Proposition 53K3073

Projet de loi portant dispositions diverses en matière de PME.

General information ¶

Submitted by

PS | SP the Di Rupo government

Submission date

Oct. 15, 2013

Official page

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Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

small and medium-sized enterprises residence self-employed person

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

CD&V Vooruit LE PS | SP Open Vld MR

Voted to reject

∉ N-VA LDD VB

Abstained from voting

Groen Ecolo

Party dissidents ¶

• Peter Luykx (CD&V) voted to reject.
• Bernard Clerfayt (MR) abstained from voting.
• Olivier Maingain (MR) abstained from voting.
• Damien Thiéry (MR) abstained from voting.

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Discussion ¶

Dec. 5, 2013 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

I refer to the written report.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker.

The starters-bvba was created in order to be able to start a business quickly with a minimum of capital, the 1 euro companies. In practice, however, the measure has not resulted in the expected outcome. Now we have to choose: reform or abolish.

To make the starters-bvba attractive, there were nine recommendations. Some of them are taken over. Thus, the duration of five years is extended to the infinite, somewhat eternal starter. The limit of five persons is also removed. However, we believe that this does not solve the biggest problem of the starters-bvba, in particular the creditworthiness and the confidence of supplier and customer in the starters-bvba. One of the most interesting recommendations was not taken over, in particular the help to a startup through a financial plan, so as to come to healthy enterprises from the start.

As stated in the committee, Mrs. Minister, it is not for us whether or not it will succeed. That is entrepreneurship: if one takes an initiative and succeeds, the better. If it fails, it is not a shame to draw the necessary conclusions from it.

Ms Emmery and Slegers, who were registered, are not present.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Minister, in your reply to my comments regarding this bill and my general comment that your bill, together with your SME plan, mean pretty little, you replied that you never said that the start-up company would in the short term make up half of all companies.

A significant part of the bill concerns start-up companies and some amendments. In practice, it has been shown that the start-up company was insufficient, that it was mainly a Brussels phenomenon – I learned from the figures – and that several start-up companies were founded by the same natural person.

One could ask whether it is not misuse of the startup company or even fraud?

The start-up company was founded with the most noble, though sometimes somewhat naive intention to give the start-up the opportunity to start a business under the protective form of a company, but then without the burden of a heavy start-up capital. You have forgotten one thing. Apparently, it was not expected that getting a loan for a start-up company with a very limited financial commitment by all banks would not be welcomed.

Our group is of the opinion that your bill does not or does not address the financial problem sufficiently. You may not be able to do that without touching the essence of the startup company itself.

The success continues, Mrs. Minister. We believe that the removal of the five-year limit will not change much in that. That is regrettable, because the SME world is earning better now from a study by Professor Lambrecht, in collaboration with Unizo, by the way, shows that as much as 15% of self-employed people live in structural poverty. Structural means that one remains below the poverty line for seven consecutive years. 15% of self-employed people live in structural poverty. At the end of November, there were already more bankruptcies than in the whole year before. Therefore, much more needs to be invested in supporting SMEs. SMEs are the backbone of our economy.

I would like to follow you if you say you would like to take more steps, but that the financial tightness does not allow that. Only, Mrs. Minister, I think it is the current political majority that prevents you from doing so.

Mrs. Minister, I conclude with the words of my intervention in the committee, with which I also repeat what colleague Uyttersprot said. It is not a shame when something doesn’t work. One must have the courage to draw conclusions somewhere and draw a line if necessary.

In any case, we draw a line under your bill. We hope that you will draw a line under your startup company.