Regeneration Support Team Website: News Update 12/05/05

New SME Definition - 12/05/2005

The European Commission has adopted a new definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with effect from 1 January 2005. The changes were announced back at the end of 2003, but are only just now coming on stream. Basically the thresholds for turnover and balance sheet figures have been raised, although the headcount (ie number of employees) remains the same. The table below summarises the changes:

Enterprise category	Headcount (unchanged)	Turnover	or		Balance Sheet total
Medium-sized	<250	< € 50 million (was 40m)		< € 43 million (was 27m)
Small	<50	< € 10 million (was 7m)		< € 10 million (was 5m)
Micro	<10	< € 2 million (not previously defined)		< € 2 million (not previously defined)

Further information on this can be obtained from the European Union’s Info rmation Gateway website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise

Click here to download the 'SME definition IP.03.652 - 08/05/2003.pdf'

Click here to download the 'SME definition C(2003) 1422 - 06/05/05.pdf'