...-owned enterprises exceeding the definition of SMEs or mid-cap companies, from State aid rules in areas covered by Article 107(3)(c) TFEU is not justified given their contribution to employment, the supply chains they create with SMEs, their common involvement in innovation, research and development, and their positive role in combating the economic crisis; takes the view that the presence of large undertakings is often key to the success of SMEs that benefit from clusters led by large companies and from their subcontracting activities; recalls that it was the Commission itself that recognised the contribution of investment by large enterprises to creat ...[+++]ing knock-on effects and to access for the EU to the world markets; stresses that a decision to exclude large enterprises in “”‘c’ areas could lead to job losses, reduced economic activity in the regions, reduced regional competitiveness, reduced attractiveness for foreign investment and the relocation of companies to other regions either within or outside the EU; considers, therefore, that such companies should remain eligible for State aid in “”‘c’ areas, subject to particular scrutiny following individual notification and to additional compatibility criteria concerning incentive effect and contribution to regional development through clusters and subcontracting; ...

11. Acknowledges the problems regarding investment aid to large enterprises indicated by the Commission, given that evidence suggests a lack of incentive effect; is, however, of the opinion that total exclusion of large undertakings from State aid rules in areas covered by Article 107(3)(c) TFEU is not justified given their contribution to employment, their subcontracting activities benefiting SMEs and their involvement in research and development; takes the view that the presence of large undertakings is often key to the success of SMEs that benefit from clusters led by large companies and from their sub-contracting activities; highl ...[+++]ights that such exclusion of large undertakings may lead to job losses and reduced economic activity in the regions concerned as well as to relocation of activity to other regions, either within or outside the EU; suggests that regional aid to large undertakings in areas covered by Article 107(3)(c) TFEU should be permitted, subject to particular scrutiny following individual notification and to additional compatibility criteria concerning incentive effect and contribution to regional development through clusters and subcontracting;

Green jobs are largely created in SMEs as opposed to large firms: In 2012, 1 in 8 employees of small and medium-sized firms had a green job or almost 13% of all SME jobs (in large firms it was only 1 in 33 equivalent to 3% of all large company jobs).

The Commission will foster the exchange and dissemination of good practice (e.g. through publications, on-line collection of good practice) ; facilitate the development and dissemination of user-friendly, tailor-made tools (i.e. information material, self-evaluation tools); support SME associations and networks in their efforts to promote awareness and guidance to SMEs; and finally, as the most significant pressure on SMEs to adopt CSR practices is likely to come from their large business customers, facilitate cooperation between smaller and larger companies (e.g. through mentoring schemes).

The conference opened by Mr MATUTES, member of the European Commission, with responsibility for policy on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) brought together more than 250 participants from the Community's 12 Member States, representing SMEs and large firms including : Saint-Gobain, Rhône-Poulenc, BSN, British Nuclear Fuels, Montedison, British Steel Corporation, Thomson, Elf Aquitaine and Pilkington.

The evidence showed in the U.S. four things: big banks make fewer loans to small business, big banks lend more money to bigger business, the bigger the bank the smaller their small business loan portfolio, and big bank service charges are at least 15% higher.