commiss recommend definit micro small medium size enterpris notifi document number text eea relev ec commiss european commun regard treati establish european commun articl indent thereof report submit council request quot industri quot council held commiss propos limit prolifer definit small medium size enterpris commun level commiss recommend ec april definit small medium size enterpris base idea exist definit commun level nation level creat inconsist logic singl market intern frontier treatment enterpris base set common rule pursuit approach view extens interact nation commun measur assist micro small medium size enterpris sme connect structur fund research mean situat commun focus action categori sme member state avoid addit consid applic definit commiss member state european invest bank eib european invest fund eif improv consist effect polici target sme limit risk distort competit recommend ec appli wide member state definit contain annex thereto commiss regul ec januari applic articl ec treati state aid small medium size enterpris adapt recommend ec econom develop pursuant articl annex thereto consider number difficulti interpret emerg applic observ receiv enterpris view number amend requir made recommend ec sake clariti replac recommend made clear accord articl treati interpret court justic european commun enterpris consid entiti legal form engag econom activ includ entiti engag craft activ activ individu famili basi partnership associ regularli engag econom activ criterion staff number quot staff headcount criterion quot remain undoubtedli import observ main criterion introduc financi criterion nonetheless adjunct order grasp real scale perform enterpris posit compar competitor desir turnov sole financi criterion enterpris trade distribut sector natur higher turnov figur manufactur sector turnov criterion combin balanc sheet total criterion reflect wealth busi possibl criteria exceed turnov ceil refer enterpris engag type econom activ order restrict unduli us appli definit updat account price product ceil balanc sheet total absenc element justifi maintain approach turnov ceil subject coeffici base statist ratio variabl statist trend requir greater increas made turnov ceil trend differ size categori enterpris adjust coeffici order reflect econom trend close penalis microenterpris small enterpris oppos medium size enterpris coeffici close case microenterpris small enterpris simplifi matter singl chosen categori turnov ceil balanc sheet total ceil recommend ec financi ceil staff ceil repres maximum limit member state eib eif fix ceil lower commun ceil direct measur specif categori sme interest administr simplif member state eib eif criterion staff headcount implement polici appli rule competit law financi criteria adher endors european charter small enterpris european council santa maria da feira june microenterpris categori small enterpris import develop entrepreneurship job creation defin gain understand real econom posit sme remov categori group enterpris econom power exce genuin sme distinct made type enterpris depend autonom hold entail control posit partner enterpris link enterpris current limit shown recommend ec hold enterpris consid autonom maintain order encourag creation enterpris equiti financ sme rural local develop enterpris consid autonom hold categori investor posit role busi financ creation condit investor previous case quot busi angel quot individu group individu pursu regular busi invest ventur capit deserv special mention compar ventur capit investor abil give relev advic entrepreneur extrem valuabl invest equiti capit complement activ ventur capit compani provid smaller amount earlier stage enterpris life simplifi matter member state enterpris made defin link enterpris condit laid articl council direct eec june base articl treati consolid account amend direct ec european parliament council condit suitabl purpos recommend strengthen incent invest equiti fund sme presumpt absenc domin influenc enterpris question introduc pursuanc criteria articl council direct eec juli base articl treati annual account type compani amend direct ec account suitabl case relat enterpris pass natur person view ensur enterpris advantag accru sme rule measur favour benefit order limit examin situat strict minimum account relationship restrict relev market adjac market refer commiss definit quot relev market quot commiss notic definit relev market purpos commun competit law order avoid arbitrari distinct public bodi member state legal certainti consid confirm enterpris capit vote right control public bodi sme order eas administr burden enterpris simplifi speed administr handl case sme statu requir enterpris solemn declar certifi characterist establish detail composit staff headcount sme definit purpos order promot develop vocat train sandwich cours desir calcul staff number disregard apprentic student vocat train contract similarli matern parent leav period count type enterpris defin relationship enterpris correspond object differ degre integr appli distinct procedur type enterpris calcul quantiti repres activ econom power recommend articl recommend concern definit micro small medium size enterpris commun polici appli commun european econom area member state european invest bank eib european invest fund eif invit compli titl annex programm direct medium size enterpris small enterpris microenterpris step view size class set articl annex monitor commun financi instrument concern articl ceil shown articl annex regard maximum valu member state eib eif fix lower ceil implement polici choos appli criterion number employe field govern rule state aid articl recommend replac recommend ec januari articl recommend address member state eib eif request inform commiss decemb measur septemb inform result implement brussel commiss erkki liikanen member commiss oj oj oj oj oj oj annex titl definit micro small medium size enterpris adopt commiss articl