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The latest enterprise newsBVCA/CBI survey SMEs' procurement experienceThe British Venture Capital Association is working alongside the CBI and FSB as part of the Scorecard Working Party to increase government procurement from SMEs in the UK. To understand SMEs experience of bidding for public sector contracts an online survey has been commissioned. The survey takes just 10 minutes to carry out and the practical advice and tips gained through the research will be circulated among all survey respondents. The survey findings, together with desk research, will provide substantive evidence to be used as input to the current Glover Review on SMEs and access to public procurement as well as discussions in Europe on a Small Business Act. To participate in the survey go to http://www.theidfactor.com/sme.php . If you have any questions about the survey please contact: bvca.sme@freshminds.co.ukEconomy top of CBI SME Council agendaThe CBI’s SME Council met for its quarterly meeting in July. Top of its agenda were the changing economic conditions, which Council members discussed with CBI chief economic adviser, Ian McCafferty. The Council also considered the CBI’s evidence to the Glover Review on SMEs access to public procurement contracts and the European Small Business Act. Over a working lunch the Council was joined by its former Chair, Sarah Anderson, who is leading a review on behalf of the government looking at regulatory guidance.Contact: jo.hensher@cbi.org.uk Innovation and skills prioritised at meetingIn July the CBI attended the government’s Small Business Forum, which was also attended by three ministers – Baroness Shriti Vadera, BERR; Ian Pearson, DIUS (Innovation); David Lammy, DIUS (Skills). Discussion focussed on: simplification of the publicly-funded skills landscape; greater recognition of innovation performed by smaller companies in the service sector; how to improve the returns on business investment in innovation by ensuring developments were embedded into the business strategy; and roll-out of innovation vouchers across England as promised in the government’s innovation and enterprise strategies published in March to encourage greater university and SME collaboration. Business attendees stated their support for the direction of travel on the initiatives announced in the government’s strategies but called for greater flexibility and reduced bureaucracy in a number of the schemes available to SMEs, for example Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and Train2Gain. Contact lucy.findlay@cbi.org.ukCBI lobbies on Small Business ActThe European Commission has recently published its proposal for a Small Business Act for Europe, which was discussed at the July meeting of the SME Council. The Act – a key priority of the French Presidency - comprises ten common principles, combined with recommended policy actions for the Commission and Member States, and four legislative proposals in order to promote entrepreneurship, make legislation SME-friendly and help SMEs grow. Since the publication of the Act, the Commission has already adopted proposals for a Directive on reduced VAT rates for service intensive businesses, a General Block Exemption Regulation on State Aids and a Regulation on a European Private Company Statute. These will be followed by a revision of the Late Payment Directive in 2009. The legislative initiatives, in particular the last two, are considered to be of particular significance by CBI members. The CBI has already briefed representatives from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), the French Embassy in London and the UK Permanent Representation in Brussels on the outcome of the SME Council meeting, with discussions focussing on prioritisation, responsibility, monitoring and the timetable for delivery. The Act is due to be adopted at the European Council in December. Contact: jo.hensher@cbi.org.uk or paul.davies@cbi.org.ukKey issues in summaryFor the latest CBI thinking on enterprise issues, see our business summaries.If you need free Adobe Acrobat PDF reader software or help with PDF documents, go to the Adobe Accessibility site at http://access.adobe.com Email us if you have accessibility requirements. |
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