Several EU officials have left their offices in Brussels in order to gain practical experience on the way that small and medium-sized entities all over Europe do business. During their one-week stay in several companies they are to receive a better understanding of the general conditions under which small and medium-sized entities operate. The first placement of this kind had already taken place in Germany last week.
In the course of the first stage of this programme 50 officials from the directorate general for companies and industry will be sent to small and medium-sized entities based in ten European countries by Easter 2007. By the year 2009 all 350 officials from the directorate general are to have spent one week on the ground in different branches of industry ranging from the aerospace, pharmaceutical, hotel and restaurant industry to information technology, mechanical engineering and chemical as well as textile industry. They will work together with staff in key company positions thereby gaining experiences in different departments of the company in question.
Detailed information on this topic as well as a list of all placements to be completed by spring 2007 are available online. Further information on the policies of the directorate general for European companies can be obtained by logging on to the website of the European Commission. 