enterpris enterpris consid entiti engag econom activ irrespect legal form includ emploi person famili busi engag craft activ partnership associ regularli engag econom activ articl staff headcount financi ceil determin enterpris categori categori micro small medium size enterpris sme made enterpris emploi fewer person annual turnov exceed eur million annual balanc sheet total exceed eur million sme categori small enterpris defin enterpris emploi fewer person annual turnov annual balanc sheet total exce eur million sme categori microenterpris defin enterpris emploi fewer person annual turnov annual balanc sheet total exce eur million articl type enterpris consider calcul staff number financi amount quot autonom enterpris quot enterpris classifi partner enterpris mean paragraph link enterpris mean paragraph quot partner enterpris quot enterpris classifi link enterpris mean paragraph relationship enterpris upstream enterpris hold sole jointli link enterpris mean paragraph capit vote right enterpris downstream enterpris enterpris rank autonom partner enterpris threshold reach exceed investor provid investor link mean paragraph individu jointli enterpris question public invest corpor ventur capit compani individu group individu regular ventur capit invest activ invest equiti capit unquot busi quot busi angel quot provid total invest busi angel enterpris eur univers profit research centr institut investor includ region develop fund autonom local author annual budget eur million fewer inhabit quot link enterpris quot enterpris relationship enterpris major sharehold member vote right enterpris enterpris appoint remov major member administr manag supervisori bodi enterpris enterpris exercis domin influenc enterpris pursuant contract enter enterpris provis memorandum articl associ enterpris sharehold member enterpris control pursuant agreement sharehold member enterpris major sharehold member vote right enterpris presumpt domin influenc exist investor list subparagraph paragraph involv directli indirectli manag enterpris question prejudic right stakehold enterpris relationship subparagraph enterpris investor mention paragraph consid link enterpris relationship natur person group natur person act jointli consid link enterpris engag activ part activ relev market adjac market quot adjac market quot consid market product servic situat directli upstream downstream relev market case set paragraph subparagraph enterpris consid sme capit vote right directli indirectli control jointli individu public bodi enterpris make declar statu autonom enterpris partner enterpris link enterpris includ data ceil set articl declar made capit spread determin held case enterpris declar good faith legitim presum own enterpris jointli enterpris link declar made prejudic check investig provid nation commun rule articl data staff headcount financi amount refer period data appli headcount staff financi amount relat latest approv account period calcul annual basi account date closur account amount select turnov calcul exclud ad tax vat indirect tax date closur account enterpris find annual basi exceed fallen headcount financi ceil state articl result loss acquisit statu medium size small microenterpris ceil exceed consecut account period case newli establish enterpris account approv data appli deriv bona fide estim made financi year articl staff headcount headcount correspond number annual work unit awu number person work full time enterpris question behalf entir refer year consider work person work full year work work part time durat work season worker count fraction awu staff consist employe person work enterpris subordin deem employe nation law owner manag partner engag regular activ enterpris benefit financi advantag enterpris apprentic student engag vocat train apprenticeship vocat train contract includ staff durat matern parent leav count articl establish data enterpris case autonom enterpris data includ number staff determin exclus basi account enterpris data includ headcount enterpris partner enterpris link enterpris determin basi account data enterpris exist consolid account enterpris consolid account enterpris includ consolid data refer subparagraph ad data partner enterpris enterpris question situat immedi upstream downstream aggreg proport percentag interest capit vote right whichev greater case cross hold greater percentag appli data refer subparagraph ad data enterpris link directli indirectli enterpris question data includ consolid account applic paragraph data partner enterpris enterpris question deriv account data consolid exist ad data enterpris link partner enterpris account data includ consolid applic paragraph data enterpris link enterpris question deriv account data consolid exist ad pro rata data partner enterpris link enterpris situat immedi upstream downstream includ consolid account percentag proport percentag identifi subparagraph paragraph consolid account staff data enterpris staff figur calcul aggreg proportion data partner enterpris ad data enterpris enterpris question link titl ii sundri provis articl statist commiss measur present statist produc accord size class enterpris person person person person articl refer commun legisl commun programm amend adopt term quot sme quot quot microenterpris quot quot small enterpris quot quot medium size enterpris quot similar term occur refer definit contain recommend transit measur current commun programm sme definit recommend ec continu implement benefit enterpris consid sme programm adopt legal bind commit enter commiss basi programm remain unaffect prejudic subparagraph amend sme definit programm made adopt definit contain recommend accord paragraph articl revis basi review applic definit contain recommend drawn march take account amend articl direct eec definit link enterpris mean direct commiss adapt definit contain recommend ceil turnov balanc sheet total order account experi econom develop commun