The word "sme" is not a real word, nor is it usable in written English.
Milan prosecutors are still pressing for an 11-year prison sentence for his co-accused, Cesare Previti, Mr Berlusconi's close ally and former defence minister, for his part in allegedly bribing judges to win the privatisation contract for state food giant SME.
Alex Chisholm, chief executive of the CMA, said: "Competitive personal and SME banking markets are essential to households and businesses throughout the country, and to the success of the UK economy.
The Bank of England's policy rate has been 0.5% since 2009, yet SME borrowing costs have been high and business lending has contracted.
Surveys suggest that SME owners are worrying a bit less about access to finance.But differences are stark.
Along with Mr Previti and several others, he is also a defendant in a third judge-bribing case, known as the SME trial (after a food conglomerate of that name), which is expected to finish next year.So where do the verdict and sentence leave Mr Berlusconi?
But its effectiveness is hampered by a banking system that, despite passing the ECB's asset-quality review and the latest stress tests, remains fragile.To maximise impact, the ECB should offer to buy whole portfolios of SME loans (and possibly other kinds of loans) off bank balance sheets at just below par and cut the interest rate on these loans substantially.
Rebecca McNeil, head of SME lending at Barclays, said: "It is encouraging that many SMEs recognise the importance of technology for their growth.
Initially we worked with local businesses and charities, typically towards the lower end of the SME category.
Things have improved but my biggest bugbear is that there are few people in any government who have actually worked in a SME, and know what it is like to pay VAT, rates and wages.
And all this while increasing the level of services bought by the SME sector as a whole to 25% from an estimated 13.7% in 2011/12.
On January 22nd, he published a provocative opinion piece facetiously titled "I am a racist!" for Sme, a Slovak daily.
