Support mechanisms for young entrepreneurs
10.2.2014
Question for written answer E-001362-14
to the Commission
Rule 117
Mojca Kleva Kekuš (S&D)
In Slovenia a business incubator project for young people aged 15 to 19, called Ustvarjalnik, is in its fifth year. Under the guidance of volunteer mentors, the young people involved in the project develop an entrepreneurial way of thinking, with the ultimate goal of realising their own business ideas. So far over 2 200 students have taken part in the project, presenting the results of their business ideas to the market at the end of the school year. A lot of the young people who have taken part in the Ustvarjalnik project have actually gone on to establish their own start-ups, some of which have attracted international attention.
The activities undertaken through the Ustvarjalnik project are about providing support for the embryonic stages of a business idea. But for these young people to successfully continue in business it is not sufficient simply to put the business idea into practice and set up a company, since they urgently need additional financial, infrastructural, professional and institutional support in order for their start-up company to become stable and sustainable and thus provide a basis for self-employment in the long run. Given the high rate of youth unemployment in Slovenia, the EU should provide system support and financial incentives to young people venturing into business on a self-employment basis so that they can build solid foundations for their companies, and allow them to pay reduced taxes and contributions. For young people it is impossible, for example, when they first go into business to find sufficient funds to pay all the necessary charges and operate successfully. Many are unable to pay such high taxes and contributions and therefore move into the black market. I believe, therefore, that we need to introduce a minimum fixed charge which young entrepreneurs could pay without difficulty while the company is finding its feet in the marketplace and is operating sufficiently successfully. This is the only way to encourage young people to become entrepreneurs and not to give up at the very beginning. In addition, the EU should provide young entrepreneurs with professional and infrastructural support in the form of business incubators where they could further their development and obtain advice from experts, as well as all the information they need to operate successfully.
In view of the above, I would like to ask the Commission:
- 1.Is it considering providing help to young people who start up a company by giving them tax breaks or letting them pay lower contributions?
- 2.Is it planning to introduce any programmes to provide young entrepreneurs with financial incentives to make market penetration easier?
- 3.Is it considering a legislative basis to help young entrepreneurs?
- 4.Does it intend to provide co-funding for organisations which offer young entrepreneurs advice and assistance in keeping their start-up companies operational?
OJ C 307, 10/09/2014