A flexible and innovative sector

Micro and small businesses are of vital importance to the country's development. They answer for 95% of all industries and generate around 50% of the work posts in the industrial sector, according to data of the Brazilian Statistics Institute- IBGE

In spite of the high number of micro and small businesses, the segment represents only 21.8% of the salaries paid by industry as a whole and less than 15% of the sector's GNP. This great disparity results from the difficulties faced by small businessmen in the form of excessive bureaucracy, the large number of tributes levied and lack of access to credit and to international markets.

With the aim of strengthening the sector, CNI takes action through its Standing Committee on Micro and Small Businesses (COMPEM). That committee advocates: a differentiated treatment favoring such companies; elaborating public policy proposals; and accompanying projects in the Executive and Legislative branches - especially the Micro and Small Businesses Bill.

The CNI supports growth of the sector through its programs. One of them is the Support Program for the Competitiveness of Micro and Small Industries - Procompi (Programa de Apoio à Competitividade das Micro e Pequenas Indústrias) which is the fruit of a partnership with the Brazilian Support Service for Micro and Small Businesses - Sebrae. The strategic focus of the Procompi is on supporting groups of micro and small ventures, especially those inserted in Local Production Arrangements (APL), and stimulating cooperation among small businesses.

The CNI also provides exportation incentives to small scale industries through the CNI network which assists the companies in their internationalization processes.