Eurofound - European Parliament Working Lunch: Restructuring in SMEs

14 May 2013, Brussels, Belgium

_Organisation: Eurofound Brussels Liaison Office
Venue: European Parliament, Members' Salon, ASP building, Brussels
_

Restructuring is a general characteristic of economic development as companies have to adapt to remain sustainable and competitive. At European and national level governments and social partners have been engaging in policy debate on the topic and are providing framework conditions and support facilitating change in enterprises. However, discussions mainly focus on large-scale restructuring while restructuring in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) receives much less attention. As a consequence, little is known about the relevance of different restructuring types for SMEs, the motivations for SMEs to change, the characteristics and outcomes of the restructuring processes as well as the fostering and hindering factors for their successful restructuring despite the fact that SMEs represent more than 99% of European businesses and employ about two thirds of private sector employees. It is also acknowledged that SMEs are important contributors to job creation, and even restructuring cases not classified as business expansions may in fact result in new jobs due to more efficient business structures.

Objectives

The objective of the lunch is to discuss with Members of the European Parliament the issue of restructuring in SMEs, the support available to SMEs and their employees, the effectiveness of some of the measures and the awareness level by SMEs about the available support.

The discussion will be based on Eurofound latest findings of the project on Restructuring in SMEs in Europe and the Comparative Analytical Report entitled Public Policy and support for restructuring in SMEs.

Content

MEP Pervenche Berès, Chair of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee and MEP Amalia Sartori, Chair of Industry, Research and Energy Committee will open the lunch. Juan Menéndez-Valdés, Director of Eurofound will also welcome participants and introduce Eurofound research.

Irene Mandl, Research Manager and Donald Storrie, Head of Employment and Change Unit, will introduce the debate and present an overview of available information on restructuring in SMEs, enriched by newly gathered findings dealing with the main success factors and constraints of restructuring in SMEs and the effects on the companies and employees. They will give insight into the appropriateness of public instruments for restructuring considering the importance of SMEs and their specific needs. They will also highlight some policy pointers and potential actions to further improve the framework of SMEs’ restructuring.

Key European Social Partners representatives (BUSINESSEUROPE, ETUC, UEAPME and CEEP) as well as representatives of the European Commission are also invited to contribute to the debate.

Participation is by invitation only.