“No Competitiveness without SMEs: Cutting Red Tape and Unlocking Europe’s Local Economies”

Europe’s competitiveness starts locally—with its SMEs. However, excessive regulation, barriers in the Single Market, and limited access to finance continue to hinder their full potential. This high-level discussion will focus on how to create a more SME-friendly business environment by reducing administrative burdens, accelerating digitalisation, improving access to financing tools, and addressing cross-border challenges. Bringing together voices from regions, EU institutions and SMEs themselves, the event will translate on-the-ground experiences into actionable policy recommendations.