The FINANCIAL — Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs – up to 249 persons employed) are considered as a driver of the economy of the European Union (EU), creating jobs and contributing to economic growth.
They also substantially contribute to trade within the EU. 98% of companies trading goods within the EU are SMEs, including around 70% that are micro-enterprises (up to 9 persons employed). SMEs are responsible for half the value of the intra-EU trade in goods. In detail, they account for 51% of intra-EU imports and 45% of intra-EU exports.
On the occasion of the European SME week, which aims to promote entrepreneurship, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, publishes data on enterprises broken down by employment size classes, with a special focus on the importance of small and medium enterprises in intra-EU trade.
SMEs contribute the most to intra-EU exports in Cyprus and Latvia, the least in France
In five Member States, SMEs generate more than two-thirds of the total value of intra-EU exports of goods: Cyprus (88%) and Latvia (81%), followed by Belgium (70%), Estonia (68%) and the Netherlands (67%). At the opposite end of the spectrum, SMEs account for less than one third of intra-EU export value in France (21%), Germany (26%), Slovakia (30%) and Ireland (32%), followed by Poland (35%), the Czech Republic (36%) and Finland (38%).
From all SME size classes, micro-enterprises are the largest contributors to intra-EU exports in six Member States: Belgium (where micro-enterprises account for 46% of total intra-EU export value), Malta (37% in 2013), Hungary (26%), the United Kingdom (23%), Romania and Sweden (both 19%). In contrast, in ten Member States they generate less than 10% of total value: France, Germany, Finland (all around 4%), as well as the Czech Republic, Italy (both around 5%), Poland (6%), Denmark (8%), Slovakia, Luxembourg (both around 9%) and Portugal (10%).
In all Member States, more than 90% of enterprises exporting intra-EU are SMEs, ranging from 90% in the Czech Republic to over 99% in Slovenia.
Highest share of intra-EU imports by SMEs in Latvia and Cyprus
In the vast majority of Member States, at least half the value of intra-EU imports of goods comes from SMEs. In particular, SMEs are responsible for more than three-quarters of total import value in Latvia (85%), Cyprus (82%), Estonia (79%), Lithuania (78%) and Malta (77% in 2013). Only in France (31%), Germany (34%), the Czech Republic (47%), Slovakia (48%) and Poland (49%), SMEs account for less than half of the imports.
From all SME size classes, micro-enterprises are the largest contributors to intra-EU imports in five Member States: Malta (where micro-enterprises accounted for 45% of total intra-EU imports value in 2013), Belgium (38%), Sweden (25%), Hungary (23%) and the United Kingdom (21%). In contrast, in five Member States they generate less than 10% of total value: in France, Germany, the Czech Republic (all around 7%), Italy (9%) and Poland (10%).
Just as for exports, more than 90% of enterprises importing intra-EU are SMEs in all Member States, ranging from 91% in the Czech Republic to almost 100% in Belgium.
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