Activities of Siôn SIMON related to 2016/2032(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Access to finance for SMEs and increasing the diversity of SME funding in a Capital Markets Union (A8-0222/2016 - Othmar Karas)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on access to finance for SMEs and increasing the diversity of SME funding in a Capital Markets Union PDF (481 KB) DOC (187 KB)
Amendments (20)
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas SMEs and mid-caps play an important role for the European economy in terms of employment and growth;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas 77% of outstanding SME funding in Europe is provided for by banks; __________________ 2bECB survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises in the euro area – April to September 2015
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Acknowledges the diversity of SMEs and mid-caps in the Member States, which is reflected in their business models, size, stages of development, financial structure and legal form; regrets the lack of harmonisation in national SMEs-creation legislation;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Notes that the low proportion of women running SMEs is partly due to a more difficult access to finance; regrets that the European Progress Microfinance Facility whose objective is to promote equal opportunities for women and men, had a 60:40 male-to-female ratio for microloans in 2013; calls therefore on the Commission to make sure that its programmes aiming at facilitating access to finance for SMEs do not disfavour women entrepreneurs;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Calls on the Commission to assess discrimination faced by SMEs run by other vulnerable groups of society;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Encourages SMEs to consider the whole EU as their home market and to use the potential of the single market for their financing needsNotes that the Capital Markets Union represents an opportunity for filling both the regulatory gaps in the current framework and for harmonising cross- border regulation; welcomes the Commission’s initiatives supporting SMEs and start-ups in an upgraded Single Market; underlines, in this context, the importance of the implementation of the Small Business Act; calls on the Commission for a follow-up to the Small Business Act;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that start-ups in particular find it difficult to obtain appropriate funding and to identify and meet regulatory financial requirements, especially at development stage; encourages therefore Member States in their efforts to create one-stop shops as hubs for all regulatory requirements for entrepreneurs; welcomes the Commission’s plan to launch a European Pact for starts- ups to address these issues;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Acknowledges that bank lending is traditionallyhus far the most important external financing source for SMEs; underlines the important role of banks with specific regional and local knowledge and their long-term relationship with SME in Europe; stresses that, where there are well developed local banks, they have proven effective in lending to SMEs and avoiding losses; underlines therefore the importance of developing local banks;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Encourages the Commission to assess and introduce "funding for lending" programmes that would make ECB money available to banks with the sole purpose of lending to SMEs;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Notes that a diversification of credit sources would lead to greater stability of the financial sector;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. ICalls concerned about multiple regulatory requirements for banks and possible negative effects on lending to SMEs; calls on the Commission to assess these effects on the Commission to assess the effects of regulatory requirements for banks with regards to SME lending, with the support of the EBA and SSM;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Emphasises the importance ofCalls on the Commission to assess the SME Supporting Factor for maintaining and increasing bank lending to SMEs; calls on the Commission to examine the appropriate calibration of the factor, including size, threshold and possible interactions with other regulatory requirements; is concerned about the possible negative impact of its removal; calls on the Commission to explore the possibility of making this factor permanent should the findings indicate its usefulness;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Reminds banks that lending and risk- taking is part of their core business; sStresses that risk assessment and the evaluation of qualitative information is one of their banks' major strengths, in particular for complex SME lending; underlines the confidential nature of credit information that banks receive when assessing the creditworthiness of SMEs;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Calls on the Commission to develop public sector backed investments and government scheme loans to SMEs;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Recalls that credit institutions must, upon request, provide SMEs with an explanation of their rating decisions; calls onencourages the Commission to assess the implementation of this provisionstrengthen the provisions outlined in Article 431 (4) of the CRR and to make giving feedback to SMEs applying for loans mandatory;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls on the Member States to foster a risk-taking and capital market culture; reiterates that financial education for SMEs is key to increasing the use and acceptance of capital market solutions, allowing for a better assessment of costs, benefits and the associated risks; calls on the Member States to enhance the financial literacy of SMEs and their access to information via the creation of regional one-stop-shops;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Highlights the need to foster innovation through lending platforms; encourages banks to regard the use of such innovative technologies as an opportunity; stresses that alternative funding sources like crowdfunding or peer-to-peer lending offer solutions for start-ups and innovative SMEs in particular; welcomes the Commission’s assessment of the existing framework for crowdfunding; calls on the Commission to explore the need for, and potential of, a harmonised EU framework for alternative funding sources;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls on the Commission to encourage safe lending to companies by private individuals through peer-to-peer lending or retail bonds;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24b. Calls on the Commission to encourage new platforms for private equity financing such as mezzanine finance, public sector backed equity funds, business angels and fundraising; welcomes the Commission's assessment of the existing framework for crowdfunding and calls for a regulatory initiative to harmonise the European framework for crowdfunding and facilitate cross-border investment;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 c (new)
Paragraph 24 c (new)
24c. Emphasises the role that Member States could play to achieve innovation- led, sustainable and inclusive growth through mission-oriented agencies at European level;