Flash Eurobarometer on the internationalisation of SMEs is now available

This Flash Eurobarometer survey explores the international business activities carried out by SMEs inside and outside the Internal Market, with a strong focus on export and import. 14,513 SMEs from the manufacturing, retail, services and industry sectors have been interviewed in the survey.

Elements investigated include export and import markets, real and perceived barriers related to export and import and measures that would help SMEs internationalise. 

The survey provides data on both EU average and per country and makes a distinction on the basis of SMEs characteristics.

Main findings:

EU SMEs engaged in international business activities

• 39% of SMEs in EU have from another country (inside or outside the Internal Market) in the past three years. Of these, 36% imported from another EU country and 19% from a non-EU country.
• 33% of SMEs in EU have been involved in to another country inside or outside the Internal Market. Of these, 30% targeted the Internal Market and 20% addressed markets outside the EU.
• 16% of SMEs in the EU have used a subcontractor based abroad;  13% of SMEs in the EU have worked as a subcontractor for a company based abroad.
• 8% of SMEs in the EU have worked with a partner based abroad for research and development.
• 4% of SMEs in the EU have invested in a company based abroad.

SMEs not engaged in international business activities

• 49% of EU SMEs have not engaged in any of the above mentioned business activities inside and 69% outside the Internal Market in the last three years.

Company characteristics

• Size: the larger the company, the more likely it is to have engaged in international business activities.
• Sector: manufacturing companies are the most likely to have engaged in business activities both inside and outside the Internal Market.

Target markets for export

The survey revealed that the main target market of exporting EU SMEs is the Internal Market (81%), followed by Middle East and North Africa (15%), Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Balkans (14%), the USA (13%), India and South East Asia (11%), Russia, China and India (all 10%).

Barriers encountered when exporting

The main export barriers identified by exporting EU SMEs are that:

• administrative procedures when exporting are too complicated.
• delivery costs are too high.
• identifying business partners abroad is too difficult.
• the financial investment is too high.

Support for internationalisation

According to the survey, the most likely measures to help SMEs internationalise are:

• grants, subsidies or low interest loans.
• tax incentives.
• support for finding business partners.
• networking.

Other measures include opportunities to take part in international trade fairs, information on market opportunities, information on rules and regulations and advice or training.

Read the full survey

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