site.btaExperts Warn SMEs Lack Sufficient Information, Resources for Effective Green Transition – Analysis

The state should promptly take measures to inform micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Bulgaria about the legal requirements related to the so-called "green transition", states one of the recommendations in the Economic and Social Council (ESC) opinion on "Policies and measures to raise awareness and readiness of Bulgarian enterprises to successfully implement a climate-neutral transformation" released Friday. The opinion was drafted on the initiative of the ESC by the Economic Policy and Agriculture, Environment and Regional Policy committees, the Council says.

The ESC supports the goals of sustainability and climate neutrality, but at the same time SMEs lack knowledge of the ever-changing legislative requirements related to climate neutrality, the analysts say. Businesses, moreover, find it difficult to determine what their benefits and opportunities would be in making a green transition.

This is why the ESC urgently insists on information campaigns to inform small and medium-sized enterprises about the benefits of this transformation, as well as on ways for them to remain competitive.   In addition to the information campaign, the ESC experts also recommend short-term financial support for enterprises to help them recover from the pandemic and support them because of the conflict in Ukraine, high fuel prices and lack of supplies.

Bulgaria should ask the European Union to give it appropriate flexibility in the timetable for meeting the targets of the European Green Deal, the authors of the opinion recommend further.