Politicians across Europe have been urged to consider the needs of small companies first when formulating new business reguations.
The Forum of Private Business, members of which employ 10 workers on average, called on ministers to sign up to its 'Think Smallest First' campaign.
Speaking in Brussels at a conference on the new Small Business Act for Europe, an attempt to bring together initiatives aimed at SMEs, FPB chief executive Phil Orford said small companies are particularly vulnerable to suffering at the hands of red tape; an issue which is even more important during the current global economic slowdown.
"We – as organisations representing small businesses across the European Union – have an opportunity to use the Small Business Act for Europe to hold the commission and member states governments to their commitments," Orford told delegates.
"Our members cannot do this by themselves.
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