Quality and SMEs

A conference on "Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Quality", jointly sponsored by the European Commission, DG III, and Eurochambres will be held in Brussels, Belgium, on 1 and 2 April 1998.

The conference will address a series of issues of relevance to SMEs. Among the speakers will be Mr. Stefano Micossi, Director-General for Industry, European Commission (DG III); Mr. Henri Malosse, member of the Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities; and Mr. Ranieri Bombassei, Director for information for business, cooperation and strengthening competitiveness in DG XXIII of the Commission. Results from a questionnaire sent out last year by ACFCI, which targeted 600 SMEs in four pilot countries, including France, Spain, Italy and Germany will also be presented. Other presentations will include:

- Quality, a factor in the competitiveness of SMEs;
- European policy on quality addressing SMEs;
- European initiatives in favour of SMEs relating to a network of experts on quality;
- The degree of utilization of quality systems by SMEs;
- A round table discussion of quality and SMEs;
- The competitiveness of SMEs and the legal business environment;
- Innovative tools for quality.
For further information, please contact:

Assemblée des Chambres Francaises de Commerce et d'Industrie
Ms. Myriam Cahn
1 avenue des Arts
B-1210 Brussels
Tel. +32-2-2210411; Fax +32-2-2176987