European Conference on Craft and Small Enterprises - 4th edition
Stuttgart, 16/17 April 2007
Challenges and opportunities for craft and small enterprises in the European Single Market
Introduction
Craft and small enterprises represent some 98% of all enterprises in Europe. They employ 40-65% of the workers in the private sector of the Member States, have a share in turnover of the private sector of 25-55%. Their share in deliveries to other Member States and exports to third countries is equivalent to some 10-20%. Some 80% of their activities are offered at local or regional level.
The recent enlargement of the EU considerably changed the challenges for craft and small enterprises. Craft and small businesses in the new Member States need to comply with the European technical standards and the European legislation. They must modernise their production and service equipments and gain access to finance. Craft and small businesses in the old Member States have to face increased competition and need to improve their competitiveness by recourse to innovation, technology, education and training. To a considerable extent craft and small enterprises have to rely on support services offered by their business associations and the public authorities at local, regional, national or European level.
Since the last European Conference on Craft & Small Enterprises in Milan 1997, the dynamics of globalisation have had fundamental impacts on the business environment of these enterprises and therefore on Europe's economy as a whole. A new in-depth discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of this important economic sector is necessary.
The conference organized at the initiative of Vice President Verheugen addressed the specific challenges for craft and small enterprises as an integral part of the EU's modern SME policy. It provided an opportunity to take stock of the wide spectrum of the economic, social and cultural strengths of the craft sector, and to present successful best practices. It was also an opportunity to analyse the competitiveness of craft and small enterprises in the Single Market, to identify challenges and to provide input to help the sector to better take advantage of the business opportunities offered by the Single Market. It further highlighted the necessity to adapt business to future needs.
In order to facilitate the integration of the craft and small business sector of the new Member States in the single European market, two preparatory conferences were organised in the new Member States (29/30 June 2006, Warsaw and 20/21 November 2006, Budapest). They were part of the preparatory phase leading to the 4th European Craft Conference in Stuttgart.
This conference concluded the vast cycle of discussions around three themes: it dealt with topics such as skills for the future (skilled entrepreneurs and staff, life-long learning in small enterprises, skills, qualifications and mobility), developing new markets (business opportunities within and beyond the European Single Market, new markets for products and services, sustainable economy regarding energy and environment) and improving the business environment (support structures, business support networks in Europe, standardisation).
The importance of this conference was underlined by the participation of high level representatives from European, national and regional level including Mr. Verheugen, Vice-President of the Commission, who opened the conference and Mrs Angela Merkel, president of the Council of the European Union, Chancellor of Germany, who closed the conference. Michael Glos (German Federal Minister of Economics and Technology) and Günther H. Oettinger (Prime Minister of the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg) completed this prestigious forum.
The conference was targeted at entrepreneurs and their business organisations as well as Chambers, experts from Member States, employers' associations, universities and national administrations.
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Conference programme
[62 KB] 
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Final declaration of the Conference - multilingual document [125 KB]
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Poster [525 KB]
Practical information
Where : Kultur- & Kongresszentrum Liederhalle (KKL)
Berliner Platz 1-3, D-70174 Stuttgart
When : 16 & 17 April 2007
(Welcome night before, 15-04-07, Chamber of Craft Industries of the region of Stuttgart, Heilbronner Strasse 43, D-70191 Stuttgart)
Press Corner
Speeches and presentations
Chancellor A. Merkel
Vice President G. Verheugen
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Speech [75 KB]
Federal Minister M. Glos
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Speech [41 KB]
Presentations and summaries
Speakers
J. Bartnik Slides [169 KB] Summaries [107 KB]
N. Bjorn-Andersen Slides [303 KB]
P. Cormoreche Slides [264 KB] Summaries [42 KB]
D. Croft Slides [978 KB] Summaries [216 KB]
A. De Blignieres Slides [180 KB] Summaries [19 KB]
D. Dupont Slides [70 KB]
C. Guy Quint Summaries [22 KB]
A. Henkel Slides [195 KB] Summaries [39 KB]
N. Höptner Slides [689 KB] Summaries [43 KB]
P. Jean Slides [45 KB]
R. Kassai Summaries [22 KB]
J. Kreicbergs Summaries [9 KB]
J. Lardin Summaries [19 KB]
J. Meglic Slides [170 KB] Summaries [51 KB]
M. Ni Cheallaigh Summaries [25 KB]
M. Nowak Slides [91 KB] Summaries [18 KB]
T. Reichenbach Slides [3 MB]
R. Reichhold Slides [958 KB] Summaries [16 KB]
P. Schäfer Slides [3 MB] Summaries [13 KB]
B. Stalter Summaries [29 KB]
D. Stauch Slides [58 KB]
D. Talaba Slides [475 KB] Summaries [43 KB]
J. Tempel Slides [463 KB]
M. Toffetti Summaries [14 KB]
H. Traublinger Slides [2 MB] Summaries [9 KB]
