A new organisation, Growth Plus Europe, has been created to represent European entrepreneurs. It will bring together more than 300 entrepreneurs who run some of Europe's fastest growing companies.

For the first time, it will provide a single voice for the region's entrepreneurs. The aim is to change the public perception of entrepreneurs and to encourage governments to create a more favourable environment for entrepreneurial activities.
The organisation is the result of a merger between two existing associations - Croissance Plus, based in France and Europe's 500 with a pan-European membership. It hopes to double its membership over the next two years.

Similar challenges
"Growth entrepreneurs throughout Europe are facing similar challenges and are not seen as the only real creators of new jobs," says Denis Payre, founding president of Croissance Plus and major player in the merger. "One of our key objectives within Growth Plus Europe is to create a new image for entrepreneurs so that they can be seen as pillars of society and recognised for their creation of employment.
Recently appointed president of the new body Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals says that the organisation wants to build on the success already achieved, particularly in France where Croissance Plus where positive legislative changes were achieved to encourage entrepreneurs.
"We are committed to raising political awareness for entrepreneurs as Europe's solution to unemployment," points out Pujals. "The expertise in lobbying that our French colleagues bring to the European arena will allow Growth Plus Europe to become the most power voice for growth businesses."
Bruno Vanryb, president of Croissance Plus, which will retain its name in France says," It is time that politicians, whether in Paris or Brussels, realise that only by creating a more favourable environment for growth companies will they be able to reduce unemployment. Growth Plus Europe will play a key role in accelerating tax reform and other measures which will help our members to grow their businesses even faster."

Charting success
To underline the importance of entrepreneurs, the organisation will publish the Europe's 500 Honorary Listing. This listing identifies employment creation and turnover growth of five hundred of Europe's most dynamic small to medium sized entrepreneurial companies. Over the period 1992-1997, this has revealed the creation of more than 180,000 jobs at a time when large companies have been shedding employees.
In addition, annual research into the factors affecting growth in entrepreneurial companies will be published. The first of these entitled "Stock Options in Europe" will be available in June.
Education and acting as a forum for entrepreneurs to share experiences and best practice that can be applied throughout Europe will remain a key role of Growth Europe Plus. The next annual conference will be held in Cannes, France between 23 -25 March 2000.

For further information contact:
Nikki Walker
Tel: +32 2 743 1552
E-mail: nikki@associationhq.com