Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), account for an average 99.5% of the total number of companies in the countries in Southeast Europe (SEE). They provide 70.2% of the total employment in the region and generate 58% of the gross value added in its economy. In Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro, where the highest number of businesses are SMEs, they account for more than two thirds of the total gross value added,
while in Moldova this share is roughly one third.
Value added generated by SMEs is expected to grow in the 2013-2014 period although at a slower pace than with large enterprises. SMEs are also expected to start hiring more workers as lending picks up and domestic demand rises.