Capital Markets Union and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): A Preliminary Assessment

The Capital Markets Union is the European Commission’s latest policy initiative in the capital markets field. It is a project in the making. Much of it remains to be spelled out and fleshed out. However, the first elements of a future CMU are slowly beginning to emerge. The aim of this paper is to discuss these elements and to offer a first assessment. In particular, this paper aims to discuss the relationship between the CMU and one of its key objectives which has proved elusive in the past: that is, of facilitating access to finance for SMEs. In this process, the paper offers a number of suggestions on how to make progress on this crucial issue. Among other things, it advocates a form of supply side driven matchmaking as a means to improve information issues affecting SMEs in the SME funding market.