Description
This note presents the results of the most recent EIF SME Access to Finance Index (ESAF) update, using 2018 data. The ESAF Index is a composite indicator that summarises the state of SME external financing markets for the EU28 countries. It was developed in collaboration with the London School of Economics and was first introduced in the European Small Business Finance Outlook, a semiannual Working Paper (see Kraemer-Eis et al., 2016) documenting SME finance markets in Europe, published by the EIF. The ESAF index provides a convenient tool to compare and benchmark country performance in the context of SMEs’ access to finance in the EU.
