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Press Release

Business hails MEPs’ support for small firms

Friday 1 December 2006

The Federation of Small Businesses has welcomed the European Parliament’s adoption of a report calling for greater engagement with small businesses at the local level.

The report adopted by the European Parliament calls for improvements to the existing network of offices, known as Euro Info Centres (EICs), set up to consult small businesses at local level on EU decision making.

EICs also offer advice to small businesses on accessing the internal market and organize panels of small businesses to advise the European Commission on new regulations and policy proposals.

Tina Sommer, FSB EU Affairs Chairman, said:

“The service offered by EICs has been patchy in the past and few businesses even know they exist. The FSB has been lobbying for them to become high profile one-stop-shops for small businesses.

“Small businesses don’t readily identify with the EU but most laws affecting our members now start in Brussels.

“This decision represents a victory for the FSB and small businesses because it is another step towards getting the voice of common sense heard in Brussels.

“The FSB now has a permanent office in Brussels to influence decision making, but there is no better way of checking the pulse of UK business than engaging FSB members and others at grass-roots level in the UK.”



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Federation of Small Businesses

Federation of Small Businesses

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