SME definition (Commission Recommendation
96/280/EC)
An SME (Small or Medium-sized Enterprise) is an enterprise
which:
- has fewer than 250 employees,
- has either
- an annual turnover not exceeding 40 million
euro,
or
- an annual balance-sheet total not exceeding
27 million euro
- and conforms to the criteria of independence.
An independent organisation is an organisation which
is not owned for 25 % or more of the capital or the
voting rights by one enterprise or jointly by several
enterprises falling outside the definition of an SME.
This threshold may be exceeded in the following two
cases:
- if the organisation is held by public investment
corporations, venture capital companies or institutional
investors, provided no control is exercised either
individually or jointly,
or
- if the capital is spread in such a way that it is
not possible to determine by whom it is held and if
the organisation declares that it can legitimately
presume that it is not owned as to 25 % or more by
one enterprise, or jointly by several enterprises,
falling outside the definition of an SME.
This definition is currently undergoing some changes
and could affect future activities. More
info
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