Euro area SMEs considered access to finance to be the least important problem that they faced (11% of respondents, unchanged from the previous round), although results differ across countries. Instead, finding customers remains their main concern (25% of respondents, down from 26% in the previous round). On balance, a net 1% of SMEs reported an increase in their need for bank loans (down from 3% in the previous survey round). For the second consecutive period, SMEs reported, on balance, an improvement in the availability of bank loans, a further fall in interest rates and an increase in the available size and maturity of loans and overdrafts. The net percentage of SMEs indicating a tightening in banks’ collateral and other requirements remained positive, but declined. Of the 30% of SMEs that had applied for a loan, 66% received the full amount requested and 9% of them reported that their loan application had been rejected.
This survey round was conducted from 21 September to 26 October 2015. The total euro area sample size was 11,226 firms, of which 10,238 (91%) had fewer than 250 employees.
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