The Small Business Act (SBA), adopted by the Commission on June 25, is part of the Commission’s plan to make Europe more entrepreneurial. It was published following a public online consultation.

“Now is the time, once and for all, to cement the needs of SMEs in the forefront of the EU’s policy. The SBA brings the full weight of Europe behind SMEs – enlisting all the resources of Europe to help small business in their daily business and to clear the path for those that want to create more jobs and grow in Europe and beyond,” said Commissioner Günter Verheugen.

The Act states that the Commission will encourage SMEs to benefit from the opportunities offered by the single market.

One way of doing this will be to “make the Community Trade Mark system more accessible, in particular by significantly reducing Community Trade Mark fees as part of a comprehensive solution to the financial perspectives of the Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market (OHIM)”.

EU member states agreed in principle to address OHIM’s budget surplus by reducing CTM fees more than a year ago, but specific proposals have not yet been implemented.

Some member states have argued against reducing fees, as part of a debate about the role of OHIM and national offices.

However, in response to a Portuguese request, Commissioner Charlie McCreevy is believed to have said that a proposal will be published later this year.

The Commission’s communication also reaffirms its commitment to patent reform: “The Commission continues to work on an efficient, cost-effective, high-quality and legally secure patent system at European level, including a Community Patent and an EU-wide Patent Jurisdiction.”