Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The SME Envoy Network was established in 2011, as part of the review at that time of the EU’s Small Business Act. The role of the Network includes promoting SME-friendly regulation and policy making in EU countries, cooperation between Member States in the context of SME policy, and acting as the main interface between the Commission and national policy-makers in Member States.

The national SME Envoys are appointed by the respective Member State governments.

A senior official from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation represents Ireland on the SME Envoy Network, which is also the position for other Member States. Most of the national Envoys are currently public officials, predominantly from the national Ministries, with a very small number from national business development agencies. Separately, representatives of European-level business organisations also attend the meetings as observers.

The SME Envoy Network normally meets on four occasions each year, usually with one meeting in Brussels, and the other three in Member States.

SME Envoy Meetings were held on the following dates, and in the following locations, from 2016-2019:

Ireland will be represented by Minister Pat Breen TD at the upcoming SME Assembly in Helsinki, which forms part of the schedule of meetings of the SME Envoy Network.