Ref. Ares(2015)4617513 - 27/10/2015
Ref. Ares(2017)3665978 - 20/07/2017
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Directorate-General for Trade
Directorate E - Neighbouring countries, USA and Canada
USA and Canada
Brussels,
USA and Canada
Meeting Report
Flash report: meeting with EESC study group on TTIP and SMEs – 06.03.2015
Denis and Art. 4.1b
(
GROW) met today the EESC study group working on
the opinion on SMEs. Draft attached, but it is changing. Rapporteur is Ms Butaud-
Stubbs, co-rapporteur Mr Gkogas, members de Buck, Federspiel, Ladefoged, Lechner,
Mallia, Palmgreen, Somville, Studnicna, Verboven.
Denis presented overall benefits of TTIP for SMEs and content of SME chapter. On the
report, it went in the same direction of COM's objective sin TIP, which are 1) to
mainstream SMEs into TTIP overall; 2) assess the impact of TTIP on SMEs (IA, SIA); 3)
more information for SMEs who want to export. Some areas raised in the report relate
not so much to what we do in trade agreements, but more on the accompanying measures
at EU and MS level.
One issue they were interested in (especially the rapporteur Ms. Butaud-Stubbs) was the
difference in SME definition in EU and US – this does not impact the benefits from TTIP
and DG GROW has no plans to change our definition. Chair says they will revise that
part of the report.
Other issues raised were
- is SME chapter a first in FTAs? (yes for EU, US started in TPP to raise this issue)
- what can we achieve for SMEs in procurement, set-asides (procurement overall
important objective because of Buy America but still under negotiation)
- G2 study on export SMEs: why is data from 2011? Is there anything more recent (will
check, but suspect it is because firm-level data, which implies a lag. DG GROW: will
launch a flash eurobarometer on exports of goods and services from SMEs this year.)
- can EESC participate to SME committee (normally gov-to-gov but plan to have
interaction with stakeholders)
- when TTIP remove barriers, our companies will face more competition from US? (also
more opportunities in US markets)
- do you need to do more impact assessment? Do you need more input? (we have IA and
doing SIA, but always open on input on barriers faced by SMEs. Stakeholder events.)
- will SME chapter address specific sectors (no but rest of TTIP will help)
- IPR protection important for our exports (agree, part of the info we want to put on the
website)
Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel. +32 22991111
Document Outline