CEPYME calls for reduced regulatory burdens to support Spanish SMEs

The Spanish Confederation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (CEPYME) has called for the removal of obstacles hindering business growth during the launch of the tenth CEPYME500 initiative in Madrid. CEPYME President Ángela de Miguel emphasized the need to address bureaucratic burdens, rising costs, absenteeism, recruitment difficulties, and the lack of generational succession. She advocated for the ‘think small first’ principle to ensure new regulations do not disproportionately impact smaller companies.

Data regarding public procurement highlights a disparity in market participation. While Spanish administrations executed approximately 180,600 public tenders in 2025, SMEs captured only 43.6% of the total awarded amount, despite formalizing 67.5% of the contracts. Challenges for smaller firms include the administrative, financial, and operational costs required to compete for these opportunities. Antonio Garamendi, president of the CEOE, reinforced the need for regulatory stability and legal certainty to support the essential role of SMEs in the economy.