AGENDA

Session 1: Challenges and opportunities for SMEs: integration, regulation and growth

This panel will bring together authorities, international organisations and representatives from the private sector to analyse the main challenges facing SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean. It will address recent experiences in streamlining administrative procedures, regulatory reforms, access to finance and regional integration mechanisms, identifying opportunities to boost the sector’s growth and competitiveness. 

Guiding questions

• What are the main obstacles SMEs face in accessing finance, and what successful examples are there in the region of how to overcome them?
• What lessons can be drawn from the streamlining of administrative procedures and recent regulatory reforms aimed at facilitating the growth of SMEs?
• What role can the private sector and international cooperation play in supporting more effective public policies for SMEs?

Moderator:  Christian Bauab, Under-Secretary for SMEs, Argentina

Speakers

• Joaquín Rodón Heredia, Under-Secretary for Evaluation and Monitoring of Production Management, Argentina
• Juan Carlos Elorza, Director of Technical and Sectoral Analysis, Vice-Presidency for the Private Sector, CAF–Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
• José Antonio Ardavín, Head of the Latin America and Caribbean Division, OECD
• Lesly David, Permanent Secretary of SELA

This panel will focus on the strategies that SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean are using to grow and integrate into regional and global markets. It will explore opportunities in internationalisation, participation in value chains, digitalisation and the transition to more sustainable models, highlighting lessons learnt and best practices from different countries.

Moderator: Juan Ignacio Serrats, National Director for Strengthening SME Competitiveness, Argentina

• Lucia Cusmano, Head of Division, Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, OECD (virtual)
• Carolina Cuenta, Under-Secretary for Foreign Trade, Argentina
• Yanella Posente, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Industry, Energy, and Mining, Uruguay
• Carolina Gutiérrez Castillo, Small Business Division, Chile

• Martín Bermejo, Director of SME Competitiveness, Argentina
• Yanella Posente, Ministerial Adviser and Coordinator of DINAPYME Cabinet, Uruguay

Session 3: Strengthening the institutional framework for SMEs: best practices and national experiences 

This technical session aims to analyse the regulatory frameworks and institutional tools that countries have developed to strengthen SMEs. Definitions, associated benefits and experiences regarding SME registration and certification will be discussed, using recent practice in Argentina as an example.

  Guiding questions:

• What reforms or improvements are you considering in your institutional frameworks to strengthen support for SMEs?
• How can institutional frameworks for SMEs adapt to changes in the business landscape (digitalisation, informality, new forms of entrepreneurship)?

Moderator: Daniela Sena, Policy Analyst and IPPALC Coordinator for the Latin America and Caribbean region, OECD

Presentations

• German Zarama, Head of Latin America and the Caribbean at the OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct
• Cecilia Airasca, SME Registration Coordinator, Argentina
• Juan Paredes, Director-General for Information, Vice-Ministry of MSMEs, Paraguay
• Geovanna Gómez, Specialist at the Directorate for Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Ecuador

Discussion

Session 4: Promoting access to financing for SMEs: regional experiences and opportunities 

This closed-door technical session aims to analyse the financing mechanisms available to SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean. National experiences regarding public and private instruments, guarantees, inclusive credit and innovative tools will be discussed, as well as the challenges involved in expanding access to capital for smaller enterprises.

Guiding questions:

• Which public instruments or financing schemes for SMEs are proving most effective in your countries (e.g. guarantees, development banks, subsidised credit programmes or others)? What factors account for their success or limitations?
• What barriers do SMEs currently face in accessing finance in your countries? Are these primarily supply-side, demand-side or information-related issues?

Moderator: Meyly Valdez, Senior Executive, Technical and Sectoral Analysis Department, CAF 

Presentations

• María Camila Jiménez, Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, OECD
• Verónica Wejchenberg, Vice President of REGAR and President of the Guarantee Fund of the Province of Buenos Aires (FOGABA) (virtual)
• Pilar Vázquez. Director of the Mutual Guarantee Schemes (SGR) Regime, Argentina
• Carolina Gutiérrez Castillo, Professional, Smaller Enterprises Division, Chile

Discussion

Session 5: SMEs without borders: connecting with global markets 

This technical session will explore how SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean can capitalise on opportunities for internationalisation and access to global markets. Successful national experiences in regional integration, participation in value chains and international expansion strategies will be discussed. Furthermore, the potential of the Mercosur–European Union agreement, the North American Free Trade Agreement and others to generate new trade opportunities will be analysed, along with the challenges that must be anticipated so that SMEs can benefit fully.

Guiding questions:

• What lessons can be drawn from the way in which SMEs have managed to integrate into new markets or value chains?
• How are your countries preparing to ensure that SMEs can take advantage of the new trade agreements?

Moderator: Javier Rodríguez, Economist at SELA

Discussion

• Lucia Cusmano, Head of Division, Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, OECD
• Pablo Pereira, Export Programming Manager at Uruguay XXI (virtual)
• Alixis Mariño, Analyst at SELA (virtual)
• Octavio de los Santos Beltrán, Director of the Productive Development Unit, Mexican Ministry of Economy (virtual)

Session 6: Simplifying for growth: regional experiences in regulatory improvement 

This technical session aims to analyse how various countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have made progress in streamlining procedures, deregulation and regulatory improvement for SMEs. Recent national experiences will be discussed, including digitalisation processes, the reduction of administrative burdens and strategies to facilitate business formalisation and growth. 

Guiding questions:

• What digital tools or platforms have been developed to streamline business procedures, such as online registration, single windows or integrated service systems?
• What are the main regulatory burdens still faced by SMEs in your countries? What strategies are you considering in order to reduce them?

Moderator: Daniela Sena, Policy Analyst and IPPALC Coordinator for the Latin America and Caribbean region, OECD

Presentations

• Manuel Gerardo Flores, Senior Policy Analyst, OECD
• Darío Lavillotti, SME Regulatory Coordinator, Argentina

Discussion

Session 7: Measuring and connecting SMEs in the region 

This technical session will address the production and use of statistical information on SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean. It will discuss national methodologies, data dashboards and comparable datasets, as well as the development of regional technical documents to consolidate the evidence. The aim is to explore ways in which the network can function as an implementer of this effort.

Guiding questions:

• What constraints do you face in improving the availability or quality of this data?
• Which indicators or information do you consider a priority for building comparable regional datasets on SMEs?
• How could the network support the generation of regional evidence, for example through the production of comparative reports, data repositories or common methodologies?

Moderator: Meyly Valdez, Senior Executive, Technical and Sectoral Analysis Department, CAF 

Presentations

• Martín Bermejo, Director of SME Competitiveness, Argentina. Insights into the production and publication of statistics. Proposals for enhancing these activities through the Network
• Geovanna Gómez, Specialist at the Directorate for Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Ecuador
• Javier Rodríguez, Economist at SELA. Presentation of the REDPPALC website

Discussion