EUROPEAN SMEs according to the Annual Report

on European SMEs 2015/2016

1 SMEs AS THE BACKBONE

OF EUROPEAN ECONOMY

SMEs EMPLOY 2 OUT OF EVERY 3 EMPLOYEES

AND PRODUCE 57 CENTS OF EVERY EURO OF
99
OUT OF EVERY
VALUE ADDED 1
100 BUSINESSES
ARE SMEs

9 OUT OF 10 EU SMEs ARE MICROS

(less than 10 employees)

EMPLOYMENT SHARE PER SIZE CLASS

Micro Large
Small Medium 33%
30%
20% 17%

< 10 people 10 - 49 50-249 > 250

5 KEY SECTORS2 ACCOUNT IN 2015 FOR :

79% of all SMEs

71% of SMEs value added

78% of SME employement

1
Value added = net contribution of the company to the economy
2
Manufacturing, construction, business services,
accommodation and food, wholesale and retail trade

2 SME RECOVERY CONTINUES, BUT

PRE-CRISIS LEVELS NOT FULLY ATTAINED

2014 vs. 2015 2008 vs. 2015

Value added +5.7% +8.6%
or 336 billion

Number of
entreprises +1.6% +3.3%
or 673 000 enterprises

Employment +1.5% -2.2%

or 1 150 000 jobs

SMEs in the 'non-financial business sector', compared also to pre-crisis levels

FULL RECOVERY IN SERVICES, BUT CONSTRUCTION

AND MANUFACTURING STILL LAG BEHIND
Employment growth in SMEs by sector (2008 2015)
WHOLESALE/RETAIL TRADE

15%
10
MANUFACTURING

CONSTRUCTION

10%5
TOTAL

0%0
OTHER SECTORS
BUSINESS SERVICES
ACCOMODATION FOOD

-5%
-5

-10%
-10

-15%
-15

-20%
-20

EU-28 SMEs' most pressing problems in 2015

FINDING
CUSTOMERS 25%

AVAILIBILITY OF
SKILLED STAFF OR 18%
EXPERIENCED MANAGERS

COMPETITION 14%

REGULATION 13%

COST OF PRODUCTION
OR LABOUR
13%

ACCESS TO FINANCE 10%

Source: 2015 Safe Survey

GRADE OF SME RECOVERY AFTER THE CRISIS

BY EU MEMBER STATE

Positive value added and employment ratio in SMEs 2008-2015

Positive value added but negative employment ratio in SMEs 2008-2015
Negative value added and negative employment ratio in SMEs 2008-2015
Due to structural break, relevant period for the Slovak Republic is 2010-2015

3 BRIGHTER SME FUTURE

EXPECTED

Outlook for EU-28 SMEs

2015-2017

Value added +6.9%

Number of
entreprises +2.0%

Employment +2.3%
SMEs in the 'non-financial
business sector'