OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2015/1017, (EU) 2021/523, (EU) 2021/695 and (EU) 2021/1153 as regards increasing the...

European Parliament 2024-2029 Committee on Industry, Research and Energy 3.6.2025 OPINION of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy 2025/0040(COD) for the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2015/1017, (EU) 2021/523, (EU) 2021/695 and (EU) 2021/1153 as regards increasing the efficiency of the EU guarantee under Regulation (EU) 2021/523 and simplifying reporting requirements (COM(2025)0084 – C10-0036/2025 – 2025/0040(COD)) Rapporteur for opinion: Niels Flemming Hansen (Simplified procedure – Rule 52(2) and (3) of the Rules of Procedure) EN United in diversity EN PA_Legam SHORT JUSTIFICATION The core amendments to the InvestEU omnibus regulation are designed to enhance the programme's effectiveness and align it to current economic and strategic priorities. Primarily, the revisions aim to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A key change is the introduction of a more flexible SME definition, which, under specific conditions, allows enterprises to use a solemn declaration regarding their ownership structure to meet the eligibility criteria. The overarching goal is to simplify procedures and reduce administrative burdens, thereby enabling SMEs, including start-ups and scale-ups, to access capital more efficiently. Secondly, significant emphasis is placed on reducing...