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The European Charter for Small Enterprises was approved by EU leaders at the Feira European Council on 19-20 June 2000. The Charter demonstrates the Union's commitment to equipping small enterprises - the Union's most promising source of new jobs, innovation, economic dynamism and greater social inclusion - to take full advantage of the digital economy. It calls upon Member States and the Commission to take action to support and encourage small enterprises in ten key areas: education and training for entrepreneurship; cheaper and faster start-up; better legislation and regulation; availability of skills; improving online access; getting more out of the Single Market; taxation and financial matters; strengthening the technological capacity of small enterprises; making use of successful e-business models and developing top-class small business support; developing stronger, more effective representation of small enterprises’ interests at Union and national level.
During its six years of existence, the Charter has become a core document of SME policy. It is now the reference frame for 44 countries and it is also used at regional policy-making level. The Commission has produced a brochure containing 40 examples of good practice to promote entrepreneurship, whittled down from the 155 submitted by Member States, Norway, Bulgaria and Romania. Below some examples from this brochure are given.
For example, Belgium has developed its guarantee organisation Socamut on the basis of various reports drawn up by the European Commission on .nance, in particular the Best project on micro-credit and examples from several Member States. Denmark provides support to SMEs in their use of e-business on the basis of sim ...