Vigenin: I will work for real support for business and jobs, without losing the advantages for small enterprises

As European Parliament rapporteur, Bulgarian MEP from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Kristian Vigenin is working on legislation extending certain reliefs for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small mid-cap companies.

The European Commission proposal aims to make measures that so far applied only to SMEs available to small mid-cap companies and to reduce the administrative burden and bureaucracy. It also aims to make reporting and compliance with EU rules easier, and to stimulate investment, digitalisation and growth in strategic sectors. The other task the Commission sets itself with this proposal is to improve access to finance and legal certainty for business.

Vigenin’s reservations and next steps

Kristian Vigenin expressed scepticism about achieving these goals, because in his view extending the measures too far beyond SMEs could reduce the real advantages small enterprises have enjoyed so far. “The Commission approach of changing eight legislative acts in one go, through separate provisions, raises questions about the transparency and effectiveness of the process. It looks a lot like the approach in our National Assembly, when several other laws are amended in the transitional and final provisions of one law, something I have always fought against,” the MEP commented.

Vigenin said in conclusion: “The work on the substance of the European Commission proposal is starting now, and my goal will be for these measures to give real support to business and jobs, without losing the focus on small enterprises.”