ESBA - The Independant Voice for Small Business

ESBA backs member's campaign to reduce admin burdens

Brussels, 1st October 2007

Supported by ESBA, the UK Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) today begins an innovative campaign on cutting adminstrative burdens. An introductory short film, which will be followed by a four-film series to be released during October, will be launched by European Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen at a reception in Brussels attended by Policy Makers, stakeholders and entrepreneurs this evening.

The FSB’s campaign, which is based on conversations with over one hundred SME owners, represents a contribution by the small business sector to the Commission’s Better Regulation initiative. Research conducted by the FSB has revealed that small business entrepreneurs spend on average over 7 hours each week filling in forms and reporting! As the first film - entitled “What would you do with 7 extra hours in your week?” - shows, they consider this is time that could be spent much more productively.

Speaking ahead of the Film’s launch, ESBA’s Senior Brussels Representative, Frédéric Soudain said: ‘Small business owners do not want to do away with all legislation. In many instances, it is necessary and fair. However, the overall administrative burden at both national and European level is excessive. Bureaucratic form filling and reporting is preventing entrepreneurs from fulfilling their role as the drivers of growth and jobs in Europe. Giving them back their 7 hours would make a huge difference.’

ESBA applauds the FSB’s campaign. 99% of all enterprises in the EU are SMEs and it has been estimated that cutting red tape could boost the EU’s economy by €150 billion. The FSB’s films and accompanying publication however reveals the real benefits of better regulation. With 7 extra hours a week, 58% of entrepreneurs interviewed would spend time training staff or working with schools and 50% would develop their business. 39% would support their local communities and 37% would spend more time with their families - making Europe a better place in which to live and work.

‘The small business community fully supports the Commission’s goal of reducing administrative burdens by 25% by 2012,’ ESBA’s President, Tina Sommer, who is also Chairman for EU Affairs at the FSB, added. ‘Now though is the time to act. It is vital that Policy Makers talk and listen to small business owners and the FSB’s campaign is an important part of this dialogue.’ In this context, ESBA welcomes the recent launch by Vice-President Verheugen of an online consultation, which invites entrepreneurs to identify unnecessary red tape, and the forthcoming establishment of a High Level Group on administrative burdens. ESBA will continue to work with all of its member organisations to help SMEs across Europe claim their 7 hours back.

The FSB’s publication is now at http://www.fsb.org.uk/documentstore/filedetails.asp?id=382

The FSB’s 1^st short film is now at http://www.fsb.org.uk/data/default.asp?id=529&loc=policy

The Commission’s new consultation is at ec.europa.eu/enterprise/admin-burdens-reduction/

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Note to the editor:

The European Small Business Alliance (ESBA) is a non-party political European group, which cares for small business entrepreneurs and the self-employed and represents them through targeted EU advocacy activities. ESBA also works towards the development of strong independent advocacy and benefits groups in European countries. ESBA is one of the largest organisations based on free/voluntary membership in Europe. Through its direct membership, associate membership and cooperation agreements, ESBA today represents almost one million small businesses and covers 35 European countries. For more information, please contact: secretariat@esba-europe.org

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Page last updated: 02/10/2007 3:54:03 PM