Today, at the European People's Party (EPP) Congress in Valencia, SME Europe, in cooperation with SME Circle and the EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions (EPP-CoR), officially launched a new strategic platform aimed at reinforcing Europe's economic leadership. The initiative, presented during the SME Europe Economic Leadership Forum, establishes a long-term structure to strengthen coordination, policy alignment, and communication between European and national stakeholders.
In the opening pf the event, Sari Rautio, President of the EPP-CoR Group, underlined the critical importance of collaboration within the EPP family: “The EPP is stronger together when it brings together all its parts — from Brussels to every region and city in Europe. With SME Europe, we are business, local and regional — all together. We must 'Think Small First' and build policies that deliver at every level.”
The new platform will host an annual high-level forum to promote structured dialogue, foster policy innovation, and coordinate strategic action across the Union.
Speaking during the Forum, William Elofsson, Member of Municipal Council of Gävle highlighted grassroots experience from his work in the municipality of Gävle and stressed the urgency of removing barriers to entrepreneurship:
“Local leaders are driving real solutions: smarter services, fewer bottlenecks, and start-up accelerators that make a difference. We must facilitate scale-ups, reduce unnecessary reporting, and apply citizen feedback to improve services. The future of Europe’s economy is built locally, one innovation at a time.”
Elofsson cited examples such as the creation of One-Stop-Shops for permits, cross-border digital platforms, and smart city initiatives that reduce costs and deliver better services to citizens.
Adding to the momentum, Pehr Granfalk, Member of Municipal Council of Solna, emphasised that: "Unfortunately, cyberattacks today are both cost-effective and often go unpunished. Europe is strengthening its cyber defence, but protection alone is not enough. We must rethink our response — including sanctions against attacks traced to third countries — and ensure stronger consequences for those behind such acts.”
Reflecting on the SME Europe seminar and EPP-CoR discussions, Granfalk also welcomed the progress made toward a lighter regulatory burden for businesses: “Deregulation is finally gaining ground on the EU agenda. But words must be backed by real action. As MEP Jörgen Warborn rightly said: for every new regulation, two old ones should be removed. Make it happen!”
The SME Europe platform will work closely with the EPP Group and the EPP-CoR Group to provide grassroots impact assessments, support pro-business policies, and fight for better access to finance, SME-friendly procurement, fair competition, and regional hubs that connect businesses across Europe.
The event closed with a strong commitment from all sides to continue deepening the cooperation between SME Europe, EPP members, and regional and local authorities to strengthen Europe's competitiveness and leadership in the years to come.