Trade microenterprises constitute the most numerous group of economic entities in the European Union. However, from the point of view of their ability to generate value added, labour productivity, profitability and propensity to invest, they belong to the enitites with relatively lower competitive abilities. In the EU-27 countries, the position of trade microenterprises is highly differentiated. Trade microfirms from the CEE countries apparently less favourably present themselves in terms of economic and financial parameters.