​During the meeting on 3 May, ECON members discussed and adopted the draft opinion of "Boosting start-ups and scale-ups in Europe", prepared by Mr Tadeusz Truskolaski, Mayor of Białystok and EA coordinator for the ECON Commission.

Mr Truskolaski welcomed the European Commission's communication and agreed with the concerns that the continuing excessive fragmentation of the single market (including the digital single market) might constrain the growth potential of start-ups and scale-ups.

"I particularly welcome the Commission's idea of creating a European venture capital fund of funds, which might reduce the market fragmentation of venture capital funds in the EU. In the opinion I also suggest that the Commission consider creating a separate instrument dedicated to networking projects that support business development in less-developed regions", said Mr Truskolaski.

"I also think that EEN regional offices should be more open to cooperating with local business incubators, accelerators and science and technology parks, because these institutions are in daily and close contact with start-ups and are thus well aware of their real problems and needs. There is also the need for the European Commission to work towards laying the groundwork for a start-up visa and a catalogue of conditions enabling safe and beneficial use to be made of qualified intellectual and financial capital from third countries that is able to contribute to the development of the EU economy", he added.

The opinion will next be discussed at the Committee of the Regions' plenary session in July this year.