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23 June 2011: ESBA Annual Event

June 7 2011


The European Small Business Alliance kindly invites you to the ESBA ANNUAL EVENT 2011: Upgrading SMEs potential: turning challenges into opportunities
Brussels, 23 June 2011 09.30h - 16.30h, Radisson Blu Hotel, Rue d'Idalie 35 (Next to the European Parliament)

The importance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to the European economy has become ever more evident since the financial crisis hit the EU. ''SMEs are the backbone of our economy'' has become a popular statement. Indeed more than 99% of all enterprises are SMEs, and over 90% are micro-businesses, with less than 10 employees. How can we make sure that SMEs are helped to boost innovation, make maximum use of the opportunities offered by the EU and create more European jobs? These questions will be the focal point of this year's ESBA Annual Event.

Programme:

Welcoming coffee (09.30)

''Getting small businesses online''
(10.00h - 12.00h):

The European Union is undergoing an irreversible shift towards a knowledge-based and digital economy. To remain competitive, small businesses must keep up with new developments at rapid pace, which can be quite challenging. How far should small businesses go? Do they all need to be online? How can they fully benefit from current opportunities? During our morning session, our experts will share their views and engage in a panel debate, followed by an interactive Q&A with the audience.

Speakers in the morning session will be:
¢ Constantijn van Oranje-Nassau - Cabinet of Commission Vice-President Neelie Kroes
¢ Bendt Bendtsen - MEP,EPP Group
¢ Marko Curavic - Head of Unit Entrepreneurship, DG Enterprise and Industry
¢ Tina Sommer - ESBA President and IT consultant
¢ Simon Hampton - Director Google
¢ Small business entrepreneur (tbc)

Networking coffee (12.00h)

''Improving communication: how to reach the SME''
(14.00h - 16.30h, coffee break at 15.00):

Although there has been much attention for SMEs on EU level the past years, actual small businesses in the Member States know very little about the EU and what it means to for their business. General knowledge about the EU is that it is responsible for the added administrative burden to their daily operations, but little is known about the opportunities the EU offers to their businesses. This is to a large extent is due to a lacking communication between the EU institutions and the the small entrepreneur. In its revision of the Small Business Act, the European Commission acknowledges the need for an improved communication strategy. How can we improve the flow of information? What needs to be done to ensure maximum participation by small businesses in what the EU has to offer? This panel of high level experts will offer its views and engage in a panel discussion, followed by Q&A with the audience.

List of speakers for the afternoon session:
¢ Joana Drake - Director SMEs and Entrepreneurship(ENTR)
¢ Dennis de Jong (MEP)
¢ Tina Sommer - ESBA President
¢ Willy Helin - Head of the Representation of the European Commission to Belgium
¢ Georg Raab - DG Enterprise and Industry

Please register for this event by sending a confirmation email to secretariat@esba-europe.org, indicating whether you would like to attend the morning session, afternoon session or both.

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