EU SME Assembly

The SME Assembly 2025 will be hosted in conjunction with the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and will take place from 10 to 12 November in Copenhagen, Denmark. This year’s motto is “Successful SMEs, Competitive Europe.”

Senior GEN staff, London-based Matt Smith, Vice President, and Cristina Fernandez, Director for Knowledge + Programming, are participating in the assembly. 

Europe stands at a pivotal moment. The economy and SMEs are under pressure from low investment, slowing productivity, skills shortages, demographic challenges, the climate crisis and war on the continent. To remain competitive and safeguard prosperity and freedom, it is essential to create conditions that allow companies to grow and decarbonise rapidly.

Over one and a half days, permanent sessions will highlight and celebrate “made in Europe” companies defying the odds and succeeding on the global stage. Their experiences can provide valuable lessons for the path ahead.

A new Scaling Up Investors Forum will bring entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers together. The Forum is designed to raise awareness of existing and emerging financing instruments and investment ecosystems and explore tailored strategies suited to different types of SMEs, whether operating in high-risk, high-tech environments, crafts or more traditional sectors.

The agenda will also include a new Forum for Scaling, Internationalisation and Cross-Border Trade, dedicated to examining Europe’s position in the global marketplace. Companies that export grow faster, yet the current volatile trading environment is discouraging established exporters and deterring new entrants. This Forum will address the barriers and opportunities linked to international trade.

Recognition will also be given to outstanding achievements in European enterprise promotion, alongside the ideas and vision of young entrepreneurs who are just starting out. Inspiration will come from businesses unlocking untapped potential within underrepresented groups, as well as from innovative thinkers shaping the future.

By the end of the Assembly, participants will leave with ideas, insights, and inspiration, setting a course for a competitive Europe with SMEs at its heart.

The Assembly is more than a discussion — it is a launchpad for action. Together, we will chart a path to a more competitive, resilient Europe, with SMEs at its heart.