Resolution adopted by the ELDR Congress 2008 in Stockholm

Women’s entrepreneurship

The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party, convening in Stockholm, Sweden, on 30^th and 31^st October 2008:

Considering that Europe’s entrepreneurs are important contributors to growth and jobs and can lay the foundation for a prosperous Europe. The entrepreneur is willing to take the risks and make significant commitments to start a new business or develop an existing one. They are not common enough in Europe. Not enough Europeans see running a small business as sufficiently more attractive to working as an employee of a firm. These reasons apply to both women and men, but there are certain additional factors which make entrepreneurship an even less attractive or viable option for women.

Entrepreneurship drives innovation, competitiveness, job creation and growth. It allows new innovative ideas to turn into successful ventures in high-tech sectors and can unlock the personal potential of people to create jobs for themselves and find a better place in society.

Women entrepreneurs and their businesses are a rapidly growing part of the business population, not only in industries where they were traditionally active, but also in less traditional sectors. In the public sector there are major opportunities for new companies and jobs to be created.

Despite an increasing trend witnessed in the nineties, the percentage of female entrepreneurs in Europe still remains low, both in relation to that of male entrepreneurs and to the percentage of women in the population. The creative and entrepreneurial potential of women is a latent source of economic growth and new jobs and should therefore be encouraged.

Women’s entrepreneurship has already been encouraged. However, much more needs to be done to overcome the specific factors that discourage women, in particular, from starting or taking over small firms. Even more important is the need to create an environment in which women who run a small business can make their firms grow.

Noting that:

-    Europe’s economy needs more entrepreneurs and it is important that the Member States find ways to overcome the factors that particularly discourage women from taking up the option of entrepreneurship.

-   There is not enough entrepreneurial activity in Europe if the economic growth targets are to be met, and women are even less likely than men to set up a business. Furthermore, there is a need for pointing out the common problems faced by women entrepreneurs and providing and exchanging information on good practices for addressing them.

Calls for:

-       Awareness and initiation of a European debate on the importance of women entrepreneurs for economic growth and for society as a whole, by presenting success stories

-       A business climate that is favourable to female entrepreneurs, as well as social structures that encourages and enables a larger number of new women entrepreneurs.

-       A fair environment for risk-taking and no unreasonable barriers for new entrepreneurs who start or take over a firm.

-       Improvement in the exchange of good practices between Member States and policy changes where necessary.

-       Facilitation of the establishment and development of European networks of government officials working in the area of promoting women entrepreneurs and to promote networking.

-       Awareness in the Member States about women entrepreneurship and possibilities to gain entrepreneurial skills through education.

-       Each member state to take sufficient measures to enhance the combination work/family