With the introduction of the Internal Market, European Union has achieved many new opportunities for SMEs, but it has also created new challenges. It is not an easy feat for SMEs to benefit from all of the opportunities, or resist adversities in Brussels: many SMEs are often poorly informed of European developments or the stages of the EU decision-making procedures, and are barely in contact with the European institutions. Something which is almost as important as the constant tracking of political processes and conveying political positions to the administration, as well as pursuit of dialogue with large businesses and associations, which must be taught the perspectives of the SMEs in order for their positions to be brought to the touchstone.

SME Connect stands for the development of a constructive partnership in order to avoid conflicting views, maybe to reach joint decision positions, or at least to maintain an honest exchange of interests. All of this, however, has as of yet not been comprehensively established. Europe has much more to offer than just economic policy, Europe is a platform from which cross border networking, the discovery of new business partners, new cooperation in research, or even marketing ideas can be pioneered. These are just some examples of the potentialities not realized sufficiently by the European SMEs. In this case; knowledge, languages, trust and legal certainty are the deciding factors.

EU Board

Global Board and Special Advisors

Dr. Michal Boni Special Advisor for Digitalisation & AI; Member of the European Parliament 2014 - 2019
Claudia Schmidt Special Advisor for Tourism, Transport & Mobility; Member of the European Parliament 2008 - 2019
Stefan Gehrold Special Advisor for Economy & Fiscal Policy; Member of the European Parliament 2018 - 2019
Anthea McIntyre President SME Connect UK; Special Advisor for Nutrition & Consumer Protection; Member of the European Parliament 2011 - 2020
Jeremy Lissouba Member of Parliament in Congo-Brazzaville, deputy judge on the country’s High Court of Justice
Domagoj Ivan Milosevic Member of Croatian Parliament Ret
Elisabetta Gardini President SME Connect Italy, Member of the European Parliament 2008 - 2019, Member of Italian Parliament
Tobias Gotthardt State Secretary of Economy in the Bavarian Federal Government
Thomas Thaler Special Advisor for Trade
Glen Hodgson Special Advisor for Platform Economy and Future of Work; Founder and CEO of the think-tank Free Trade Europa; Founder of the Freelance Movement
Hans Hoefnagels Special Advisor for Digital Innovation
Jasmin Leheta Special Advisor for One-Person-Companies; Entrepreneur
Zuzana Pucikova Special Advisor for Digital and Climate Transition; Interim Co-President of Volt Slovakia
Marek Degro Special Advisor for SME Impact Assessment
Prof. Dr. Susanne Durst Special Advisior for SME Company Succession, Business Transfers and Responsible Knowledge Management in SMEs
Josianne Cutajar Special Advisor for AI
Nina Levchuk Special Advisor for Cyber Security, Co-Founder of Impact Force
Pat Wind Special Advisor for the European Cultural Economy; Film Producer, Expert in Cross-Industry Business Relations