08.02.2017
13:00-14:30

Removing Information Barriers to Investment in SMEs

Published in 
CEPS - Centre for European Policy Studies, 1 Place du Congrès/Congresplein, 1000 Brussels

The Capital Markets Union (CMU) Action Plan set out a programme of actions aiming at overcoming information barriers that prevent SMEs and prospective investors from identifying new opportunities to secure funding and to make investments, respectively. 

  1. Strengthening the feedback given by banks when turning down credit applications from SMEs, in order to allow rejected SMEs to adjust their business model to have better access to external funding;
  2. Mapping local or national support and advisory structures across the EU to promote best practices in assisting SMEs; and
  3. Investigating how to develop or support pan-European information systems that link up national systems to bring finance-seeking SMEs together with finance providers

Is this the right mix of strategies? What progress has been achieved to date and what are the next steps? Are there alternative strategies worth pursuing?

Speaker

  • Dr Pierre Schammo, Reader in Law at the School of Law, Durham University, and Senior Visiting Fellow at the European Institute, London School of Economics

Panellists

  • Ricardo Bonci, Senior Economist-Statistician, Monetary & Financial Statistics Division, European Central Bank
  • Gerhard Huemer, Director of Economic Policy, UEAPME
  • Alexis Marchand, Policy Officer, Capital Markets Union, DG FISMA, European Commission

Moderator: Fabrice Demarigny, Global Head of Financial Advisory Services and Capital Markets Activities, Mazars

Registration

Registration is free of charge for ECMI/CEPS members, EU/national officials, full-time academics, PhD students (subject to available seats), NGOs (not representing industry sectors or a commercial interest) and press. Other participants may be admitted for €175 (VAT included, payable in advance or at the registration desk.

Registration and sandwich lunch from 12:30.

Post-event report