▁emer ged . ▁ ▁In ▁Europe , ▁there ▁are ▁three ▁broad ▁parameters ▁which ▁define ▁S ME s : ▁ ▁Micro - enter pr ises ▁have ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 0 ▁employees ▁ ▁Small ▁enter pr ises ▁have ▁up ▁to ▁ 5 0 ▁employees ▁ ▁Med ium - s ized ▁enter pr ises ▁have ▁up ▁to ▁ 2 5 0 ▁employees . ▁The ▁European ▁definition ▁of ▁S ME ▁follows : ▁" The ▁category ▁of ▁micro , ▁small ▁and ▁medium - s ized ▁enter pr ises ▁( S ME s ) ▁is ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁enter pr ises ▁which ▁employ ▁fewer ▁than ▁ 2 5 0 ▁persons ▁and ▁which ▁have ▁an ▁annual ▁turn over ▁not ▁exceed ing ▁ 5 0 ▁million ▁euro , ▁and / or ▁an ▁annual ▁balance ▁sheet ▁total ▁not ▁exceed ing ▁ 4 3 ▁million ▁euro ." ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁prepare ▁for ▁an ▁evaluation ▁and ▁revision ▁of ▁some ▁features ▁of ▁the ▁small ▁and ▁medium - s ized ▁enter pr ises ▁definition ▁European ▁Union ▁established ▁public ▁consult ation ▁period ▁from ▁ 6 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁to ▁ 6 ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁Public ▁consult ation ▁is ▁available ▁for ▁all ▁EU ▁member ▁country ▁citizens ▁and ▁organizations . ▁Es pecially , ▁national ▁and ▁regional ▁authorities , ▁enter pr ises , ▁business ▁associations ▁or ▁organizations , ▁vent ure ▁capital ▁prov iders , ▁research ▁and ▁academic ▁institutions , ▁and ▁individual ▁citizens ▁are ▁expected ▁as ▁the ▁main ▁contrib utors . ▁ ▁EU ▁member ▁states ▁have ▁had ▁individual ▁definitions ▁of ▁what ▁constit utes