The European Parliament,

–   having regard to its Oral Question of 27 October 2008 to the Council on steps towards improving the environment for SMEs in Europe: Small Business Act (O-0113/08),

–   having regard to the Commission communication of 25 June 2008 entitled ''Think Small First" - A "Small Business Act" for Europe' (COM(2008)0394) and the accompanying impact assessment,

–   having regard to the European Charter for Small Enterprises,

–   having regard to Rule 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.   whereas small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are crucial to Europe's economy, providing over 100 000 000 jobs, contributing to economic growth, being a major source of innovation and promoting gender equality and regional development,

B.   whereas the proposal for a Small Business Act (SBA) for Europe is to be warmly welcomed but will only be effective if there is a concrete commitment to its implementation at Member State and Community level,

C.   whereas the current financial market crisis has made the shortcomings of the present framework for SMEs even more obvious and has heightened the urgency of having their needs better taken into account and of the provisions contained in the SBA being effectively implemented,

1.  Calls on the Member States to confirm that they intend formally to approve the SBA at the Brussels European Council in December 2008 in order to ensure the necessary high visibility, and calls on the Council, when adopting the SBA, to make its provisions binding, in order for it to have a significant and positive effect on the environment for SMEs;

2.  Emphasises the need for the Member States fully to support the implementation of the provisions of the SBAs in order for them to be effective and calls for concrete measures to be taken at both Member State and regional level, to complement the measures adopted at Community level; asks the Member States, therefore, to announce how and within what timeframe the provisions of the SBA will be incorporated into the national regulatory frameworks;

3.  Recalls that, in order to ensure that the provisions of the SBA are effective, a screening system should be set up to monitor its progress and its implementation by the Commission and the Member States; urges that the progress made in the implementation of the provisions of the SBA be included in a stand-alone chapter in the annual reports on the Lisbon Strategy national reform programmes;

4.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States not to forget the 'real economy' when tackling the current financial crisis, by providing concrete support for SMEs by ensuring their access to finance in this critical moment; welcomes, in this respect, the new package of the European Investment Bank envisaging EUR 30 000 000 000 for SME loans as agreed by the Council; takes the view that the amount will not be sufficient to solve the current problems of SME financing;

5.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.