1st JEUNE Convention of young entrepreneurs of craft and small and medium-size enterprises.

The 1st JEUNE Convention will take place in Brussels on Monday, 3rd December at the Representation of the Bavarian Region to the EU. This event is addressed to young entrepreneurs coming from JEUNE’s member organisations.

In the morning, the participants will attend the two-panel JEUNE assembly, which will address issues of interest for the entrepreneurs such as entrepreneurship and access to finance. Representatives of the European Commission (DG Education and Culture) and European Parliament will be among the speakers.

In the afternoon, the delegates will attend the PIN-SME Launch Event “ICT and SMEs: big opportunities for small players”, where Keynote speeches will be delivered by high level representatives from the European Commission and the European Parliament, namely Françoise Le Bail (EC SME Envoy), Othmar Karas (MEP, Vice-President of EPP-ED) and Jorgo Chatzimarkakis (MEP).

We look forward to welcoming you at this event.

The final agenda will be sent to you shortly.

Starting up a new enterprise quicker and cheaper

JEUNE welcomes the European Commission’s mid-term review on SME policy published last 8^th October. JEUNE is pleased with the progress made in some areas such as the reduction of administrative burdens.

However, legislation should be conceived for smaller companies since the very beginning. It is important to underline that the European Commission should be more active in promoting entrepreneurship, in developing entrepreneurial skills through education and in improving the image of entrepreneurs. These factors are currently quite poor across the EU.

In spite of some good results such as the reduction of the average cost of setting up a new company in the EU, which has fallen from 813 Euros in 2002 to 554 Euros in 2007 as well as the reduction in the time needed to register a company from 24 days to about 12 days today, much more needs to be done.

Europeans remain reluctant to start their own business. Three quarters of EU citizens are doubtful of the feasibility of establishing their own company, but attitudes towards entrepreneurship are more positive among the younger generation.

In response to this situation, the European Commission is proposing action to help entrepreneurs avoid bankruptcy, reduce the stigma of business failure and provide a second chance.

JEUNE calls the European Commission to act in this direction and to apply the “think small first” principle in all Community actions.