In the area of access to finance for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) there are often market imperfections/failures – either as temporary effects or as fundamental structural deficiencies. To identify and analyse these issues, SME Access to Finance Market Assessments (AFMAs) are...

The vast majority of firms in Europe are micro firms. Still, we know little about their financing patterns. Our paper aims to close this gap. Based on a large European firm-level data set, we find that micro firms differ in their financing patterns from small and medium-sized companies. Our...

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...

The vast majority of firms in Europe are micro firms. Still, we know little about their financing patterns. Our paper aims to close this gap. Based on a large European firm-level data set, we find that micro firms differ in their financing patterns from small and medium-sized companies. Our...

In the area of access to finance for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) there are often market imperfections/failures – either as temporary effects or as fundamental structural deficiencies. To identify and analyse these issues, SME Access to Finance Market Assessments (AFMAs) are...

It is well known that Micro and Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the economy. Most of these companies use external financing sources like debt and equity capital to finance their activities. However, in general, in the area of SMEs' access to finance, there are...

This European Small Business Finance Outlook (ESBFO) provides an overview of the main markets relevant to EIF (equity1, securitisation, microfinance). It is an update of the ESBFO 2/2011 that was published in December last year. We start by discussing the general market environment, then look at...

This European Small Business Finance Outlook (ESBFO) provides an overview of the main markets relevant to EIF (equity1, securitisation, microfinance). It is an update of the ESBFO 1/2011 that has been published in June this year. We start by discussing the general market environment, then look...

This working paper provides an overview of the importance and tendencies of financing higher education and students' mobility. The analysis investigates problems stemming from unequal access to financing of education and mobility associated costs. It underlines the necessity of public help to...