2017/2018 SME Annual Report – SME growing beyond borders – November 2018

Practice Area:
Client:ec-dg-growth
Published: November, 2018
Tagged: 2018 analysis of economic developments EU quantitative analysis stakeholder surveys and consultations

The annual report, prepared on a yearly basis as part of the SME Performance Review, 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 2020. Comparisons with partner countries outside the EU and with the large enterprise sector are also included. The report also includes this year as a special topic an extensive review of the internationalisation of SMEs through imports, exports, FDI, working with foreign partners, etc. and a number of empirical analyses of the drivers explaining the observed SME export patterns which differ across Member States, sectors, size, etc. The companion Background Paper provides additional supporting material for the analysis in the main report. In addition, the annual report also provides an analysis of the implementation of the Small Business Act during its first ten years.