Small and medium-sized enterprises are the backbone of every economy. In the European Union they make up 99% of all enterprises, account for the majority of new jobs created, and make an important contribution to achieving the European Union's goal of more growth and more and better jobs. So the value of SMEs to an economically competitive Europe is enormous.

SMEs depend on entrepreneurs, the individuals who have the ideas and are willing to take the risks necessary to get a firm off the ground.

Many supranational organisations and national governments all over the world have developed a range of policies to stimulate entrepreneurship, inform and support SMEs and make life easier for small businesses in particular.

For more than 75 years EIM Business & Policy Research, member of Panteia, has been at the forefront of research on SMEs and entrepreneurship in The Netherlands. Since 1990 it has also been a major source of information for the international policymakers, in particular the European Commission.

Should you require any further information on aspects of SMEs, entrepreneurship and business development, please contact us. We will be happy to help you.

Example projects:

Combined ex-ante evaluation and impact assessment of the successor to the Entre-preneurship and Innovation Programme under the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme 2007-2013
Client: DG Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission
Implemented by EIM in cooperation with Consortium Economisti (lead), The Evaluation Partnership and Center for Strategy and Evaluation Services (CSES)
Year ongoing
Reference Multiple framework service contract for the procurement of studies and other supporting services on Commission impact assessments and evaluations: lot 2 Impact assessments on enterprises and mi-croeconomics
The objective of this study is to assist the European Commission in carrying out an impact assessment for an EU expenditure programme being successor to the EIP 2007-2013 in the next multi-annual financial framework. This impact assessment shall include the compulsory elements of an ex-ante evaluation as included in the EC guidelines on evaluation and impact assessments. Issues such as relevance, coherence and synergies, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability will be addressed.

Final evaluation of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation programme
Client: DG Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission
Implemented by EIM in cooperation with Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services (CSES) (lead)
Year 2010-2011
Reference Multiple framework service contracts for the procurement of studies and other supporting services on Commission impact assessments and evaluations lot 6 Evaluations of Community programmes, poli-cies and other activities 1
The objective of the study is to evaluate the Entrepreneurship and Innovation programme (EIP) on issues such as relevance, coherence and synergies, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. The evaluation concentrates on three main blocks in EIP: Financial Instru-ments, Enterprise Europe Network and Eco-innovation. It should also address the activities aiming at supporting innovation. The information is collected on the basis of an internet sur-vey, a telephonic survey and in-depth interviews.

Provision of economic study elements/Data Supply Services for MICREF Database of microeconomic reform
This short study 'Provision of economic study elements/Data Supply Services for MICREF Database of microeconomic reform' is to be carried out in the context of the Framework Contract ENTR/2007/040-1 for the provision of Economic Studies in support of SME Policy development and implementation. The objective of this study is for EIM and its partners to update and complete part of the database, check for consistency between these measures and provide suggestions to improve the use of the database design for econometric analysis. EIM and its partners will thereby focus on measures in the field of 'Business environment and entrepreneurship' in the following countries: France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Commissioned by: DG Economic and Financial Affairs of the European Commission
Organisation: EIM Business & Policy Research
In cooperation with INSMES network including ENSR (ENSR)

The 2012 Survey on Sustainable Enterprise Development in Mediterranean Partner Countries (MEDA)
Client: DG Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission
Implemented by EIM in cooperation with Oxford Research (lead) and International Network for SME Studies (INSMES)
Year ongoing
Reference Framework Contract No ENTR/2007/040-1
DG Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission (EC) has asked EIM Business & Policy Research, the Netherlands and Oxford Research, Denmark to implement this project. The objective of the project is "to identify, analyse, contextualise, and describe policy meas-ures and good practice in Mediterranean partner countries with respect to sustainable en-
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terprise development". The nine MEDA countries covered are: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria and Tunisia.
The project is carried out as part of the present work programme, 2009-2010 of the Work-ing party on Euro-Mediterranean industrial cooperation. The programme focuses on improv-ing the business climate and promoting entrepreneurship through the implementation of the Euro-Mediterranean Charter for Enterprise. The information is collected mainly on the basis of desk research and interviews.

