NSRF: Within days the applications for the 2 new programs

In the first ten days of December, the application platform will be opened for hundreds or thousands of businesses throughout the country, which will receive a 45%-50% grant from the NSRF and public funds. Earlier the same day, espa.gr will announce the final terms of participation. Applications will be accepted until the beginning of February.

A total of €350 million will be allocated, exclusively for small or very small businesses. The 190 million euros will be directed to the Action “Strengthening the Establishment and Operation of new Small and Medium Enterprises” and mainly concern the sectors services and processing or other newly established enterprises and young professionals as long as they have started operations within the last 12 months, are under formation or will have time to establish a business within the year.

Excluded are the sectors of catering, retail and href=”https://espa.io/c/tourismos-epidotisi/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>tourism. The remaining 160 million euros concern the tourism sector and specifically the Action “Strengthening the Establishment and Operation of new Micro and Medium Enterprises” of Tourist Businesses’.

The NSRF funds are divided into two pools, one for businesses in Attica and one in the Region. The scope of the beneficiaries is determined by specific Activity Code Numbers (KAD), the list of which is particularly extensive (excluding the retail trade and catering sectors). The granted budget of each project ranges from 80,000 to 400,000 euros in the tourism sector or from 40,000 to 400,000 euros in the trade, manufacturing and services sectorn.

Investment and repayment will be made within two years. In the final announcement, however, the period after the completion of the investment, during which it is prohibited to change the activity or use of the investment, will be reduced from five to three years. For example, it is not allowed to change activity from a Manufacturing CSD to a Services CSD and vice versa.

Who precedes, who is excluded from the new NSPA

Compared to similar programs of the past from Community Support Frameworks and NSRF (at least until 2018, where funding of 40% and above was still given for start-ups), the new program will have more “European” criteria to ensure the quality, maturity and sustainability of the investment plan, in order for the candidate to submit the proposal to create his own business.

At the time of submitting the application, each interested party will know and write in his application how many points he calculates to have accumulated. Previous experience or studies in the chosen field will count, but the candidate can also cover 50-55% of the investment required with his own funds. That is, if someone requests a grant, e.g. 90,000 euros, it should appear (from certificates or an agreement with a bank, etc.) that he also has a corresponding capital of 90,000-100,000 euros or a secured loan to cover his participation. Otherwise it will be banned.

Information submitted by the beginning of February will be reviewed within six months, in order to announce the final list of beneficiaries in the summer. In the event that the application is graded by the Ministry of Education evaluators with fewer points than the candidate himself calculated, he will also receive a reasoned answer as to how and why he did not get the grade he expected. Thus, knowing each candidate’s own score, he will be able to check the possibilities and if he was justifiably lower in the ranking, in relation to the others with more points.

However, a simple declaration of intentions is not enough. Increased criteria are set to ensure the seriousness of the investment plan and it is required to have accurate data of its implementation. The prospective beneficiary must clearly define exactly in which area it is activated within the region it chooses. And he is required to prove it with documents or other evidence (E1, E9, leases, etc.).

On the other hand, precisely because the programs concern start-ups there will be no restrictions on jobs, as is the case in corresponding programs for existing businesses. This gives young entrepreneurs the opportunity to start with personal individual work, without any employees. However, it is planned that they can receive an additional grant if they create new jobs, which they will maintain. In this case, the subsidy will reach 50%.

To participate one must choose one of the two programs, with a single Activity Code (KAD) and in a single region of the country. The tourist accommodation program will finance the creation of 4-star hotels and above with at least 12 beds, hotel accommodation within traditional buildings of the P.D. 33/197 ή κάμπινγκ 3 αστέρων και άνω. However, furnished tourist homes (at least three in the same brand) or rental rooms and apartments with a minimum capacity of 12 beds, category of 4 keys and above.

Source: newmoney.gr