Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

In his speech Mete stated that the Small Businesses Law, brought into effect in 2008 by the European Union, is an important, up to date document detailing what needs to be done for SMEs. Relating that said law aims to provide the environment in which SMEs can flourish, Mete said that Turkey has been partial to the law since 2010.

TOBB Board Vice President Halim Mete spoke, “It is accepted that SMEs are at the center of European economy with the European Small Businesses Law and forms the political framework for countries. It is with pleasure that I can state that the major points that we as TOBB have been putting forth regarding the development of SMEs form the basis of this law. The Small Business Law identifies 10 principles regarding the development of SMEs.”

- 4 Guiding principles

Mete stated that the said principles can be listed under 4 guiding principles, which are: the development of entrepreneurship; the inveteracy of innovation, institutionalization and branding in SMEs; the enabling of SMEs access to finances and the support for SMEs to be active in domestic and foreign markets. Halim Mete said, “When we are able to fully enact these four guiding principles, SMEs will have taken steps on the road to becoming institutional large companies. We, as TOBB, are working to make the SMEs, the driving force of our economy, major players in the economy. TOBB has completed its institutional transformation and is providing service to its members to this end.”

- The development of entrepreneurship

Stating that the development of entrepreneurship is one of the focuses of TOBB, with this aim in mind, Halim Mete related how councils of women entrepreneurs and young entrepreneurs have been formed in 81 provinces of Turkey. Mete said, “We’ve brought our entrepreneurs together so that their communications become stronger and they create areas of cooperation. So that they can produce new projects through pooling their information. The success stories that result are what will encourage the new generation to become entrepreneurs. Sixteen of our chambers are mentioned in the European Business Network in the entrepreneurship and innovation program of the European Small Businesses Law”.

- Other work regarding SMEs

Touching on the subject of inveteracy of innovation, institutionalization and branding in SMEs, Mete stated that, in order to provide professional consultation services to SMEs, ABİGEM’s have been established in 15 provinces and that ABİGEM’s have produced success stories in a short time.

Halime Mete provided detailed information on the work to enable SMEs’ reaching of finances and venturing into foreign markets.

Stating that in recent years, the importance of SMEs has become better understood in the EU and Turkey, Halim Mete said:

“Our Union has taken on the role of private sector coordinator as emphasized during the Europe SMEs Week, a part of the Europe Small Businesses Law.

In 2010, 103 of 1500 activities held in 37 countries have taken place in Turkey, the most to host events after Britain and Germany.

Registration for the 2011 Europe SMEs Week Turkey events is still ongoing.

As of this moment, the number of events taking place in Turkey far surpasses those in other countries.

Turkey is increasingly becoming an important actor in its region and worldwide. The Turkish private sector keeps pulling ahead in this time of global economic turmoil.”