The network of SME envoys was set up in 2011 as part of the review of the small business act. Each EU country has nominated a national SME envoy to complement the role of the EU SME envoy who chairs the network. The group of SME envoys makes up an SME policy advisory group that promotes SME friendly regulation and policymaking in all EU countries.
Why a network of SME envoys?
Even though EU countries can do a lot to improve the regulatory and policy environment for SMEs, it is often hard for small businesses to voice their opinion and reach policymakers. The network of SME envoys improves the consultation process with national SMEs and cooperation between EU countries.
The EU SME envoy
The role involves
- opening up channels of communication between the European Commission, SMEs, and their representative organisations
- promoting SMEs‘ interests throughout the whole Commission and ensuring that the 'think small principle' is applied effectively in the Europe 2020 strategy
Therefore, the network of SME envoys filters EU initiatives (SME filter) and signals those that merit attention from an SME perspective to the Commission. Initiatives that are listed in the SME filter will have to be accompanied by a proportionate SME test. The SME filter will be updated every 2 weeks.
EU countries’ SME envoys
SME envoys in EU countries are appointed by the national government. Their role is to
- promote SMEs' interests throughout all government bodies and ensure that the 'think small first' principle is integrated into their policy-making and regulatory proposals
- act as the main interface between the Commission and national policy-makers
- report on the implementation of SME policy actions, inform on SME policy actions, and promote the exchange of good practices
More information on the role of SME envoys in EU countries (13 kB).
See the most recent SME performance review. Click on the flags for the national factsheets.
Country | Name | Institution, telephone | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Mr Florian Frauscher, Director-General | Federal Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs +43 (0)1 71100 - 803522 website | florian [dot] frauscheroesterreich [dot] gv [dot] at (florian[dot]frauscher[at]oesterreich[dot]gv[dot]at) |
| Belgium | Mr Emmanuel Pieters, Director General a.i. | Federal Public Service Economy, SMEs, Self-employed and Energy +32 (0)2 277 51 11 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| Bulgaria | Ms Milena Angelova, Secretary General | Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association +359 2 963 37 52 website | m [dot] angelovabica-bg [dot] org (m[dot]angelova[at]bica-bg[dot]org) |
| Croatia | Mr. Ivo Milatić, State Secretary | Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development + 385 1 610 61 11 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| Cyprus | Ms Maria Passades, Director | Ministry of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism +357 2 286 7100 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| Czech Republic | Mr Marian Piecha, Deputy Minister | Ministry of Industry and Trade +420 224 851 111 website | postampo [dot] cz (posta[at]mpo[dot]cz) |
| Denmark | Mr Andreas Rahlf Hauptmann, Deputy Director General | Danish Business Authority website | ersterst [dot] dk (erst[at]erst[dot]dk) |
| Estonia | Ms Sandra Särav, Deputy Secretary General for Business and Consumer Environment Deputy envoy: Ms Marie Allikmaa, Director of Business Department | Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication +372 625 6342 website | infomkm [dot] ee (info[at]mkm[dot]ee) |
| Finland | Mr Jan Hjelt, Director General | Ministry of Employment and the Economy +358 29 516001 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| France | Mr Stephane Molinier, Permanent member of the Conseil général de l’économie | Ministère de l’economie et des finances +33 1 53 18 25 65 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| Germany | Ms Sabine Hepperle, Director-General | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action +49 (0) 3018 7500 website | buero-viia1bmwk [dot] bund [dot] de (buero-viia1[at]bmwk[dot]bund[dot]de) |
| Greece | Ms Panagoula Pasxali, Director-General | Ministry of Development and Competitiveness +30 210 3332000 website | infoggb [dot] gr (info[at]ggb[dot]gr) |
| Hungary | Mr László Hunyadi, Deputy State Secretary | Ministry for National Economy +36 1 795 1400 website | ugyfelszolgalatngm [dot] gov [dot] hu (ugyfelszolgalat[at]ngm[dot]gov[dot]hu) |
