This presentation explains how Wallonia implement and monitor the European SBA in the Region. This plan put SMEs at the heart of the economy.

1. THE SBA IMPLEMENTATION IN WALLONIA.
A European good practice
1

3. 1. "Small Business Act": the European context
2. Integration of the "Small Business Act" into the
Walloon political agenda
3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia
4. Why is the Walloon SBA considered as good
practice by the European Commission?
5. Conclusions and Remarks

4. 1. "Small Business Act": the European context
I. The "Small Business Act for Europe" was adopted in
December 2008
10 principles expressed as actions to be implemented by the
European Commission and Member States
1. Entrepreneurship
2. Second chance
3. Think Small First
4. Responsive public administrations to SMEs’ needs
5. Facilitate SMEs’ participation in public procurement
6. Access to finance
7. Internal market
8. Innovation & competences
9. Environnement
10. Internationalization

5. 1. "Small Business Act": the European context
II. February 2011 : second communication concerning the "Reexamination of the Small Business Act for Europe“
Assessed the actions carried out
Proposes several new actions and formulates 29 additional
recommendations to improve the SBA implementation
Asked Member States to appoint SME Envoys
Asked SBA implementation at national/regional levels

6. 2. Integration of the "Small Business Act" into
the Walloon political agenda
I. In 2009 strong demand of Social Partners
(representatives of the employers and union organizations)
Invited the Walloon Government to build on the measures
developed in the “SBA" by making the theme of support for
SMEs a specific priority for the next Walloon Government.
II. The Walloon Government responded in its Regional Policy
Declaration (2009-2014) in announcing that it :
wished to launch a true Walloon plan for SMEs building on
the European Small Business Act in order to make the spirit
of initiative and entrepreneurship the true foundation of
Walloon dynamism, in accordance with the principles of
sustainable development

7. 2. Integration of the "Small Business Act" into
the Walloon political agenda
III. In 2011, the Minister of the Economy and SMEs decided
to strengthen the implementation of the « SBA » in
Wallonia with a special focus on 4 out of the 10 SBA
principles:
Entrepreneurship
Internationalisation
Finance
Innovation
• This strengthening was launched in the larger context of the
Marshall 2.Green Plan which is the economic revitalization
plan of Wallonia

8. 3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia
• How do we implement the SBA in Wallonia?
(1)The Walloon SME Envoy
(2)The Walloon SBA monitoring
(3)The Walloon SBA reporting
(4) Stakeholders’ consultation

9. 3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia
(1)The Walloon SME Envoy
•
Following the Commission‘s recommendations a ‘Walloon SME Envoy’
has been appointed by the Walloon Government
•
This mission has 3 aspects:
Acting as an intermediary between the Walloon level and the federal
State and the Belgian SME Envoy to promote the Walloon SBA
implementation.
Monitoring regularly the Commission’s recommendations
implementation in Wallonia.
formulating recommendations relating to new actions to be
implemented in order to strengthen Walloon political support for SMEs

10. 3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia
(2) The Walloon SBA monitoring
Steering committee has been
created in order to maximize the
synergies between the Walloon
public actors concerned by one or
other aspects of the SBA's 10
areas of focus.

11. 3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia
(2) The Walloon SBA monitoring
•
The SBA Steering Committee, which is controlled by the SME Envoy, is
responsible for
Assessing ongoing actions
Setting itself new targets
Initiating new actions
 Monitoring the SBA implementation in Wallonia
•
The SBA Steering Committee is called in by the SME Envoy 4-5 times a
year

12. 3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia
(3) The Walloon SBA reporting
The SME Envoy prepares an annual report concerning the
implementation of the SBA's 10 areas of focus in Wallonia.
Collect
informations
through the
Steering
Comtmittee
1st draft
Writting
process
Feedback of the
Steering
Committee
2d draft
Presentation for
Social Partners
+ feedback
Final Report
The writing of the report
embraces all the relevant
Walloon stakeholders
through a large
collaborative method inside
the ‘SBA Steering
Committee’

13. 3. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SBA IN WALLONIA
(3) The Walloon SBA reporting
•
This report serves as reporting for :
The European level :
• Fact Sheets
• ‘Commission technical visit’ regarding Industry
and innovation,
• the ‘National Reform Plan’
The Walloon level :
• The regional Government
• SBA Steering Committee
• Social Partners (representatives of the
employers and union organizations)
• SMEs (through the Walloon SMEs’ Parliament)
The Belgian level :
• Federal
• Other Regions
The annual report aims also at highlighting good practices.

14. 3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia
Recommendatio
ns not
implemented 0%
Recommendations
fully implemented
65%
Recommendations
partially
implemented 35%
OVERALL DEGREE OF
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
SBA IN WALLONIA

15. 3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia
Number of recommendations by topic

16. 3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia
IV. Stakeholders’ consultation and decision making process
High Level Group
Top down
process
The walloon Economic
& Social Committee
Horizontal
process
SME ENVOY
Bottom up
process
The Wallon
SMEs’Parliament

17. 3. The implementation of the SBA in Wallonia
IV. Stakeholders’ consultation
The Walloon SMEs‘ Parliament
Composed by : +/- 300 SMEs’ managers
from very different sectors of activity
• Objectives :
Keeping SMEs informed
Consulting SMEs directly concerning the implementation of the
SBA in Wallonia
• Designed to be participative
Entrepreneurs are questioned directly concerning the different
aspects of the SBA they would like to see improved during
the next year
After a vote, these proposals are submitted to the SBA
Steering Committee to evaluate their feasibility

18. 4. Why is the Walloon SBA recognised as a good
practice by the european Commission ?
The Walloon SBA Recipe
Strong political support
monitored
Based on existing structures
Peer review
Strucured
Boost decision-making process
Inclusive
Reported
Stakeholders’consultation
Annual report

19. 5. Conclusions and remarks
Some achievements
•ENTERPRENEURSCHIP: Acculturation courses for futures
teaching graduates
•FINANCE :
•The SOCAMUT automatic combination product
•Increase visibility of innovation financing possibilities

20. Full report available on our website :
www.economiewallonie.be
Antoine BERTRAND, Policy Officer in charge of the SBA
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