The European Commission's 'EU 2020 Strategy' consultation which is seeking views on the future direction of the European Union’s policy for the next ten years fails to address the important role that small businesses can, and should, provide to assist Europe’s economic recovery, warned the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs at the FMB said: "The Commission's consultation paper comes at a critical time as the EU tackles its worst economic crisis for decades. It is very disappointing that the paper fails to adequately address the important role and needs of the construction SME sector. Given that construction SMEs represent 99% of the 3 million construction companies within the EU and 80% of the sector’s turnover it is staggering that the EU’s new policy strategy should ignore their vital role in helping Europe’s economic recovery."

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The FMB said one area that the Commission should be considering is the need to improve training in the SME sector. The firm said that the Commission should be considering committing greater resources to Member States in the form of training funds, expanding the European Social Fund, as well as refocusing its priorities towards the creation of green jobs for employees with an emphasis on the self-employed who make up the vast majority of construction companies within the EU.

Mr Berry concluded: "One of the biggest problems hindering Europe's recovery is the difficulty of small businesses having access to finance. The greater use of guarantee funds and micro-credit with the support of the European Investment Bank (EIB) would help address this problem. The Commission should also be considering the need to increase the availability of structural funds (ERDF) to Members Sates for the purposes of improving energy efficiency in the built environment as well as meeting environmental targets."

(CD/GK)