Environmental Compliance Assistance Programme for SMEsSmall, Clean and Competitive

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) traditionally find it harder to comply with environmental legislation than their larger counterparts. In general, the smaller the company, the more difficult it is.
Although there is a cost implication in compliance, companies that do take action can benefit from lower energy bills and greater efficiency in their operations.
The European Commission understands the pressures faced by small businesses and is taking action to help them. It has proposed an Environmental Compliance Assistance Programme to make it easier for SMEs to comply with their obligations and improve their environmental performances.

There are a number of areas where action is being taken:

• Minimising the administrative burden on companies
• Helping SMEs integrate environmental concerns into their businesses
• Supporting regional and national networks
• Building up local know-how
• Improving communication

Small, clean and competitive - A programme to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) comply with environmental legislation:

• Press release of 8 October 2007 
• Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the regions 
  
   
  
• Summary of the Impact Assessment,SEC(2007)907
  
   
  
• Case studies and good practices in Environmental Compliance Assistance, SEC(2007)908  [384 Kb]
• Impact Assessment, SEC(2007)906  [239 Kb]

Preparatory documents

• Analysis of specific initiatives at national and local level and identification of best practices [374Kb]
• A Comparative Analysis of the Environmental Management, Performance and Innovation of SMEs and Larger Firms, Julien Labonne/CL Conseil 2006 [187 Kb]
  
• In order to assess policy approaches applied in EU Member States, a questionnaire was sent in 1997 to the national governments. Their replies have been analysed in a report which also contains a section on conclusions and recommendations

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