Enhance the Competitiveness and Sustainability of European SMEs through succession procedures and models

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SMEs competitiveness remains high on the agenda of the European Commission (EU). The manufacturing sector in Europe is a sector of continuous growth. However, barriers to this growth are common and include challenges in areas such as succession of ownership and leadership of a business and maintenance of viable businesses in order to increase the critical mass of SMEs. Statistics confirm that succession is usually a problematic situation. Only 30% of family businesses survive the transition to the second generation and only 10% after the transition to the third generation. Succession does not concern only family. Non-family succession and its support through new European policies, must also be proposed. In this context, the proposed project aims at addressing and managing succession in SMEs. The specific objective is to prepare and manage changes in manufacturing businesses succession, meaning both family succession and selling to third parties. Our common challenge is to help Member States implement policies and new succession measures in their operational programs so that SMEs can increase their competitiveness and sustainability in order to ensure their future after changes in ownership, thus, contributing to the overall sustainability and growth of economy, both through produced economic activity and jobs preservation. The proposed project brings together partners from European countries involving national and regional authorities that influence regional and national policy programs, helping EU Member States to implement principles and planning for succession in SMEs, so as to become more competitive, sustainable and innovative. The project will include a wide range of activities, with emphasis on promoting the transnational learning process and on experiences exchange between partners.

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