UK proposes package to support first-time entrepreneurs
Proposals for a new package to support first time entrepreneurs and growing businesses, particularly those run by members of under-represented groups, has been announced by the UK Minister for small business, Nigel Griffiths. The initiative is aimed at boosting the UK's enterprise culture and encouraging more people to set up their own business, particularly women, people from ethnic minorities and those from disadvantaged areas. 'We're determined to create a culture of enterprise where entrepreneurs from all walks of life are given the skills and confidence to put their ideas into practice,' said Mr Griffiths. 'We're also keen to increase the take-up of business advice, as it can make a big difference to success or failure. We're going to drive up the quality and relevance of advice to make more businesses consider using it,' he added. The proposed package includes: - a starter pack for all prospective entrepreneurs, explaining what assistance is available and what they need to do when setting up a business; - boosting business success by increasing the numbers seeking advice and improving the standards of business advisors (research shows that those firms taking up advice are 20 per cent more likely to survive than those that do not); - setting up a national policy forum for start-ups to improve coherence of delivery, ensure services meet customer needs and review existing initiatives; - improving electronic access to information; - encouraging more entrepreneurs to act as role models. EU Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society Erkki Liikanen recently announced a number of Commission actions in response to the Barcelona European Council in March 2002, which called for a more favourable environment for entrepreneurship and competitiveness. The Commission will publish a green paper on entrepreneurship in time for next year's Spring Council, before which it also intends to also propose measures to better integrate innovation into a European knowledge area. Later this year, the Commission will also publish a communication on a European innovation policy to foster entrepreneurial innovation, and will encourage the staging of European entrepreneurship days.