The INSMEAcademy hosted its latest webinar on “ Crisis Costs for European SMEs: the EESC Study” on September 20th.
Speakers Francesco Camonita (Researcher and Project Manager at Wise Angle Consulting) an Carina Dantas (CEO of SHINE 2Europe), discussed the insights from the study: “Crisis Costs for Europeans SMEs” carried out on behalf of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), developed by Wise Angle and SHINE 2Europe with INSME’s support.
The COVID-19 pandemic has become the landmark for one of the greatest economic shocks ever experienced. As such, many SMEs were exposed to financial and employment-related losses, especially in the retail and tourism sector. In the light of this, the EESC study analysed six SMEs challenges that will be presented and thoroughly discussed: containment measures, the workforce challenge, financial consequences, digitalisation, public assistance and European diversity. The authors highlighted how economic crises are shifting from a traditional financial or industry-sector focus to new forms productivity disruptions (spreading across multiple sectors and it is increasingly difficult to isolate one and intervene on a well-defined industry segment).
This EESC study has a high potential to assist future policymaking: It seeks out new ways to identify “winning” and “losing” adaptation factors of SMEs in a variety of sectors and in the face of prolonged productivity crises. It has proven highly difficult to pinpoint all “winning” and “losing” SME companies from a specific industry, rather, the study focuses on “winning” and “losing” adaptation factors of SMEs which could be insightful in assessing SME performances for further equity/support measures.
The research then suggests specific policy measures to pursue in the short and in the long term: a) simplification of procedures and light administrative costs; b) to sustain energy, fuel and raw materials increasing prices with direct support; c) restructure the supply chain and identify new markets d) the involvement of SMEs in public procurement; e) better involvement of SMEs network in the decision making; f) development of training skills for workers through job seminars. Participants were able to learn about these measures and discuss them with the speakers.
Read more about it and have a look at the key takeaways here!
Source: INSME Secretariat