The Annual Report 2009 on European Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
In this project EIM developed an in-depth study preparing the "Annual Report 2009 on European Small and Medium-sized Enterprises", to be carried out in the context of the framework contract ENTR/2007/040-1 for the provision of Economic Studies in support of SME Policy development and implementation. The overarching objective of the assignment is to identify and analyse the current situation of European small and medium-sized enterprises, including EU-27, and the recent policy development they face.
The assignment consists of 2 parts. Part 1 consists of the preparation of an annual report; Part 2 comprises an up-to-date overview and fact-based analysis of recent SME policy developments at country level and the status of the Small Business Act (SBA) implementation at country level.
The following are be covered:

• 27 EU Member States;
• 10 Non-EU Member States viz. Albania, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Israel, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia and Turkey.

Next to that, attention has been paid to SME developments in Japan and the United States.
Commissioned by: DG Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission
Organisation: EIM Business & Policy Research
In cooperation with International Network for SME Studies (INSMES)

Study on representativeness of SME business organisations in the Member States
Within the framework contract "Economic Studies in support of SME Policy development and implementation", a rather heterogeneous series of studies have been undertaken by EIM and its partners in Europe and beyond commissioned by the European Commission. While some studies are not yet completed, others are available at the website of the European Commission. The Study on representativeness of SME business organisations in the Member States is one of them. This 6 month study consists of a survey of the structure of the SME sector in the EU Member States, and how this determines the structure of SME organisation and representation. It analyses the structure of the SME sector for each Member State, identifies the relevant SME organisations at national level - together with those representing specific categories such as craft or social economy enterprises, women or ethnic minority entrepreneurs etc - and assesses their representativeness.

The two main objectives for the project are

• to achieve a better insight into and understanding of the structure of the SME sector, and thereby the representation of SMEs, in the EU Member States, in particular the new Member States;
• to collect information enabling to a strengthened dialogue with SME stakeholders in order to better implement the "Think small first principle" and the measures proposed by the "Small business act" for Europe.

See: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newsroom/cf/itemlongdetail.cfm?item_id=3196&lang=nl
Commissioned by: European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry
Organisation: EIM Business & Policy Research
In cooperation with International Network for SME Studies (INSMES)

Internationalisation of European SMEs
EIM conducts this in-depth study in the context of the framework contract" Economic Studies in support of SME Policy development and implementation. The European Commission needs to obtain a clear and conclusive view of the current state of internationalisation of SMEs in Europe. The overall goal has been described the Commission as to improve the information for political decision-making in this area. The two main tasks are:

• a telephone survey with 9225 completed interviews with SMEs in 33 European countries in 26 sectors of economy and 4 size classes.
• economic analysis and policy options and recommendations based on the results of the survey and additional information.

Commissioned by: European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry
Organisation: EIM Business & Policy Research
In cooperation with International Network for SME Studies (INSMES)

First section of the annual review on EU small and medium-sized enterprises
The European Commission, Directorate General Enterprise and Industry has "requested EIM to prepare the annual review on EU small and medium-sized enterprises", to be carried out in the context of the framework contract "Economic Studies in support of SME Policy development and implementation".
This short 6 month study aims to identify and analyse the current situation of SMEs in the EU Member States (EU-27), and the recent policy developments they face. The annual report will help European and national policy makers, business stakeholders, the academic community and the community at large to understand the important role that these enterprises play in the European economy.
A summary of the main objectives are as follows:

• Determine and describe the role of the SMEs in the European economy in terms of contribution to employment and growth;
• put the position of SMEs into perspective by providing comparisons against partner countries and large enterprises;
• inform about the most important developments/trends on key policy areas. In some cases amongst others depending on the availability of information
• a comparison will be made with the US, Japan and remaining EEA countries (Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein).

See:http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/files/craft/sme_perf_review/doc_08/spr08_annual_reporten.pdf
Commissioned by: European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry
Organisation: EIM Business & Policy Research
In cooperation with International Network for SME Studies (INSMES)

Cyclicality of SME Finance
The European Commission, Directorate General Enterprise and Industry has granted EIM the "Cyclicality of SME finance" study which is to be carried out in the context of the framework contract "Economic Studies in support of SME Policy development and implementation". The project will consist of a focused literature survey covering international studies on SME financing, identification and analysis of existing data sources and running econometric models to estimate the relation between 'finance' and the business cycle.
During this study, EIM Business & Policy Research in the Netherlands joined forces with CSES in the UK.
The aim of the study covers the following three elements:

• Studying to what extent the supply of loan and equity financing to SMEs is dependent on macroeconomic fluctuations;
• Studying the effect of Basel II and the use of mark-to-market principles1 on the pro-cyclical relationship between the general business cycle and the supply of finance;
• Considering whether pro-cyclical patterns in the supply of capital should result in exploring the possibility to develop appropriate policy measures, given the importance of adequate supply of finance for SME development.

