The UK IT Association is one of the founding members of the European Digital SME Alliance which is a group of the associations similar to UKITA in the other EU countries.
In this way, the European Digital SME Alliance is a ‘club of clubs’ of the SME-focussed IT, Tech and Digital businesses in the EU numbering some 20,000 SME businesses amongst its members.
At the CEBIT 2016 conference in Hannover, Dr Oliver Grun, President of the European Digital SME Alliance presented Gerard de Graff (EC Director for the digital economy with a 10-point list of ideas to enhance the EU Digital SME Economy:
- A European Digital SME Hub to connect SMEs as an answer to the dominance of large IT business groups
- Unified European contract law
- Introduction of a European capital company
- Tax: reduction of VAT cross-border obstacles, retention of profits and fight multinational tax avoidance
- Enabling a modern and data-driven economy
- Modernisation of access to finance, especially initial and growth capital
- Unified regulation of the digital infrastructure
- SME-friendly standardisation policy
- Unified European framework on copyright and improvement of European patent law
- Digital skills for SMEs
A full copy of the 10-point plan which the Digital SME Alliance presented to Gerard de Graaf can be read here (PDF):
The full Press Release for the CEBIT Launch event appears below:
Launch of the European Digital SME Alliance
- CeBIT of Hannover hosts the launch event of the “European Digital SME Alliance”
- Digital SME Alliance President Dr. Oliver Grün presents 10 ideas to boost Europe’s digital economy
- Dr. Grün delivers the 10 ideas to Gerard de Graaf, EC Director for Digital Economy
Hannover 15. March 2016 – PIN-SME, the European association of ICT small and medium sized enterprises, launched the European Digital SME Alliance, the largest network ICT small and medium sized enterprises in Europe, representing about 20.000 digital SMEs across the EU. The alliance is the joint effort of 28 national and regional SME associations from EU member states and neighboring countries to put digital SME at the centre of the EU agenda.
At the opening event today, Dr. Oliver Grün, president of PIN-SME and now of the European Digital SME Alliance, launched the new Alliance together with representatives from national and regional ICT Associations from several countries Europe. „The European economy is driven by SMEs. Numerous SME champions are arising and many of them are leaders in their national markets. Digitalization and internationalization are keys for the success of these companies“ explains Grün. „ European digital SMEs are providers of digital solutions and enablers of digitalization. We want Europe to exploit their potential.“
In a 10-point-paper, the Alliance summarised concrete ideas for Europe to boost its digital economy and for European SMEs to become the future global leaders. Next to ideas such as harmonization of contract law, VAT, digital infrastructure, copyright and patent law, as well as modernization of access to finance, the paper proposes the creation of a European Hub for Digital SMEs to connect SMEs as an answer to the dominance of large IT multinationals.
On behalf of the Alliance, Grün delivered the 10-points-paper to Gerard de Graaf, Director at the European Commission with responsibility for Digital Economy. De Graaf emphasized the importance of digital SMEs for the European economy. „ Digital SMEs enhance innovation and generate jobs across Europe. They are assets for the successful digitalization of European industry. Strong digital SMEs pave the way to a strong European economy in the future.“
About the European Digital SME Alliance:
The European Digital SME Alliance des PIN-SME a.i.s.b.l. presents represents 20,000 ICT SMEs across Europe and is the largest network ICT small and medium sized enterprises in Europe.
More Information: European Digital SME Alliance, 4, Rue Jacques de Lalaing 1040, Brussels, Belgium, [email protected], Tel.: +32 228 507 29, Internet: www.digitalsme.eu
