During the event, Confartigianato Imprese and PromoPA will present a report on cohesion policy and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The study aims to contribute to the legislative debate on shaping a more modern and efficient EU budget, while improving access to structural funds for businesses, especially MSMEs. It offers data on their participation in past programming cycles and proposes concrete solutions to boost their involvement. The event will also feature a discussion with MEPs, the European Commission and Italy's Permanent Representation officials on the current reform’s challenges and opportunities.
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- Cohesion | EU/ European | Governance and Public administration | Industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs (enterprise/ startup/ business) | Local and regional | National | Rural | Territorial
- Code: Side253678
- European Parliament (Spinelli 1H1) - rue Wiertz 60, Bruxelles, Belgium
Practical information
- When
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Wed 15/10/2025, 15:00 - 17:00 CET
- Where
- European Parliament (Spinelli 1H1) - rue Wiertz 60, Bruxelles, Belgium
- Type of partnership
- EURegionsWeek close to you
- Format
- Side
- Theme
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Cohesion and Growth for the Future
- Language
- English
Partner
Reporting
Session summary
The event provided first an opportunity to present a report commissioned by Confartigianato Imprese to PromoPA Fondazione, analysing how micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) access and benefit from EU Cohesion Policy funds. The report offered a clear and data-driven picture of MSME participation in the previous programming period. Evidence from the 2014–2020 cycle shows that small businesses have often struggled to access cohesion funds. When they do succeed, they tend to receive support for small and fragmented projects, in contrast with large companies, which secure fewer but significantly higher-value interventions. This discrepancy underscores structural barriers that hinder smaller enterprises from fully leveraging the opportunities provided by EU funds.
Beyond the presentation of the report, the event stressed that Cohesion Policy represents a crucial EU instrument capable of simultaneously addressing territorial disparities and broader economic policy objectives. Concerning the reactions of the participants, they noted that this unique nature must be preserved in the upcoming reform, especially at a time when major global transformations, combined with a likely renewed focus on security and defence supply chains, risk marginalising micro and small enterprises if policy choices rely exclusively on vertically integrated industrial strategies that overlook local ecosystems.
For this reason, stakeholders emphasised that Cohesion Policy must increasingly be recognised and designed as a true industrial policy tool. Reducing resources dedicated to cohesion would not only weaken efforts to support territorial development but would also limit the capacity of MSMEs to act as drivers of industrial competitiveness, innovation and local value creation. A strong, well-funded, and accessible Cohesion Policy is therefore essential to ensure that Europe’s smallest enterprises, key components of regional economies, can fully contribute to the Union’s strategic objectives, including competitiveness, sustainability and social cohesion.
Quotes
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“The upcoming negotiations on the Commission’s proposal will not be easy: the so-called ‘frugal countries’ have already expressed reservations. Nevertheless, the Italian Government is committed to doing everything possible to strengthen and improve the Co
“The proposed reform aims to simplify, rationalise and ultimately strengthen the institutional and management framework of structural funds, ensuring that European resources are directed towards the real needs of EU regions.”
“In a context where relaunching Europe’s competitiveness is essential, Cohesion Policy continues to play a fundamental role. In line with its historical mission, it is crucial that its resources maintain a strong focus on the smallest enterprises, which r
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