The next leadership of the European Union must formulate a holistic approach to the issues concerning small and medium entrepreneurship since, the driving force of the European economy, are its small and medium enterprises.

This was noted by the president of the Athens Chamber of Commerce Yannis Hatzitheodosiou speaking at the opening of the 2nd European Conference on Small and Medium Enterprises with the keynote speaker being the former President of the Republic of France, François Hollande, who is in Greece as a guest of the Professional Chamber of Athens, GSEVEE and the Economist.

The president noted in his speech that the new digital revolution is a new leap forward for small and medium entrepreneurship while, in general, brave policies are required for the regeneration of European industry and strengthening its competitiveness.

As he pointed out: “small business size cannot be treated as a disadvantage by definition, in the context of the European economy and the answer to the anxieties of small and medium-sized enterprises cannot be: …Let them grow”.

Therefore, in order for small and medium enterprises to be at the center of the development policies of the new period, the president noted that the principle of Think Small First should be put into practice, ensuring that every piece of legislation takes into account the needs of small and medium enterprises.

He also underlined the need to strengthen the flow of resources and financial tools to small and medium enterprises, with programs adapted to their sizes, diversity, limitations, but also their potential and to increase European resources to support investments in new technologies and the integration of innovations, in the green and digital transition.

“We expect more interventions to create a favorable business environment, with policies that will cover the entire life cycle of the small business, interventions to simplify the regulatory and administrative environment, policies to strengthen the Single Market and the Common Commercial Policy and targeted programs to retrain and upgrade the skills of both entrepreneurs and workers – so that they are not at risk from the changes brought about by artificial intelligence and automation” emphasized Mr. Hatzitheodosiou to continue: “We also expect closer cooperation of the European institutions with the bodies representing small and medium entrepreneurship, such as the chambers, in the framework of the legislative work of the European Union and more networking and partnership programs at the regional and local level, with the activation of chambers, local government, universities and research bodies”.

Concluding his speech, Mr. Hatjitheodosiou noted that the only path for Europe today is the path of solidarity and transformation.

At the same time, the president of the General Confederation of Professional Craft Merchants of Greece, Giorgos Kavvathas, underlined in his speech the need for small and medium-sized businesses to be at the forefront of changes, for the development and prosperity of the next day, as they are the ones who embody the values ​​and principles. , on which the prosperity of Europe has been based in recent decades.

This means, as he said, that the decisions that will be made should take into account the real needs, limitations, but also the possibilities of small and medium entrepreneurship.

“Small and medium-sized enterprises expect an institutional environment where they will not be dragged behind the big ones” and a Europe that will give convincing answers in the coming years, for a sustainable, resilient and inclusive development.

The head of the European Parliament office in Greece, Kostas Tsoutsoplidis he underlined that Europe is called to become an ark of survival in a world of cataclysmic changes. In a world where certainties and rules are gradually undermined and the law of the strongest returns. “The political question is whether everyone will face the problems alone or all together” as he noted.