Small and medium sized companies in the euro zone are struggling to get bank funding, with banks increasingly turning down loan applications. The results of a new European Central Bank (ECB) survey show, that access to bank loans continued to deteriorate.

Entrepreneurship education is being increasingly promoted in most European countries, according to a new report published by the European Commission. Eight countries (Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Wales and the Flemish part of Belgium) have launched specific strategies to promote entrepreneurship education.

Co-operatives are an important part of European economic life and industry. There are 250,000 co-operative enterprises in the EU, owned by 163 million citizens (1 in 3 EU citizens) and they employ 5.4 million people.

Standards are a decisive tool in international competition. New lists of harmonised standards are now available: Electromagnetic compatibility, pressure equipment, radio and telecommunications terminal equipment and simple pressure vessels. No doubt, a good standard can ease consumers' life and enhance European competitiveness and technological leadership in global markets.