The European Commission monitors developments in SMEs’ access to finance through the joint European Commission/European Central Bank Survey on the access to finance of enterprises (SAFE).
Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises (SAFE)
The survey on SMEs’ access to finance (SAFE) is a multiannual survey dating back to 2009. Taking into account our obligation to limit the burden that data collection places on SMEs, the European Commission and the European Central Bank (ECB) designed a joint survey to monitor developments in the financial situation of SMEs.
The Commission survey rounds are conducted once a year, providing evidence on changes in the financial situation, financing needs and access to external financing of SMEs in the EU and comparing it with that of large enterprises.
The Commission published the first survey in 2009. In 2013, it became an annual publication. The SAFE survey covers all EU countries.
Results 2024
Previous results
Results 2023
Results 2022
Results 2021
Results 2020
- Leaflet: SAFE main results
- Infographics: SME access to finance country fact sheets 2020
- Analytical report
- Results by business characteristics
- Results by country
Results 2019
- Infographics: SME access to finance country fact sheets 2019
- Analytical report
- Results by business characteristics
- Results by country
Results 2018
- Infographic: SME access to finance in the EU 2018
- Infographics: SME access to finance country fact sheets 2018
- Analytical report
- Results by business characteristics
- Results by country
Results 2017
- Infographic: SME access to finance in the EU 2017
- Infographics: SME access to finance country fact sheets 2017
- Analytical report
- Results by business characteristics
- Results by country
Results 2016
- Infographic: SMEs - the road to finance 2016
- Infographics: SME access to finance country fact sheets 2016
- News
- Analytical report
- Results by business characteristics
- Results by country
Results 2015
Results 2014
Results 2013
Results 2011
Results 2009
European Central Bank SAFE survey
The European Central Bank publishes the SAFE survey every six months. This survey only covers countries in the Eurozone.
Earlier studies and other references
In 2005 and 2006, the Commission published two Flash Eurobarometer surveys (ad-hoc, thematic telephone interviews) on SMEs' access to finance in the EU.
The first survey covered the first 15 EU countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom).
The second covered the ten EU countries that joined in 2004 (Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia).
The same questionnaire was used for both surveys.
- SME Performance Review: general SME statistics
- Eurostat (Statistical Office of the European Communities): data on European businesses
- European Central Bank (ECB): general quarterly survey on bank lending in the Euro area
- ECB data on the euro area volumes of the new loans for non-financial corporation: below EUR 1m, below EUR 0.25m, with collateral / guarantee
- The Entrepreneurship Indicators Programme launched in September 2006 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Eurostat to develop internationally accepted indicators for measuring developments in entrepreneurship
- OECD: Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard
- World Bank: annual 'Doing Business' report
- Invest Europe (formerly the EVCA): yearbook with comprehensive statistics about investment and fundraising on venture capital investments
- European Business Angel Network (EBAN): data on business angel networks, some of which include national surveys on investments
- European Mutual Guarantee Association (AECM): figures on members' business developments, giving an idea of the actual use of guarantees in EU countries