Quote of the Week:
"The highest use of capital is not to make more money, but to make
money do more for the betterment of life" - Henri Ford
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ESBA WEEKLY of April 6 2001 - VOL 3 - N° 18
Headlines of WEEK 14:
- ENTERPRISE POLICY: Enterprise Policy Group just set up
- INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS: EIRO presents annual review
- TOURISM: Globalisation leaves SMEs behind in tourism sector
- ENTERPRISE POLICY: Consultation with SMEs organisations on BEST
- EMU: Common approach to final phase of euro changeover
- TRADE: EU signs trade facilitation agreement with Japan
- STOCKHOLM SUMMIT: Prodi demands concrete action after Stockholm
- ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Understanding entrepreneurship better
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EU / ENTERPRISE POLICY
Brussels 02/04/2001: Enterprise Policy Group just set up
The European Commission just finalised the selection of candidates
for the professional chamber to be part of the Enterprise Policy Group
together with a Chamber of EU Member States Directors-General
(dealing with SMEs matters at national level). 35 candidates out of more
than 400 have been selected. The list will be available very soon.
ESBA WELCOMES SUCH AN INITIATIVE TO ENSURE THAT THE
COMMISSION CAN MEET DIRECTLY WITH ENTREPRENEURS
FROM TIME TO TIME. THE SELECTION WILL BE FURTHER ANALYSED
IN THE COMING WEEKS BY OUR ORGANISATION. WOULD SOME
SPECIFIC SMALL BUSINESS INTEREST BE UNDERREPRESENTED
OR NOT (notably the self-employed or un-incorporated businesses),
ESBA WILL COOPERATE WITH THIS NEW ENTERPRISE POLICY
GROUP.
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EU / INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
Brussels 02/04/2001: EIRO presents annual review on industrial relations
The annual review of the European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO)
presents the developments in European industrial relations over 2000.
It provides a brief comparative overview of developments across the EU
Member States and the main relevant issues at the EU level and in each of
the individual countries concerned. Examined key issues are collective
bargaining (pay, working time, job security, training and skills
development), as well as legislative developments, the organisation
and role of the social partners, industrial action, National Action Plans
on employment, equal opportunities and diversity issues, information
and consultation of employees and new forms of work. The full report can
be read online:
http://www.eiro.eurofound.ie/2000/review/index.html
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ILO / TOURISM
Geneva 02/04/2001: Globalisation leaves SMEs behind in tourism sector
Although the tourism industry sector has fuelling growth prospects, the
prospects for SMEs (employing over 50% of the sector's workforce) have
become increasingly unclear, according to the ILO report 'Human resources
development, employment and globalisation in the hotel, catering and
tourism sector'.
SMEs have in general certain strengths such as low labour costs, presence
in niche markets and adaptability to customer demands. However, they face
also many threats such as the insufficient access and application of
technology and training, air carrier reservation systems which do not
sufficiently take into account the needs of SMEs and market developments
such as economies of scope and efficiency via mergers, franchising
arrangements and increased linkages between air carriers, hotels, travel
agencies and retail distributors. The report raises attention for the need
to reduce the burden of red tape on SMEs and reduce levels of taxation
that are perceived to be damaging productivity.
The report has been in made in preparation of the tripartite meeting of
industry experts held from 2-6 April in Geneva, where discussions and
guidance for action will focus on employment and labour issues in the
tourism industry. In relation to SMEs and tourism, the report and the
tripartite meeting could be seen as a follow-up of the report issued under
the United Kingdom's Presidency of the EU in 1998, which proposed a
ten-point framework for action in support of SMEs in tourism. These
recommendations were aimed at modernising the sector in the light of
globalisation by raising awareness among SMEs of business support systems,
information technology and the possibilities open to them in respect of
finance, and by providing affordable possibilities for better training for
managers/owners and staff.
