to finance (e.g. venture and seed capital to encourage start-ups);
• promoting an entrepreneurial culture (education, training and capacity-building);
• making it easier to transfer business ownership;
• destigmatising business failure and allowing honest entrepreneurs a second chance after bankruptcy;
• reducing regulatory burden and facilitating market access within the EU’s internal market and internationally.

SEE ALSO

• Competitiveness
• Horizon Europe
• Internal market
• Research and development
• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• A ‘small business act’ for European SMEs (summary)
• Combating late payment in business dealings (summary)
• European standardisation (summary)
• Micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises: definition and scope (summary)
• Restructuring, insolvency and discharge of debt (summary)
• The principles governing SOLVIT, the problem-solving network for citizens and business (summary)
• SME strategy (European Commission)
• European industrial strategy (European Commission)
• Entrepreneurship and Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (European Commission)
• Enterprise Europe Network (European Commission)
• Practical guide to doing business in Europe (European Commission).