Europe's 500 - Entrepreneurs for Growth presents an innovative financing concept for growth companies / For the first time government aid without distortion of

Munich, Germany 05.04.2004 (PROTEXT/ots) -

- Martin Schoeller new President of Europe's 500 -Entrepreneurs for

Growth (former GrowthPlus)

- Innovative concept for growth financing

- Erkki Liikanen, EU commissioner for enterprise andinformation society,

welcomed the concept

- Martin Schoeller: "This innovative financing conceptenables profitable growth by adequate risk reward fees forgovernmental collateral providers without distortion ofcompetition"

With the beginning of his presidency with the associationEurope's 500 - Entrepreneurs for Growth Martin Schoeller,Schoeller Group of companies, is presenting a new innovativeconcept for growth financing of small and medium sizedcompanies. The point is to finally resolve the conflict betweengovernment aid and distortion of competition and at the same timeto remove a big hurdle for growth companies. The concept will bepresented for the first time at the annual Handelsblatt Forum onMay 5/6, 2004 in Frankfurt.

Europe's 500 - Entrepreneurs for Growth, the association forfast growing companies in Europe, has developed a financingconcept that closes the gap between bank loan and venturecapital market as well as reduces the financial risk for growthcompanies. Governmental or EU guarantees shall be granted to thecompanies against a yearly risk reward fee according to theirrisk rating. This means that the State even would be able to makea profit. "Our innovative financing concept enables profitablegrowth by adequate risk reward fees for governmental collateralproviders without distortion of competition", says MartinSchoeller.

Erkki Liikanen, EU commissioner for enterprise andinformation society, highly appreciated the concept on theoccasion of a meeting in March in Brussels where Liikanen andSchoeller discussed the Lisbon Agenda of the EU Council aiming"to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-basedeconomy in the world". They agreed that innovation financingrepresents a key issue of the EU action plan for enterpriseswhich has also been reaffirmed by the EU Spring Summit on March25/26, 2004.

Further to the issue innovation financing the new Presidentof Europe's 500 - Entrepreneurs for Growth, Martin Schoeller,intends to focus on 2 projects: 1. Facilitation of pan-Europeanentrepreneurship and growth and 2. European entrepreneurseducation in cooperation with universities and business schools."As new president of Europe's 500 - Entrepreneurs for Growth mytarget is to contribute to more growth by moreentrepreneurship", says Martin Schoeller.

The association Europe's 500 - Entrepreneurs for Growthpublishes annually the top 500 European growth companies basedon the Birch Index which considers the relative and absolutegrowth, especially of turnover and employment. Companies from 18European countries are participating in this process. Since thefoundation of Europe's 500 in 1997 by the EU commission and theentrepreneur Bert Twaalfhoven, the top 500 European growthcompanies are yearly awarded. The annual Europe's 500 list issponsored by 3 i, Microsoft, The Boston Consulting Group andPrice Waterhouse Coopers.

The association Europe's 500 - Entrepreneurs for Growth(former Growth Plus) has been founded in 1997. Europe's 500 ranksthe top 500 European growth companies according to theirrelative and absolute growth, especially in turnover andemployment. Every year the top 500 growth companies from 18European countries are awarded. President of Europe's 500 -Entrepreneurs for Growth is Martin Schoeller, Schoeller Group ofcompanies, Munich. For further information please seewww.entrepreneursforgrowth.org.

Since 1982 the Schoeller Group of companies is managed andbuilt-up by Martin and Christoph Schoeller. The focus of theGroup companies and participations is on the segments closedloop packaging systems, logistics and technology management.Among others the Group is founding shareholder in Schoeller WavinSystems NV, IFCO Systems NV, Syntek Capital AG, SchoellerMetternich Brennecke GmbH and Barkawi & Partner GmbH & Co. KG.The companies employ jointly 5000 people and generate a combinedturnover of approx. 800 mio. EUR. For further information pleasesee www.schoellerwavinsystems.com.

ots Original Text: Europe's 500

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