Access to Funds: How Could CMU Support SME Financing?

Many policy actions of the CMU have the objective to enhance access to finance for the so-called backbone of the European economy—the SMEs. The CMU aims at improving the framework conditions for SME financing, at strengthening bank lending—as the most important external financing source for SMEs— and to diversify the range of potential financing sources for SMEs—for various financial instruments from debt to equity. This article explains the SME financing-related objectives of the CMU by looking at the initiatives to enhance the lending capacity of banks, before it turns to the discussion of alternative financing. Due to the multitude of links to SMEs, not all CMU elements can be tackled in the same detail, but we focus on some key areas like securitisation and venture capital—including latest regulatory developments.