The report can be found at:
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/techmeet/tmhct01/tmhctr1
.htm
(copy/paste full link)
_____________________________________________________________
EU / ENTERPRISE POLICY
Brussels 03/04/2001: Consultation with SMEs organisations on BEST
DG Enterprise just held one of its general SMEs consultation meeting this
week aiming at presenting the new developments of the BEST
PROCEDURE. The European Commission indicated that it is keen to
ensure that BEST can deliver results, namely developing the profile of
important initiatives for SMEs and ensuring that Member states will
perform real best practices. Some of the 11 projects to be undertaken
in 2001 were discussed.
ESBA INDICATED THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO FURTHER FOCUS
THE BEST PROCEDURE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TOPICS FOR
SMALL BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURS. ONLY 4 TO 6 ISSUES SHOULD
BE SELECTED FOR 2002. ESBA ALSO CALLED THE COMMISSION
TO CONSULT SMES ORGANISATIONS BEFORE SELECTING THESE
TOPICS. THIS CONSULTATION DID NOT TAKE PLACE FOR THE CURRENT
LIST OF PROJECTS.
______________________________________________________________
EU / EMU
Brussels 03/04/2001: Common approach to final phase of euro changeover
Representatives of European consumers, craft organisations, the
distributive trades, the tourism industry and SMEs signed an agreement of
good practices to promote consumer familiarity and to facilitate the
introduction of euro coins and notes. The agreement builds upon and
reinforces the voluntary commitments already agreed within the framework
of the Euro Logo Agreement of 1998.
The agreement's main objectives are to increase awareness, confidence,
understanding of the euro among consumers before the end of 2001.
Retailers agreed to start displaying prices in euros from September
(latest) and commit themselves to do everything to ensure the overall
stability of their price level when fixing prices in euro ("new currency,
stable prices"). The parties call on Member States to intensify
communication campaigns and to increase efforts to familiarise the public
with the euro. More info:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/document/euro/declaration_02_04_
2001/declaration_02_04_2001_en.htm
(copy/paste full link)
A communication of the European Commission on the preparations for the
introduction of euro notes and coins, presented just after the signed
agreement, showed as indicated already several times (e.g. see ESBA WEEKLY
Vol. 3 - N. 12), that SMEs are lagging behind in the preparations.
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EU / TRADE
Brussels 04/04/2001: EU signs trade facilitation agreement with Japan
The agreement is a mutual recognition of technical testing and controls.
In the future, producers will be able to test their products within the EU
according to Japanese rules in order to gain access to the Japanese market
and vice versa. Previously it was required that this type of testing was
carried out in the importing country. The agreement will improve market
access between Japan and the EU by reducing costs (as duplicate tests can
be avoided), thereby bringing benefits to producers, importers and
consumers.
The products covered are pharmaceuticals, chemicals, telecommunication
equipment and electrical equipment. Other sectors are scheduled to be
included after an initial two year period. The agreement, on which
negotiations begun in 1995, will come into force in the autumn after
ratification by both sides. Similar agreements have already been concluded
with the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
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EU / STOCKHOLM SUMMIT
Strasbourg 04/04/2001: Prodi demands concrete action after Stockholm
In his speech for the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg,
the President of the European Commission argued that "Stockholm provides a
very good basis for action over the next twelve months", but that
"effective ACTION by the EU is the only way to win public support for the
European project". He concluded his speech, after having assessed the
results of the Stockholm Summit, with the need to close the gap between
rhetoric and reality in Europe, as what matters at the end of the day is
action to create jobs, disseminate new skills, to recruit and train
teachers, and action in national parliaments to cut red tape.
______________________________________________________________
EU / ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Zoetermeer 05/04/2001: Understanding entrepreneurship better
The EIM has presented in a new publication an eclectic theory of
entrepreneurship to create a better understanding of the different role
that entrepreneurship plays in different countries and time periods (of
which the causes and consequences are currently extensively debated
amongst scientists). The integrated framework which the theory presents
should help to guide future empirical research in this area and to provide
insights for policymakers striving to promote entrepreneurship.
The theory focuses not only on the country level of analysis but is also
linked to the level of individual occupational choices. The analysis make
a distinction between the supply side and the demand side of
entrepreneurship. Key elements of the supply side are the demographic
composition of the population, the resources and abilities of individuals,
and their attitudes towards entrepreneurship. The demand side represents
the opportunities for entrepreneurship.
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