Unsuccessful loan applications in Malta among the lowest in Europe

According to Eurostat, the lowest figure was recorded in Finland with 0.2% followed by Malta with 2%, Cyprus and Poland at 4% and Italy at 5% according to the latest Eurostat figures.

The largest increases in unsuccessful loan applications were observed in Bulgaria (from 3% in 2007 to 36% in 2010), Ireland (from 1% to 27%) and Latvia (from 4% to 26%). Unsuccessful applications fell only in Sweden (from 9% to 6%).

The economic crisis has made it more difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access banking credit.

The data is based on a survey covering 25,000 businesses across the EU, also including information on fast-growing enterprises, the future financing needs of SMEs and perceived factors limiting business growth in the future. These data is released in connection with the European SME week 2011, which takes place on 3-9 October in 37 European countries.

Excluding unsuccessful requests, applications can be split between those which are (fully) successful and those which are partially successful, granted under less favourable conditions than initially requested.

The percentage of successful loan applications by SMEs was lower in 2010 than in 2007 in all Member States for which data is available, and the proportion of only partially successful loan applications increased in all Member States.

The largest decreases in the success rate were recorded in Bulgaria (from 87% of all loan applications in 2007 to 43% in 2010), Ireland (from 97% to 53%), Denmark (from 92% to 60%), Lithuania (from 89% to 58%), Greece (from 88% to 60%) and Spain (from 87% to 59%).

Falls of less than 10% were recorded in Finland (from 98% to 96%), Malta (from 94% to 91%), Sweden (from 84% to 78%), Poland (from 92% to 85%), Italy (from 87% to 78%), Belgium (from 92% to 83%) and Germany (from 85% to 76%).

In 2010, the success rate for loan applications by SMEs was highest in Finland (96%), Malta (91%), Poland (85%), France and Belgium (both 83%), while the highest shares for partially successful applications were recorded in Greece (30%), Spain (28%), Bulgaria and Denmark (both 22%).