It seems that the current priority of the entire European Union and its institutions, such as the European Commission and the European Parliament, is the further development of digital Europe, including improving the operating conditions of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
On 10 March, the European Commission presented "SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe". The document is part of an industrial package that aims to help European industry achieve climate neutrality and digital transformation. The strategy contains a comprehensive description of key actions at the level of the EU, Member States and SMEs.
The EU economy is largely based on the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises, which is why the European Commission in its Strategy proposed actions based mainly on three pillars:
- Building capacity and supporting the transformation towards sustainability and digitalization;
- Reducing regulatory burdens and improving market access;
- Better access to financing.
In terms of the second pillar, i.e. the issue of regulatory burdens, it is mainly envisaged to reduce the number of administrative and legal obligations, ensure compliance with the provisions on the digital single market and create laws that are more favourable for SMEs, including, among others:
- encouraging Member States to implement a single digital portal for SMEs,
- appointing an EU SME Envoy who will point out to the Commission initiatives of particular importance to small and medium-sized enterprises,
- mobilising Member States to share best practices through an EU start-up support standard,
- an invitation to participate in pioneering partnerships between border regions,
- Supporting Member States in enforcing the Late Payment Directive by monitoring and exploring the possibility of using alternative dispute resolution/mediation mechanisms for SMEs,
- facilitating cross-border cooperation with and between SMEs within the European Defence Fund,
- supporting Member States in transposing the Directive on preventive restructuring frameworks and second chance.
In turn, the European Parliament can support the acceleration of the introduction of regulations favourable to entrepreneurs by issuing resolutions. These are not binding legal acts, but they are documents expressing the position of the Union on matters important for Europe and containing possible guidelines for the actions of the European Commission, e.g. for it to prepare a specific legislative proposal or take further action. In the years 2010-2023, the Parliament adopted several such resolutions, thus demonstrating its commitment to supporting the development of European small and medium-sized enterprises.
When preparing recommendations in this regard, DELab UW will pay particular attention to barriers in the cross-border provision of services.
Polish small and medium-sized enterprises bear the relatively highest costs of conducting export activities in Europe, which is why further integration is needed in the scope of the single digital market and implementation and harmonization of existing regulations. Due to the current problem of overregulation, we should think more about implementing programs supporting the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises in all markets in the European Union, so that this access is equal for everyone and the requirements to be met are unified. Therefore, when setting the direction of digital policy, the Polish Presidency should focus on conducting initiatives integrating the digital economies of the European Union Member States.
In a dynamically developing world, where technology is an integral part of our lives, the digital single market is the foundation of the future of the European economy. One of the main barriers to its development remains the uneven implementation of common rules. As we take over the presidency of the Council of the European Union, we should introduce an assessment of how Member States achieve the goals related to the single market, which will certainly serve to harmonize the implementation of EU regulations.
Strengthening the digital skills of SME employees is also a key factor in enabling effective competition in the global market in the era of digital transformation. Digitization gives them the opportunity to increase efficiency and expand sales markets, which is why the Polish presidency should promote investment in programs supporting entrepreneurs and openness to accepting specialists from outside the EU.
Particular emphasis should be placed on achieving the objectives of the policy programme “The Way to a Digital Decade”. The document sets out the directions for the development of the digital transformation of the European Union. It focuses on four main areas: digital skills, digital infrastructure, digitalisation of enterprises and digitalisation of public services. In the area of skills, ambitious goals have been set: increasing the number of ICT professionals to over 20 million, improving gender balance in the profession and achieving a level of basic digital skills by at least 80% of the EU population.
