Annual Report on European SMEs 2016 / 2017

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continue to recover!

SMEs form the basis of the EU-28 economy. In 2016, SMEs created 93 million jobs and added value by a further 1.4%. Businesses benefited mainly from stronger aggregate demand (consumption, exports and capital investment).

The year 2016 is thus the third year in a row with steady growth. The DIW Econ forecasts indicate that SMEs will continue their growth rate in 2017 and 2018. Start-ups, in particular, played an essential role in the rising employment figures in the EU-28.

The annual report was prepared by a consortium, including DIW Econ.

For further information, please read the Annual Report.