Prague as SME hubConnecting entrepreneurs and politicians

For three days in November, Prague hosted the most important international conference focused on SMEs. The conference is attended by SME representatives as well as officials who administer the rules for doing business. This year, politicians also took part for the first time. I had the honour to lead a delegation of five Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the political group of liberals Renew Europe. The SME Assembly conference thus became a unique opportunity to connect the world of entrepreneurs and politicians. It is a big step towards cultivating a business environment that requires mutual dialogue.

The pan-European SME Assembly conference has a long tradition, and this year it was held in Prague, under the auspices of the Czech Presidency, who organised the event together with the European Commission. The programme included discussion panels and 18 specialist workshops and seminars with more than 90 speakers. There was a wide range of topics including innovative approaches to SME financing, innovation in energy, supply chain security, SME opportunities in the aerospace industry, necessary skills or new ways of working.

I had the opportunity to take an active part in the conference and spoke in three panels. The first was devoted to the growing importance of cultural and creative industries for the European economy, in the second panel I emphasised the need for SMEs to be factored in upcoming European and national legislations, and last but not least, as the only politician, I gave a political summary of the entire conference.

Behind the scenes

There was an equally important part of the conference that took place outside of the stage. High-ranking officials who work on new legal regulations had the opportunity to meet entrepreneurs from all around Europe over a cup of coffee or tea and hear about their problems and suggested improvements first-hand. In turn, entrepreneurs had a closer look at how regulation is being prepared in Europe and better understand what they can do to make the resulting legislation better reflect their needs.

I led a five-member delegation of MEPs from the political group of liberals Renew Europe. We used every minute to hear from entrepreneurs what's on their minds and what their proposed solutions are. They would typically say that the business sector in Europe is facing the biggest crisis in the last decades and that it’s hard to predict how it will evolve in the coming months and years. On top of the rising energy prices, companies are worried about high inflation and unpredictable business environment.

Despite being the main driver of the European economy, SMEs often have the (justified) feeling that legislation doesn’t reflect that. They may feel that regulations are making it harder for companies to do business. SME representatives argued that no one can expect them to invest in digitization and the sustainable future of our planet since they may be struggling this and next year to keep up with competitors internationally.

What are my main takeaways from the SME Assembly conference and the discussions with entrepreneurs? I’ve committed myself to work even more intensively on their behalf and will keep seeking opportunities to meet them in person and listen. I am convinced that this is the right way to succeed in doing business in Europe as well as in the Czech Republic. I will always do my best to contribute to this.

Written by Martina Dlabajová

Photo credits: Renew Europe