Walter Verri stresses that the IPPALC “will allow us to design more efficient tools”

The Public Policy Index for Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Latin America and the Caribbean was launched in Montevideo with the participation of government authorities and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

“The relevant and quality information that comes from this index is an input of great impact, because it will allow us to design more efficient tools,” said the Undersecretary of Industry, Energy and Mining, Walter Verri, at the index launch event.

The OECD indicator is prepared with the participation of public and private actors from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay, in addition to the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) and CAF-development bank of Latin America.

Verri appreciated Uruguay's hosting of this event and stressed that 99 percent of the country's companies are MSMEs, which account for two-thirds of the country's jobs.

The official also considered that there is a significant “recovery” in the sector after the crisis generated by the pandemic of the new coronavirus.

Under the slogan “Towards an inclusive, resilient and sustainable recovery,” this edition considers the impact and circumstances caused by the health emergency and focuses on the digitalisation of companies.

The survey will be conducted this Monday and Tuesday on a web platform designed by the OECD and SELA, through a form that will be developed during these working days.

The indicator measures the institutional framework, the operating environment for the implementation and simplification of procedures, access to financing, innovation and technology, productive transformation and market access and internationalisation of these companies.

The Head of the OECD Division, José Antonio Ardavín; the Permanent Secretary of SELA, Clarems Endara Vera; and the Southern Regional Manager of CAF-development bank of Latin America, Jorge Srur, also participated in the launching of the indicator.