Supporting Inclusive Entrepreneurship in Europe:
Creating Sustainable Employment and Promoting Equal Opportunities

Key Speakers

	Ms. Madi Sharma, Group I - Employers - UK, European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
	Mr. Marko Curavic, Head of Unit, Entrepreneurship, DG ENTR, European Commission
	Ms. Miriam Koreen, Centre for SMEs Entrepreneurship and Local Development, OECD
	Mr. Guzman Garcia Gonzales-Posada, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Spain
	Ms. Anna Ludwinek, Research Officer, Living Conditions and Quality of Life Unit, Eurofound
	Ms. Jackie Brierton, Coordinator of GrowBiz, Director of Womena's Enterprise Scotland and Chair of the UK Women's Enterprise Policy Group

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) currently represent 99% of all business in Europe and contribute 65 million jobs. 85% of the total number of new jobs in the European Union between 2002 and 2010 were created by SMEs demonstrating the importance and scale of this sector and the immense potential that it holds for job creation in the EU. In the context of the global financial crisis, it is essential to encourage entrepreneurship as a means to create sustainable employment.

Entrepreneurship represents an opportunity to encourage a more inclusive and fair labour market. Unemployment amongst young people is dramatically high, currently at around 22% and more than double the EU average (10%), and only 20% of businesses created with venture capital belong to women (WES). Providing training and raising awareness of existing programmes and funding could help to address these issues and redress the balance of equality and inclusion at the same time.

The results of data available from several EU Member States suggest that ethnic minority groups and migrants create a proportionally high number of small businesses. These groups hold an enormous amount of potential within Europe, which could and should be accessed. Current recommendations have already targeted the obstacles faced by marginalised groups and identified initiatives and objectives to tackle them.

In the face of serious cuts to public services across the EU, the societal contribution that can be made to social business is extremely significant. Whilst social economy is not a recent concept, it has only recently started to gain momentum in current political agendas. At a European level there are now several initiatives and various funding opportunities such as the European Social Fund 2007-2013, which supports self-employment and new businesses as one of its main priorities. However, there is still a strong need to assess exactly how social economy and entrepreneurship is defined and used. Current examples of best practices and functioning funding mechanisms need to be collated and used to define policies at the EU level.

This International Symposium seeks to analyse current entrepreneurship practices across Europe. It aims to monitor and measure the impact of partnership working, exchange good practice at local, national and international levels and ensure that current measures are both inclusive and transposable on a supranational level. The symposium seeks to integrate European knowledge in order to help shape sustainable EU-wide inclusive entrepreneurship strategies.

The Symposium will support the exchange of ideas and encourage delegates to engage in thought-provoking topical debate with local and regional practitioners and policymakers at EU level.

Delegates will:

• Contribute to the shaping of a comprehensive and inclusive EU-wide entrepreneurship strategy
• Assess entrepreneurship practices and stimulate partnership working at all levels
• Share comparative multi-level good practices in employment-inclusion policies
• Discuss and promote early intervention mechanisms to strengthen inclusive entrepreneurship

Programme

Who Should Attend?

• Small Business Federations
• Chambers of Commerce
• Social Funds
• Gender Equality Councils
• Local Authorities
• Training Managers
• Recruitment Advisers
• Organisational Development Professionals
• Equal Opportunities Officers
• Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Practitioners
• Equal Opportunity Ombudsman
• Women's Associations
• Women's Enterprise Agencies
• Institutes for Occupational Health
• Child Care Service Agencies
• Associations for Education and Development of Women
• Institutes for Training and Employment
• Institutes for Social Inclusion of Women
• Women's Centres
• Anti-Discrimination Agencies
• Research Centres for Gender Equalities
• Academics and Universities
• National Agencies on Gender Equality
• Women's Networks
• Trade Unions
• Employers’ Associations
• Equal Opportunity Agencies
• Women’s Lobbyist Groups
• Women’s Councils
• Women’s NGOs Networks
• International and Regional Organisations
• National Ministries and Institutes
• Confederations of Women’s Organisations
• Joint Committees on Women
• National Coordinators on Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities
• Social Exclusion Officers
• Judges and Lawyers
• Human Rights Groups
• Disability Forums and Associations
• Confederations of Independent Unions
• Women in Legal Careers Associations and Bodies
• Medical Women Associations
• Social Care Professionals