PIN-SME

Brussels, 20 April 2009. PIN-SME is proud to announce that the European Commission has recognised the association as an intervenor in DG Competition’s case concerning Microsoft’s tying of its web browser, Internet Explorer (IE) to its dominant Windows operating system. PIN-SME seeks an end to practices which effectively lock-in SMEs to IE.   

“We became an intervenor as a result of our members’ particular vulnerability arising from the very tight cost restrictions under which SMEs operate as developers, content providers and users,” Sebastiano Toffaletti, PIN-SME Secretary General said in a statement. “I would like to stress that many of our members work and will, we trust, continue to work with Microsoft as content developers and users of Internet Explorer, but we believe that the tying practices involved in this case are detrimental to our innovation potential and future competitiveness. We want this de facto IE lock-in to end, especially as the European Court of First Instance has already condemned similar tying practices,” he added.

Brussels, 11 February 2009. PIN-SME experts agree: IT solution providers and in Europe are facing major changes! That is why the 3rd Expert Forum for Innovation and Internationalisation in IT-SMEs has the specific objective to give these enterprises an impulse for their successful further development.  

IT-SMEs in Europe are caught between tradition and innovation: According to PIN-SME, a European umbrella organisation for IT-SMEs and initiator of the Expert Forum, IT solution providers obviously focus much more on the classic sale of hardware and software instead of learning how to give the same priority to understand what customers from SMEs really want, how to be understood themselves and how to actively adapt to changing market demands. This “being trapped” in old thought patterns is viewed by PIN-SME as a mistake with grave consequences: Those who wish to profit from their special role as skills providers between the IT industry and SMEs must in turn have, beyond the classic IT-Know-how, specific expertise especially regarding the concrete demands of their customers from SMEs!

Brussels, 21 January 2009. Millions of European small businesses who want to enjoy access to inexpensive or free Internet applications could benefit from the European Commission's antitrust action against Microsoft's control of the web browser market, the PanEuropean ICT & eBusiness Network for SME's said on 21st January 2009.

Browsers serve as the gateway to the Internet, and the Internet will only remain open if healthy competition exists among browsers. At present, Microsoft's Internet Explorer's dominance threatens access to the net. Internet Explorer is the worst rated browser - with an approval rating less than 10%, according to the Market Share website. Yet the same website reports that Explorer has by far the largest market share of almost 70%.

In a true competitive marketplace, computer manufacturers would offer the most effective browser to go with their PCs. Yet almost all load low-scoring Explorer. This market disfunction makes Web 2.0 applications running cloud computing dependent on a Microsoft browser implementing proprietary standards. 

Brussels, 10 December 2008. If your company is an ICT provider, you can register at the new on-line database of the European Commission – eBusiness Guide for SMEs. All ICT suppliers listed in the database will have specific information about their company and services available on-line in the database.

The European Commission will publicize this service and invite SMEs from 27 European countries to assess their eBusiness maturity and find, through the on-line database eBusiness Guide for SMEs, ICT suppliers in their area, who can offer suitable eBusiness products and services . SMEs that need ICT advice and support will be able to search through the database the ICT supplier, which responds better to their demands. 

Brussels, 4 December 2008. PIN-SME sends to the European Commission its reaction on the recent Commission’s Communication on future networks and the internet. PIN-SME believes that Europe’s small businesses need open and affordable access to the Internet in the race for international competitiveness. ICT-SMEs endorse the Communication's approach to openness, recognising that the challenges lie not just in telecommunications policy but also as regards open standards and copyright policy.
Please click here to download the PIN-SME position paper on Commission’s Communication on future networks and the internet.

Several activities are focused on SMEs. It’s up to you picking the one you are most interested in!

SME conference sessions
·    "ICT in the FP, supporting SME growth" (26 Nov, 11:00-12:30, Gratte Ciel)
·    "ICT SME, bridging the investment gap in Europe" (26 Nov, 14:00-15:30, Gratte Ciel) PIN-SME

Key note: "I" made it happen (26 Nov, 17h45-18:30, Amphi)