Support services for very small businesses
The Enterprise Directorate-General has launched an initiative to provide comprehensive elements for policy actions aimed at supporting and reinforcing specific support services for micro, small and sole proprietors' businesses. A Commission statement notes that 'smallest businesses are the backbone of job-creation in the EU. Nevertheless, they are fragmented and have special needs in areas such as start-up, consultancy, general management, legal advice, information, marketing, training, access to research and innovation, access to and implementation of new technologies, access to finance, internationalisation. 'The insufficient or unreliable provision of high-quality external advice is the major impediment to the start up and sustainable development of these businesses.' The Commission is therefore inviting tender applications in two areas, analytical and operational: - analytical: a systematic analysis across the EU of existing external support services tailored to the needs of smallest businesses according to the type of business (traditional or fast growing) and to the business life cycle, and an assessment of whether existing support services actually meet such needs. - operational: the organisation of and follow up to a large international seminar for the multilateral presentation, discussion of the results. For further information please contact: The European Commission Enterprise Directorate-General Unit B3 rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200 B- 1049 Brussels Fax +32-2-2954590