We recognise the pivotal role that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play in fostering innovation, economic growth, and job creation. We are committed to empowering SMEs to fully engage and thrive in the digital economy, following on the D4SME Key Policy Priorities submitted to Ministers on the occasion of the 2023 OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Ministerial Meeting.
WE WELCOME:
OECD’s priorities, through its Committee on SMEs and Entrepreneurship (CSMEE), on enabling SMEs across all sectors to benefit from digitalisation “in line with their needs, digital maturity and aspirations”.
WE COMMIT TO:
1. Promote public-private cooperation in the provision of digital technologies, including through open data initiatives, knowledge-sharing mechanisms and multi-stakeholder dialogue, with the aim to improve access by all SMEs to digital infrastructure and tools that enhance their competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience.
2. Enhance digital literacy among SMEs by providing affordable and tailored skilling, upskilling, and reskilling opportunities, and promoting workplace training, thereby strengthening their ability to effectively and securely navigate and leverage digital technologies.
3. Enhance SME ability to store, manage and use data responsibly, promoting data interoperability, fostering access to affordable digital infrastructure, and strengthening data culture and capabilities, through information, financial support or technical assistance to help SMEs securely collect, store and leverage data on their processes and customers.
4. Strengthen SME uptake of digital security measures, raising awareness of the critical role of digital security in SME operations, supply chains and networks, disseminating information on digital security tools, promoting digital security skilling and adoption of risk management strategies adapted to SME needs, from multi-factor authentication and regular system updates to staff training and external risk assessments.
5. Facilitate SMEs’ safe and responsible uptake of advanced digital technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, through affordable access to Large Language Models (LLMs) and to the talent and skills required for both basic and specialised applications (e.g. AI agents) to be effectively and securely integrated into their business models and practices.
6. Foster adoption by SMEs of digital solutions for sustainable business practices, including tools and models that enable SMEs to monitor their carbon footprint, improve energy efficiency, and reduce their environmental impact.
7. Support SMEs’ access to innovative digital solutions in payment services and finance, which can promote financial inclusion and faster, safer, and more transparent access to loans for SMEs, as well as through machine-learning models to enhance credit risk assessments.
8. Strengthen local ecosystems that support SME digitalisation, including through innovation hubs, digital forums, and collaborative projects that facilitate knowledge and technology diffusion among SMEs.
9. Facilitate SMEs’ use of digital technologies and platforms to comply with regulatory and administrative requirements, providing or facilitating access to public and private online platforms and one-stop-shops offering comprehensive information, as well as tailored services, tools, and programmes.
10. Support the work of the OECD Digital for SMEs Global Initiative through knowledge-sharing and the provision of data, evidence and comments to inform the analysis and policy dialogues of the Initiative.
