PARIS – On Tuesday, June 27-28, U.S. Small Business Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman led the U.S. delegation to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SMEs) and Entrepreneurship Ministerial Meeting in Paris, France. Administrator Guzman met with official government counterparts and other economic leaders from OECD nations, discussing policy support for startups, the importance of supporting underserved small businesses; how Biden-Harris Administration investments in infrastructure, clean energy, and emerging technologies are driving small business growth; and reaffirming the United States’ economic leadership and resilience.
During her visit, Administrator Guzman participated in a Plenary Session on fostering the contribution of SMEs and entrepreneurs to green and digital transitions. Administrator Guzman provided opening remarks, highlighting recent actions by the United States to address climate change, along with how small businesses have so far been involved in helping our economy transition to a more climate-friendly future.
Administrator Guzman also held a series of bilateral meetings with counterparts from U.S. allies and economic partners to discuss ways to increase trade opportunities for small businesses and share small business policy best practices, including: Arif Virani, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development of Canada; Olivia Grégoire, the Minister Delegate in charge of Small and Medium Enterprises, Trade, Crafts and Tourism of France; Neale Richmond, the Minister of State for Employment Affairs and Retail Business of Ireland; Ginny Andersen, the Minister for Police, Small Business, Digital Economy and Communications and Seniors of New Zealand; and Kevin Hollinrake, the Minister of Small Business of the United Kingdom.
Additionally, Administrator Guzman moderated a breakout session on rebooting start-up and scale-up policies to create new opportunities for small business owners. She was joined by other leaders in OECD nations to discuss potential policy improvements for start-ups and scale-ups and ways policymakers can strengthen their creation and growth. In the session, they further collaborated on how to identify the most effective policies and how best to select start-ups and scale-ups for support.
For follow-up interview requests for Administrator Guzman, please contact Mila Myles at mila.myles@sba.gov.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.