Billy Kelleher· Renew

Overestimated

SMEs spend 20% of their overall labour force on complying with regulations.

Omissions

• The figure of 20% is not supported by the available data from official or reputable sources; actual figures are substantially lower based on the most recent research available.
• The KfW study cited is specific to Germany and may not represent the EU average, though Germany is often used as a benchmark for EU SME studies.
• The claim blurs the distinction between administrative tasks broadly (7% of working time) and legal/regulatory compliance costs specifically (3.9% of personnel costs).
• The session date is 2026-02-11; the most recent data available is from April 2025.

Sources

• PrimaryKfW Bankengruppe - Focus No. 495: Bureaucracy and Administrative Burden on SMEsSMEs spend approximately 7% of their working time on administrative tasks; legal requirements account for around 3.9% of annual personnel costs
• SecondaryEurochambres - 60 Regulatory Burden Reduction ProposalsChamber network welcomes Commission commitment to reduce reporting obligations by 25% for general businesses and 35% for SMEs