SBA principle: Enable SMEs to turn environmental changes into opportunities

This chapter analyses the initiatives by MED economies to integrate eco-efficiency and eco-innovation in SME and innovation strategies, the availability of expertise on environmental issues for SMEs, the use of environmental management systems (EMS) and standards, and governments’ efforts to promote them.

The analysis indicates that governments in the MED region have generally integrated environmental considerations into their policy framework and have institutions in place that promote the protection of the environment, clean production and renewable energy. In most economies, however, these policies are not adapted to the needs of SMEs. Service provision and information on how to improve eco-efficiency or eco-innovation which target SMEs are underdeveloped and the wider use of EMSs and standards remains a widely untapped potential