SME Impact Assessment for COVID-19 - II

As crisis continues to unfold, many businesses throughout the EU continue to face unprecedented challenges and rewire their business models to enable flexibility abd faster decision-making.

With this survey, SME Europe is gathering first-hand information on how SMEs across the EU operate during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

Your input will help us indentify problems, constrains and challenges to improve the EU’s comprehensive response strategy, deploy resources to address critical business needs and develop new policies to significantly improve SME legislation in the EU.
With your guidance, we are committed to doing our part to preserve and strengthen the economic health of Europe.

Thank you for your contribution!

Sincerely,
Board of the SME Europe of the EPP

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* 1. In which country do you operate?

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* 2. In which industry or sector do you operate?

Other (please specify)

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* 3. How many employees does your company have?

Self-employed

Less than 5

5 -10

11 - 20

21 - 50

More than 50

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* 4. Does your business sell products/services cross-border? (multiple choice)

Global

No, we buy and sell (or offer our services) within our country only

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* 5. How have your business operations been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?

Operations are still running

Yes, temporarily suspended because of Covid-19 cases in our business

Yes, temporarily suspended because of decrease in orders

Yes, temporarily suspended because of governmental instructions

Yes, suspended operations earlier but currently running again

Yes, permanently suspended

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* 6. Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your enterprise in any of the following ways? (multiple choice)

Clients not paying

Cross-Border Traffic/Trade blocked

Difficults with digital transforming/ adaption

Employee absences due to sickness

Increased administrative bottlenecks

Reduced certification services

Reduced investment

Reduced logistics services

Temporary shutdown

Unconventional problems with infrastructure, e.g. internet or roads

Other (please specify)

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* 7. How many employees have you been forced to lay off due to the pandemic?

1-5

6-10

11-20

More than 20

No layoffs

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* 8. How much longer are you able to keep the company alive if the current situation continues?

Up until 3 months

Up to 4 -6 months

Up to a year

More than a year

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* 9. What is your business’s perspective for the future?

I have to close my business in the next months

I got back on track with my business

No changes

I will invest / (re-) employ in my company in 2021

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* 10. During the pandemic, have you been contacted by your bank?

Yes

If yes, what message did they deliver:

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* 11. Have you got financial support? (multiple choice)

State Aid

Credit

Investor

Own investment

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* 12. If so, when do you think your company is debt-free?

1 year

3 years

5 years

More then 5 years

I cannot pay it back

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* 13. What has been the impact of Covid-19 for your revenues in 2020?

-10 to -25%

-25% to -50%

-50% to -100%

Business as usual

Increase

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* 14. How your enterprise/ self-employment undertakings responding to the crisis? (multiple choice)

Diversifying products to satisfy new demands (e.g. producing masks, sanitizer etc.)

Diversifying sale channels – online marketing, e-commerce, delivery options

Increasing production due to increased demand

Laid off employees

Loaned employees to other entreprises

Negotiating payment terms with banks and suppliers

Reducing production of goods or services

Teleworking, home office

Temporarily reduced employment

Filed for bankruptcy

No action

Other (please specify)

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* 15. What business development services do you see particularly necessary right now? (multiple choice – max.3)

Advice on how to prevent infections while maintaining business operations

Advice with business continuity planning

Advice on export and logistics restrictions and requirements

Advice for digitalizaiton & ecommerce

Business advice on diversification of products and sales channels

Legal advice on application of labour regulations during crisis

Advice to get financial aid

Other (please specify)

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* 16. How easy is it to access information and benefits from COVID-related SME assistance programmes?

Very easy

Easy Standard

Difficult

Very difficult

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* 17. What would be the best government intervention (EU/National/Local) that result most helpful as you cope with the COVID in 2021: (multiple choice)

Cash transfers

Employment programmes (e.g. temporary unemployment programmes or social security waivers)

Financial programmes, such as low interest credit line or credit guarantees

Reduction of tariffs on imported inputs

Rent subsidies

Support to self-employed

Tax waivers or temporary tax breaks

Other (please specify)

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* 18. Anything else you would like to add or suggest?

Thank you for completing our survey!

We are open to further suggestions or amendments to improve the quality of the future survey. Please do not hesitate to contact us at office@smeeurope.eu