This note responds to issues raised in the course of the negotiations between Commission Services and Member States on the matter of direct support to SMEs in Operational Programmes for the 2007-13 programming period.
The success of the Lisbon partnership for growth and jobs depends to an important degree on Europe’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). They play a crucial role in fostering entrepreneurship, competitiveness and innovation and hence to the achievement of sustainable growth and development. The Commission implements a range of policy measures specifically to assist SMEs in Europe.