Representatives from 46 countries gathered at the 5th Session of the Committee on SMEs and Entrepreneurship (CSMEE), held on 9-10 November 2023 in Paris that was chaired by Martin Godel (SECO) a key representative from INSME’s network. The event saw over 150 people in attendance and representatives from AECM, EIF, SME United, World Bank and World Trade Organisation. This meeting was successful and noteworthy for the topics it tackled such as sustainable finance for SMEs and digitalization for energy efficiency, and INSME is proud to take part in the initiatives advancing SMEs.
The CSMEE meeting delved into various critical aspects, encompassing the support for SMEs’ expansion through governmental interventions, the imperative need for digital, green, and cross-functional skills in navigating the twin transition that needs to become action and not just intangible theory, and the imperative of fostering inclusive entrepreneurship. This discussion tackled the issue of the importance of aiding underrepresented and disadvantaged groups like women, immigrants, and youth in initiating and amplifying their businesses. Additionally, the discourse moved to crafting overarching policies aimed at bolstering SMEs’ financial access, integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into financing decisions, and leveraging digitalization to ease SMEs’ transition toward energy-efficient models. Moreover, the session explored policy frameworks geared toward bolstering green entrepreneurship, marking a comprehensive exploration of crucial avenues for SMEs’ growth and sustainability. Stay tuned as reports and supporting documents that were generated by the important discussion of this session are undergoing editing and peer review by the members and will be published in the following months.
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Source: INSME Secretariat