See: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newsroom/cf/itemlongdetail.cfm?item_id=3157
Commissioned by: European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry
Organisation: EIM Business & Policy Research
In cooperation with CSES

Opportunities for the Internationalisation of SMEs
The study regards, international business opportunities of EU SMEs in so-called third markets, i.e. markets outside the EU. The objective of the study is to discover which policy measures are most helpful in improving the access to non-EU markets for European SMEs. The concept of the study is that there seems to be a large unexploited potential for EU SMEs to sell their products and services to non EU-markets.

The study consists of:

• Assessing market potential (e.g. growth in the economies concerned; interest of European SMEs in third markets).
• Studying and assessing the effect of available business support measures as operated by the European Commission, governments of the Member States and other private or public organisations in the Member States such as Chambers of Commerce and trade associations.
• Identify appropriate business support measures to further international business activities of European SMEs.
• Propose appropriate measures (6-8) to facilitate access for European SMEs that could be supported or initiated by the EC.

The study will cover market potential, business activities of European SMEs and functioning of business support measures in 12 countries and should be completed by November 2010.

Commissioned by: DG Enterprise and Industry

Organisation: EIM Business & Policy Research

In cooperation with CSES

Framework contract: Economic studies in support of SME policy
The European Commission, Directorate General Enterprise and Industry, has granted EIM the framework contract for 'Economic studies in support of SME policy'. Under thiscontract, which runs from 2008 until 2011, economic studies will be conducted and economic analyses will be provided in support of SME policy implementation and development. The total budget available is 8 million euros.

The contract covers the 27 EU Member States, EFTA/EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland), the EU candidate countries(Croatia, FYROM, Turkey) and European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) countries (Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt,Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine).

The Observatory of European SMEs
EIM Business & Policy Research, in close co-operation with the ENSR network, prepared eight editions of the Observatory ofEuropean SMEs. The Observatory monitors and analyses the performance of SMEs in their (national and supranational) businessenvironment and assesses the impact of the Internal Market. The project covers all the countries of the European Economic Areaand Switzerland. Apart from the provision of quantitative information on the role of SMEs, the project deals with many importantaspects of SME development, such as high-tech SMEs, clusters, administrative burdens, taxation, social and environmentalresponsibility, etc. To obtain more insight into the behaviour of SMEs, telephone surveys were conducted among more than 7500enterprises in all the countries covered by the project.

The annual reports of the SME Observatory appear to fulfil the needs of policy makers and the business community. They aredistributed, studied and used in numerous policy-making circles all over Europe and beyond.

More information can be found on the EC website

Study on the access to standardisation
EIM implemented a 15-month study for the European Commission on access to standardisation for various types of interested partyin Europe, ranging from SMEs to NGOs. The focus of the study is on the European standardisation system (CEN; CENELEC andETSI). However, the links between European standardisation and the national standards bodies in each of the Member States of theEU are also important, as is the wider international framework in which CEN, CENELEC and ETSI operate (such as ISO and IEC).

The study has been implemented in cooperation with EIM's research partners in the European Network for Social and EconomicResearch (ENSR) in order to collect information from all 30 countries in an effective and efficient way using a mixture of internetsurveys and in-depth (face-to-face) interviews.

The two main objectives of the project are:

• to determine to what extent the European standardisation system in its present form can guarantee appropriate access to allinterested parties;
• to recommend avenues for exploration by the standards bodies, the Commission and interested parties with a view to improving theconditions of access to standardisation activities.

A comparative study of best practices in the area of social protection for new entrepreneurs and their spouses and an analysis of the degree to which the level of social protection acts as an incentive to business creation
The aim of the project is to give the EU greater insight into the relationship between the level of social security cover and the degreeto which people are willing to become entrepreneurs or self-employed. In the context of the project a comparative study of goodpractices in the area of social protection for new entrepreneurs and their spouses is being carried out. A further analysis is beingmade of the degree to which the level of social protection is an impediment to business creation.

The information is based on desk research, interviews and an internet survey among young small enterprises.The countries covered by the report are the 25 EU Member States, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

The report is published here