The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (French: FTDES) urged the government to lend increased attention to micro-enterprises – a neglected sector compared to small- and medium- sized enterprises at a time when its contribution to job creation “is important.”

In a recent study entitled “Expected Imapct of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) on Micro-Enterprises in Trade and Services in Tunisia, ” the FTDES tabled a series of reocmmendations aimed to protect and boost the competitiveness of micro-businesses ahead of the conclusion of the agreement and the opening up of markets to European competition.

There is need, the organisation said, to devise a legislative framework and a public policy to increase the competitive edge of micro-enterprises in trade and services, while taking into account the heterogeneity of the sector.

“Public policies need to take into consideration the specific needs of Tunisian micro-businesses in relation to support and assistance. ”

It called, in this vein, for targeting more effectively public subsidies and grants. State financing must not be geared solely towards absorbing the unemployed or reducing poverty. Promoting innovation needs to be another goal sought.

/// Need to put in place a legislative framework to protect micro-enterprises ///

FTDES also said it is ncessary to put in place a system for the protection of micro-enterprises in collaboration with stakeholders and experts while building on the clauses of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) – one which is in symbiosis with the clauses of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA). The goal is to cushion the negative impact of openness to the European market.

A legislative framework to protect micro-enterprises in wholesale and retail trade against competition and concrete measures to reduce their vulnerability in the sector of services are now a necessity.

Recommendations also cover infrastructure, funding, administrative procedures and the tax system.

Figures advanced by the National Institute of Statistics in 2016 show the number of staff hired by micro-enterprises stands at 718,250. They generated 9,486.6 million dinars (about 9% of GDP).

Source: TAP News Agency