G ROW I N G YO U R BUS I N E SS
connecting with international networks Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) at Cork Chamber recently participated at the EEN annual conference. Over 800 participants from 60 countries gathered in Helsinki from 21-23 October 2019 for three days of intensive learning, sharing and networking. The EEN affords Cork Chamber ready access to a broad international network focussed on supporting Europe’s SMEs. A common thread that ran throughout the conference was the theme of sustainability: in particular the need to mainstream sustainability into policies and into Europe’s SMEs and the work of the Enterprise Europe Network. Specifically, this year’s programme focused on: Innovation support, Internationalisation, Sustainability, Access to Finance and Industrial Policy and Single Market. Keynote speaker, entrepreneur Suvi Haimi from the Finnish
Suvi Haimi, Sulapac
company Sulapac (www.sulapac. com) spoke about her commitment to producing a sustainable product that would help reduce waste. The company has created a biodegradable alternative to plastic that can even be produced using existing plastic processing machinery. She also highlighted that crucial to the success of her company was the access to EU SME Instrument funding and the Network’s support.
Her innovative idea has now attracted major investors including luxury goods company Chanel. As a result of the visit to Helsinki, EEN Cork is working with colleagues at EEN Finland to follow up on opportunities which have arisen from the conference, particularly in the maritime sector and the European Maritime Day due to be held in Cork on 14-15 May 2020.
EU SME growth outlook 2020 Enterprise Europe Network’s 2019 survey provides a snapshot of the current situation for SMEs in Europe, based on data from businesses using the Network’s gathered services.
Broadly, this is the EU’s seventh year of consecutive economic growth. This is good news for businesses and good news for citizens employed and using their services. Considering that SMEs represent 99% of the EU companies in the nonfinancial business sector and employ two-thirds of workers, strengthening SMEs is one of the priorities of the new EU Commission. The new Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen has said SMEs “represent everything that is good in our economy”.
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Specifically, the EEN survey shows that small and medium-sized enterprises with international ambitions remain cautiously optimistic about their near-term growth. However, the consensus is that the EU must do even more to sustain growth and prepare for the future. Ultimately, the EU economy must tap into the potential of digitalisation and make the transition to sustainability with SMEs at the heart of the economy. While optimism levels for turnover, market share and job creation over the coming year fell slightly compared to 2018, they remained broadly consistent with figures for the past two years. This year’s star performer was Estonia where SMEs were the most optimistic for the coming 12 months across all three categories of growth. Greece, Sweden and Romania also scored well above average.
Across the EEN network: • Turnover prospects remain positive 59% of SMEs who internationalise expect to increase their turnover in the next 12 months. • Job creation stays stable 30% of SMEs seeking to develop their business beyond their national borders expect to create jobs in the next year • Cautious optimism for increased market share 49% of SMEs looking to expand abroad expect to increase their market share in the next 12 months
( Source: Report EEN SME Growth Outlook 2019-20)
