New SME Action Plan to prioritise Digitalisation of Commercial and Craft Businesses

The 5th SME (small and medium-sized entreprises) Action Plan is set to prioritise the digitalisation of commercial and craft firms in Luxembourg.

Luxembourg Minister of the Middle Classes Lex Delles today announced a new version of the SME Action Plan. As in previous versions, the 5th Plan will include measures to ensure a favourable environment for the creation and development of middle-class enterprises. 

On the one hand, the new action plan will take measures that have been either delayed or not yet implemented, and adjust them according to the economic evolution; on the other hand, new actions corresponding to the current needs of trade, craft and Horeca (food, hospitality) sectors will be defined.

In order to continuously improve the business environment in a way that is favourable to business development, the High Committee for the Support of SMEs and Entrepreneurship, chaired by the Minister of the Middle Classes and bringing together the employer representatives, already defined some of the main orientations of the 5th SME Action Plan at its meeting on 25 February 2019.

The digitalisation of commercial and craft enterprises will be one of the priorities of this action plan, with the implementation of accompanying measures and additional support in line with the needs of small businesses that are sometimes poorly equipped with digital tools. In addition, as part of the development of second chance entrepreneurship, measures will be put in place to give a new chance, in good faith, at success to those who had previously gone bankrupt. 

Minister of Middle Classes Lex Delles has commented: "The new SME action plan will be developed in the coming months in close consultation with the employers' federations, as well as with the ministries and administrations concerned. The measures provided for therein will serve as a basis for carrying out a large number of actions in favour of SMEs. The plan will form the basis of the policy pursued in the coming years for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises."

SMEs play a leading role in economic growth and job creation in Luxembourg. Employing more than 210,000 people, the middle-class sector has 35,000 craft and commercial enterprises, including the Horeca sector.