Small and medium enterprises, oxygen for Romania – 2nd Edition

• News.ro’s traditional premium event, organized this time in the context of inflationary economic conditions and the tightening of the tax regime for SMEs, which aims to support SMEs – the much-needed oxygen for the Romanian economy.
• It is necessary to support SMEs so that they can get through difficult times, but also develop their businesses, and the Government must be the main supporter and propose programs in this regard. The role of the National SME Credit Guarantee Fund in state aid schemes and in the relationship with financiers is important.
• For their part, SMEs should invest in business development, innovation and digitalization, marketing, seek financing from banks, the stock market and try to enter new markets, both domestic and international.
• At the event, we aim to discuss state programs for SMEs, the support that the FNGCIMM, banks and consultants can provide, as well as solutions for new innovative success models and for business development domestically and internationally. We want to facilitate dialogue between those who can support SMEs and entrepreneurs. Also, entrepreneurs in difficulty must be supported to restructure their business, diversify it or even start a new one if they demonstrate a strong entrepreneurial spirit.
• The role of small and medium-sized businesses is the most important for Romania to have a sustainable economic model, based on encouraging local entrepreneurship, supporting SMEs being a priority objective of the European Union.
• SMEs are the engine of the economy, but in difficult economic situations they are the first to suffer from various causes: lack of business consolidation or financial capital, inadequate business structure, increased expenses generated by inflation and the tightening of the tax regime, problems with suppliers and product sales, financial blockage, unfair competition, etc.
• According to the latest edition of the work “White Paper of SMEs in Romania 2024”, the main problems faced by SMEs in Romania are in order: inflation (52.89%), unfair competition (46.06%), increased wage costs (40.05%), decreased domestic demand (33.10%), training and retaining staff (31.71%), uncertainty of future developments (29.86%), competition from imported products (29.51%), delays in collecting invoices from private companies (25.81%). According to the research, only 49.95% of entrepreneurs estimate that the evolution of Romania’s economic situation will be the same or better, compared to 61.22% in 2023.
• However, the share of SMEs that have allocated up to 20% of funds for innovation from total investments increases, to 17.03% compared to 11.29% in 2023, 64.51% of entrepreneurs intend to access structural funds compared to 54.28% in 2023, and 58.38% of SMEs claim that they will be self-financing in 2024.
• An important criterion will be the sustainability of SME businesses in the future.
• SMEs are very important for Romania’s competitiveness and prosperity, for its economic and technological sovereignty, as well as for the economy’s resilience to internal problems and various external shocks.

DISCUSSION TOPICS

• What are the most important problems of SMEs and how can they be overcome? The impact of inflation and the tightening of the tax regime on SMEs and solutions.
• How does the state get involved in supporting and developing SMEs, what sources of financing do they have at their disposal and what aid can they receive from the state? Programs with state guarantees for supporting and financing SMEs.
• The role of FNGCIMM in state aid schemes.
• The involvement of banks in financing SMEs.
• Private equity investments, a strategic solution for Romanian SMEs.
• SME access to innovation and digitalization. Digitalization solutions for SMEs. Financing innovative SMEs.
• The role of consultants in supporting and developing entrepreneurship –
• Restructuring/Reorganization for SMEs; How can SMEs be saved in crisis?

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