“I see this not only as an expression of appreciation and trust from the Association, but above all as an opportunity for more effective use of financial instruments at the European level. My priority in the management of the AECM will be to reduce bureaucracy and simplify the conditions for providing repayable support for the SME segment,” says Tomáš Nidetzký, the Chairman of the Board of Directors at the NRB.
The AECM brings together 32 countries from the European Union, the UK, Switzerland, Kosovo, Moldova, Ukraine, including Turkey and Azerbaijan. In total, there are 47 national or regional guarantee institutions with an impressive guarantee portfolio of approximately EUR 207bn in total, at the end of 2023. The annual meeting in Warsaw also approved the AECM’s priorities for the coming period, which, among others are:
- Strengthening proportionality, i.e. taking into account the capacity SMEs in the administrative and bureaucratic requirements for the implementation of financial instruments;
- Supporting this key SME segment in the implementation of the European “twin transition” (green and digital economy) programme, e.g. through a more flexible approach in the provision of the state aid;
- Building digital infrastructure and digital knowledge – i.e. keeping pace with the current trend of substantial increase in the use of AI elements;
- Strengthening the unique role of guarantee schemes as a key support for the SME segment at EU level.
Representatives of the Commission and the EIB Group, during the conference and seminars on the topic of “green and digital transition emphasised not only the still valid long-term sustainability objectives, but also the continuing trend of a lack of resources allocated to financial instruments at both national and European level. A representative of the European Investment Fund, which implements, among others, one of the key support scheme – the InvestEU programme – said that the declared financial demands towards the EIF already exceeded the available resources by three times.
AECM members will meet at the next annual meeting in May 2025 in Berlin.
