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THE SBA IMPLEMENTATION IN WALLONIA.

A European good practice

1. "Small Business Act": the European context

2. Integration of the "Small Business Act" into the Walloon political agenda

3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia

4. Why is the Walloon SBA considered as good practice by the European Commission?

5. Conclusions and Remarks

1. "Small Business Act": the European context

I. The "Small Business Act for Europe" was adopted in December 2008

10 principles expressed as actions to be implemented by the European Commission and Member States

1. Entrepreneurship2. Second chance3. Think Small First4. Responsive public administrations to SMEs’ needs5. Facilitate SMEs’ participation in public procurement6. Access to finance7. Internal market8. Innovation & competences9. Environnement10. Internationalization

1. "Small Business Act": the European context

II. February 2011 : second communication concerning the "Re-examination of the Small Business Act for Europe“

Assessed the actions carried out

Proposes several new actions and formulates 29 additional recommendations to improve the SBA implementation

Asked Member States to appoint SME Envoys

Asked SBA implementation at national/regional levels

2. Integration of the "Small Business Act" into the Walloon political agenda

I. In 2009 strong demand of Social Partners (representatives of the employers and union organizations)

Invited the Walloon Government to build on the measures developed in the “SBA" by making the theme of support for SMEs a specific priority for the next Walloon Government.

II. The Walloon Government responded in its Regional Policy Declaration (2009-2014) in announcing that it :

wished to launch a true Walloon plan for SMEs building on the European Small Business Act in order to make the spirit of initiative and entrepreneurship the true foundation of Walloon dynamism, in accordance with the principles of sustainable development

2. Integration of the "Small Business Act" into the Walloon political agenda

III. In 2011, the Minister of the Economy and SMEs decided to strengthen the implementation of the « SBA » in Wallonia with a special focus on 4 out of the 10 SBA principles:

EntrepreneurshipInternationalisationFinanceInnovation

• This strengthening was launched in the larger context of the Marshall 2.Green Plan which is the economic revitalization plan of Wallonia

3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia

• How do we implement the SBA in Wallonia?

(1)The Walloon SME Envoy

(2)The Walloon SBA monitoring

(3)The Walloon SBA reporting

(4) Stakeholders’ consultation

3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia

(1)The Walloon SME Envoy

• Following the Commission‘s recommendations a ‘Walloon SME Envoy’ has been appointed by the Walloon Government

• This mission has 3 aspects:

Acting as an intermediary between the Walloon level and the federal State and the Belgian SME Envoy to promote the Walloon SBA implementation.

Monitoring regularly the Commission’s recommendations implementation in Wallonia.

formulating recommendations relating to new actions to be implemented in order to strengthen Walloon political support for SMEs

3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia

(2) The Walloon SBA monitoring

Steering committee has been created in order to maximize the synergies between the Walloon public actors concerned by one or other aspects of the SBA's 10 areas of focus.

3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia

(2) The Walloon SBA monitoring

• The SBA Steering Committee, which is controlled by the SME Envoy, is responsible for

Assessing ongoing actions Setting itself new targetsInitiating new actions

Monitoring the SBA implementation in Wallonia

• The SBA Steering Committee is called in by the SME Envoy 4-5 times a year

3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia

(3) The Walloon SBA reporting

The SME Envoy prepares an annual report concerning the implementation of the SBA's 10 areas of focus in Wallonia.

1st draft

2d draft

Final Report

Feedback of the Steering

Committee

Presentation for Social Partners

+ feedback

Collect informations through the

Steering Comtmittee

Writting process

The writing of the report embraces all the relevant Walloon stakeholders through a large collaborative method inside the ‘SBA Steering Committee’

3. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SBA IN WALLONIA

(3) The Walloon SBA reporting

• This report serves as reporting for :

The European level :• Fact Sheets• ‘Commission technical visit’ regarding Industry and innovation, • the ‘National Reform Plan’

The Walloon level :• The regional Government• SBA Steering Committee• Social Partners (representatives of the

employers and union organizations)• SMEs (through the Walloon SMEs’ Parliament)

The Belgian level : • Federal• Other Regions

The annual report aims also at highlighting good practices.

OVERALL DEGREE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SBA IN WALLONIA

Recommendations fully implemented 65%

Recommendations not implemented 0%

Recommendations partially implemented 35%

3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia

Number of recommendations by topic

3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia

3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia

IV. Stakeholders’ consultation and decision making process

SME ENVOYThe walloon Economic & Social Committee

High Level Group

The Wallon SMEs’Parliament

Regional Goverment

Horizontal process

Top down process

Bottom up process

Representative

of employers

Unions Organizations

3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia

IV. Stakeholders’ consultation

The Walloon SMEs‘ Parliament

• Objectives : Keeping SMEs informedConsulting SMEs directly concerning the implementation of the SBA in Wallonia

• Designed to be participativeEntrepreneurs are questioned directly concerning the different aspects of the SBA they would like to see improved during the next yearAfter a vote, these proposals are submitted to the SBA Steering Committee to evaluate their feasibility

Composed by : +/- 300 SMEs’ managers from very different sectors of activity

4. Why is the Walloon SBA recognised as a good practice by the european Commission ?

The Walloon SBA Recipe

Strong political support

Inclusive

Stakeholders’consultation

Based on existing structures

Strucured

Annual report

Peer review

Boost decision-making process

monitored

Reported

5. Conclusions and remarks

Some achievements

•ENTERPRENEURSCHIP: Acculturation courses for futures teaching graduates

•FINANCE : • The SOCAMUT automatic combination product• Increase visibility of innovation financing possibilities

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Antoine BERTRAND, Policy Officer in charge of the SBA

Full report available on our website :

www.economiewallonie.be