EU corporate governance framework : the role of the EU institutions

The aim of this chapter is to present the stages of development of corporate governance of the European Commission by referring to Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and their role in the Industrial Policy of the EU. The latter refers to measures aimed at stimulating growth and competitiveness in the EU economy as a whole with the priorities of fostering competitiveness, encouraging innovation by supporting actions related to innovation and research, promoting businesses that produce in a sustainable and socially responsible way, working to ensure that enterprise and industry have access to resources, including finance, skilled labour, energy and raw materials, promoting a business-friendly environment, supporting the internationalization of EU enterprise and industrial goods and services and providing support for the protection of intellectual property rights.