OECD Recommendation on SME Financing

Background

The Recommendation on SME financing was adopted by the OECD Council meeting at Ministerial level on 8 June 2023 on the proposal of the Committee on SMEs and Entrepreneurship (CSMEE). The Recommendation aims to support Adherents in their efforts to enhance SME access to a diverse range of financing instruments. It supports the development of coherent national SME financing strategies by helping define specific policy objectives, design and implement coherent policy measures, strengthen the evidence base and provide a framework for monitoring and evaluation.

Scope

Building on the 2022 Updated G20/OECD High-Level Principles on SME Financing, the Recommendation sets out 14 policy recommendations to support Adherents in their efforts to enhance access to a diverse range of financing instruments by SMEs.

The Recommendation emphasises the need to strengthen SME access to traditional bank financing, while also promoting non-bank finance. It includes both macro-level principles, such as providing guidance on the regulatory framework, and micro-level principles, such as addressing policy design and implementation in SME financing policies. It seeks to encourage the collection of granular data on SME access to finance as a foundation to understand SME financing needs and develop evidence-based SME finance policies.

The Recommendation also aims to encourage dialogue, exchange of experiences and coordination, including regulatory coordination, among stakeholders in SME finance, including policy makers, financial institutions, research institutions and SME management. It also provides guidance on risk-sharing between public and private actors. The Recommendation can apply to different economic, social and regulatory environments.

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