Start-ups and small firms need European Union politicians to ‘stop dithering’ and come up with solutions to problems in the European economy. So says the Federation of Small Businesses.

The FSB is worried that a serious economic downturn is inevitable unless action is taken now. With Europe’s 23 million small firms employing 75 million people, which represents 99 per cent of all enterprises, supporting this sector would lift Europe as a whole.

To help, the FSB has published a detailed blueprint document, ‘What can Small Businesses do for Europe?’, calling for action in areas such as:

• Lifting red tape to make it easier for micro and small businesses to employ more people, thus addressing the problem of 19 million being unemployed across the Continent.
• Putting more funding into assisting innovative and high-tech ventures that create more than their share of jobs.
• Helping businesses to trade online to create a thriving business community.
• Encouraging smaller businesses to be ‘greener’ by reducing the restrictive levels of regulation surrounding environmental issues.
• Generally improving the relationship between EU decision-makers and businesses to remove the attitude of ‘distrust’ that exists currently.

’Entrepreneurs are proactive problem-solvers. We hear far too much in the EU about problems,’ explains Tina Sommer, FSB EU and International Affairs Chairman. ‘The FSB is not prepared to sit back and wait for politicians to get their act together. We are proposing solutions now. EU politicians would do well for their constituents by taking these suggestions on board.

’By listening to the view from thriving businesses it should be possible for a modern Europe to remove barriers to growth from the path of small firms, creating new jobs and economic growth across the EU.’

The EU has made a step in the right direction by announcing a new initiative that requires senior EU officials to gain experience working in a small business to get an insight into the issues involved.

'We welcome this proposal from the Commission,' comments Sommer. 'Policy-makers and businesses can now improve their understanding of each other’s views and this will not only reduce the amount of legislation but also increase the quality of EU laws.'