The SME Performance Review is a key tool the European Commission uses to monitor and assess countries' progress in implementing SME policies, including the SME Strategy, the Small Business Act (SBA), and the SME Relief Package. Emphasising these priorities, the review provides comprehensive information on SME performance in two parts: an annual report on European SMEs and SME country fact sheets.
Annual report on European SMEs
Brussels, 4 July 2024 - The 2023/2024 annual report on European SMEs is now available.
The annual report, prepared on a yearly basis, provides a synopsis of the size, structure and importance of SMEs to the European economy and an overview of the past and forecasted performance of SMEs from 2008 to 2024.
European SMEs have faced significant challenges in recent years. After dealing with an unprecedented pandemic and global supply chain disruptions, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and surging energy costs hit SMEs. This led to historically high inflation and threatened their economic recovery.
Additionally, the new European Industrial Strategy, which focuses on transitioning to a green and digital economy and the Open Strategic Autonomy (OSA) paradigm, offers opportunities but also challenges to SMEs.
Previous annual reports
- 2023 Annual report on European SMEs
- 2022 Annual report on European SMEs
- 2021: Annual report on European SMEs - Digitalisation of SMEs (5MB)
- 2019: Annual report on European SMEs - Research & development and innovation by SMEs (7MB)
- 2018: Annual report on European SMEs - SMEs growing beyond borders (6 MB)
- 2017: Annual report on European SMEs - Focus on self-employment (11 MB)
- 2016: Annual report on European SMEs - SME recovery continues (4 MB)
- 2015: Annual report on European SMEs - SMEs start hiring again (4 MB)
- 2014: A partial and fragile recovery - Annual report on European SMEs (3 MB)
- 2013: A recovery on the horizon? Annual report on European SMEs (3 MB)
- 2012: EU SMEs in 2012: at the crossroads - Annual report on SMEs in the EU (3 MB)
- 2010-2011: Are EU SMEs recovering from the crisis? Annual report on EU SMEs (1 MB)
- 2009: European SMEs under pressure - Annual report on EU SMEs (745 kB)
- 2008: Annual report on EU SMEs (351 kB)
SME fact sheets
The SME fact sheets present an assessment of the progress in the implementation of the SME Strategy and the Small Business Act at national level. They focus on key performance indicators and national policy developments related to SME policy.
EU countries in 2024
- Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
- EU27 summary
Additional documents
- Graphs related to the SME fact sheets 2024
- Country SME key figures 2024
- Industrial ecosystem key SME figures 2024
- SPR indicators 2024
- Methodology notes:
Please note: The fact sheets do not constitute a comprehensive assessment of country policies, but rather contribute to the assessments, and should be regarded as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, any other relevant in-depth studies of SME policies.
Policy studies
- SMEs and Open Strategic Autonomy (July 2024)
- SMEs and high inflation (December 2023)
- Flash Eurobarometer on SMEs and skills shortages (November 2023)
- Report on the survey of EU start-ups and the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2023)
- Study on SMEs, resource efficiency and green markets (March 2022)
- Study on the effectiveness of public innovation support for SMEs in Europe (March 2021)
- Flash Eurobarometer on SMEs, start-ups, scale-ups and entrepreneurship (September 2020)
- Flash Eurobarometer on SMEs, Resource Efficiency and Green Markets (January 2018)
- Cost of the Cumulative Effects of Compliance with EU Law for SMEs (May 2015)
- Report summary (402 KB)
- Full report (2 MB)
- Appendices ABCEF (8 MB)
- Appendix D (14 MB)
- Flash Eurobarometer on SMEs, Resource Efficiency and Green Markets (2 December 2015)
- Flash Eurobarometer on SMEs, Resource Efficiency and Green Markets (16 December 2013)
- Flash Eurobarometer on SMEs, Resource Efficiency and Green Markets (27 March 2012)
- Study on the SMEs' impact on the EU labour market (16 January 2012)
- Study on EU SMEs and subcontracting
