Antoni Cañete, re-elected vice-president of European SMEs

Antoni Cañete, president of Pimec, has been re-elected vice-president of European SMEs at the SME United assembly, where Italian candidate Davide Galli was elected president for the 2026-2027 term, replacing Finn Petri Salminen. With Cañete's re-election, Catalan SMEs consolidate their presence in the European social dialogue. The Pimec president represents Pymes Group—which works jointly with the Balearic employers' association PIMEB—in this organization and "leads the only SME organization in Catalonia and Spain with its own voice in Brussels," according to a statement from the organization. Ángela de Miguel, president of Cepyme, an organization linked to the CEOE (Spanish Confederation of Employers' Organizations), has also been appointed vice-president. During his speech, the president of Pimec explained the commitment to continue working on the strategic priorities of recent years, among which the fight against late payments stands out. He also highlighted the push for SME participation in public procurement, the need to reduce bureaucracy, facilitate business financing, and promote legislation that prioritizes smaller companies. In this regard, Cañete insisted on the need to promote the regulation against late payments in the European Commission's 2026 work program and the creation of an effective sanctions regime and compliance authorities in all member states "to guarantee the viability and competitiveness of SMEs and not jeopardize economic activity, which generates it." Regulatory framework

Furthermore, he also highlighted SME United's actions during 2025 aimed at raising awareness about the need for a regulatory framework that allows legislation to prioritize smaller businesses. In this regard, Cañete emphasized the promotion of the "T" manifesto.Think Small FirstTo work on legislation that is proportionate, practical, and adapted to the specific characteristics of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially regarding administrative simplification. Soler, Director of International Relations and European Affairs at PIMEC, as representative within Group I (Entrepreneurs) of the EESC, and Rosa Solanes, as PIMEC's Permanent Delegate in Brussels and coordinator of sectoral policies at SME United, stated that "the business organization is consolidating its influence in Europe and confirming its commitment to positioning SMEs."