Invest Europe-PAE

Response to EC Consultation on SME Referral Scheme

Positions & consultation responses

30 Apr 2021

In our response to the European Commission feasibility assessment on the establishment of an SME Referral Scheme we express our concerns around the functioning and benefits of such a scheme. We outline the characteristics that make PE and VC funding different to justify why this type of funding is not interchangeable with bank financing and why we fear the scheme could give this mistaken idea to SMEs. Therefore, even though we fully support the objectives of increasing funding options and awareness of PE and VC funding for SMEs we do not believe a referral scheme would be the best way to do so.