| Ireland | Mr Ross Church, Principal Officer | Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation +353 59 917 8990 website | infodjei [dot] ie (info[at]djei[dot]ie) |
| Italy | Mr Paolo Casalino, Director General | Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy +39 0647053053 website | paolo [dot] casalinomise [dot] gov [dot] it (paolo[dot]casalino[at]mise[dot]gov[dot]it) massimiliano [dot] umilemise [dot] gov [dot] it (massimiliano[dot]umile[at]mise[dot]gov[dot]it) |
| Latvia | Ms Ilze Lore, Director | Ministry of Economy +371 67013100 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| Lithuania | Ms. Ieva Zaunieriene, Director | Ministry of Economy +37070664617 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| Luxembourg | Mr Gilles Scholtus, Conseiller de Gouvernement 1ère classe | Ministère de l'Economie +352 2478 2478 website | infoeco [dot] public [dot] lu (info[at]eco[dot]public[dot]lu) |
| Malta | Ms Nancy Caruana, Permanent Secretary | Ministry for the Economy, European Funds and Lands +356 2220 9500 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| The Netherlands | Mr Pieter Waasdorp, Director | Ministry of Economic Affairs website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| Poland | Mr Wojciech Paluch, Director of the Department of Small and Medium Enterprises | Ministry of Economic Development and Technology +48 22 693 5000 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| Portugal | Mr Luis Guerreiro, President | IAPMEI (Ministry of Economy) +351 213 245 400 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| Romania | Mr Darius Vodă, Secretary General | Ministry for Business Environment, Trade and Entrepreneurship website | officeinvestromania [dot] gov [dot] ro (office[at]investromania[dot]gov[dot]ro) |
| Slovakia | Mr Gabriel Galgóci, Director General | Strategy Section of the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| Slovenia | Mr Jernej Salecl, Director-General | Ministry of Economic Development and Technology +386 1 400 33 11 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| Spain | Ms Yolanda Alcala Garcia, Director | Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism +34 913 49 23 45 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
| Sweden | Ms Elisabeth Backteman, Director-General Deputy: Ms Jeanette Edblad, Director | The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth +46 8 681 91 00 website | grow-sme-envoyec [dot] europa [dot] eu (grow-sme-envoy[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) |
Area (in alphabetical order) | Envoy(s) |
---|---|
Access to finance | Pieter Waasdorp, The Netherlands |
Better regulation & reduction of administration burdens | Wojciech Paluch, Poland, with the support of Sabine Hepperle, Germany |
Business Transfers | Gilles Scholtus, Luxembourg, and Emmanuel Pieters, Belgium |
Defence industry | Andreas Hauptmann a.i., Denmark |
Digitalisation | To be reattributed |
Energy related issues for SMEs | Yolanda Alcalá Garcia, Spain |
Impact of sanctions on SMES | Andreas Hauptmann a.i., Denmark |
Single Market issues specific to start- and scale-ups as well as 'traditional' SMEs Single Market Enforcement Task Force (incl. input to the Independent Report to the European Council, to be prepared by Mr Enrico Letta) | Andreas Hauptmann a.i., Denmark (with the support of Pieter Waasdorp, The Netherlands, in relation to the Letta Report) |
Sustainability | Elisabeth Backteman, Sweden, and Luis Guerreiro, Portugal |
Training & Skills | Sabine Hepperle, Germany |
Representative of the SME Envoy Network to the European Data Innovation Board | Represented by the SME Envoy Secretariat a.i. |
Entrepreneurship & entrepreneurship education | Hrvoje Bujanoviċ, Croatia Ieva Zaunieriene, Lithuania |
Public Procurement | Emmanuel Pieters, Belgium |
SME Test | Emmanuel Pieters, Belgium |
Meetings of the network of SME envoys
The network produces reports related to SME policy and meets several times a year with observers from European business organisations. See more information on the meetings and reports. Please see the ‘Additional information’ tab for reports.
Supporting documents and reports
- SME envoy report: SMEs and rising energy prices - First findings & recommendations
- SME envoy report: impacts from Russia's invasion of Ukraine on European SMEs
- SME relief package
- SME Strategy
- Call of the SME envoy network for a vigorous and forward-looking EU policy for small businesses
- European SME-action programme (prepared by the national SME Envoys in cooperation with business organisations participating as observers of the SME Envoy meetings)
- Small business act for Europe