Strengthening existing and new businesses for the exploitation of patents, innovations and new production / business ideas to improve their production activity and / or for the development of new products

The programme

Main objective of the Action Support for existing and new enterprises to exploit patents, innovations and new production/entrepreneurial ideas to improve their production activity and/or to develop new products, is to support the modernisation or expansion  Existing  and new enterprises, through technological and non-technological upgrading, with the use of supporting technologies and/or innovation, in order to improve productivity, quality and innovation at enterprise level, aiming at increasing the added value of the product/service produced and the further development of enterprises. This action is expected to contribute to the production of new / innovative / advanced (improved) products and services, of high added value, in order to create a competitive advantage of the enterprises of the Region, as well as to the penetration into new markets.

The operations concern SMEs as a matter of priority in the products and services of the priority sectors for the Region, in line with the smart specialisation strategy (RIS3).

Funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) within the framework of the Operational Programme "North Aegean 2014-2020" (OP "North Aegean 2014-2020") of the NSRF 2014-2020.

The following categories of expenditure will be financed:

• Costs for investments in assets:
  • Building infrastructure for the operation of the business
  • Building infrastructure for the Protection of the Environment Energy saving
  • Machinery
  • Equipment for the Protection of the Environment and Energy Saving
  • Technological upgrading through increased use of ICT
  • Fixtures
  • Systems Certification, Design and Standardization
  • Know-how rights and their utilization for the most effective production of products and services
  • Brand creation
• Consulting services
• Aid for participation in fairs and exhibitions
• Innovation Aid:
  • Expenditure on intangible assets
  • Expenditure on innovation services
  • Knowledge and patents
• Staff costs (Wage costs of new staff)

Who it concerns

This call for proposals is aimed at supporting investment projects υφιστάμενων και νέων Μικρομεσαίων Επιχειρήσεων (ΜΜΕ) για τον εκσυγχρονισμό ή την επέκταση αυτών μέσω τεχνολογικής και μη τεχνολογικής αναβάθμισης, με αξιοποίηση υποστηρικτικών τεχνολογιών ή και καινοτομίας, για τη βελτίωση της παραγωγικότητας, της ποιότητας και καινοτομίας σε επίπεδο επιχείρησης έχοντας ως στόχο την ανάπτυξη νέων προϊόντων και υπηρεσιών και τον εκσυγχρονισμό των επιχειρήσεων.

This action is expected to contribute to the production of new/innovative/evolved (improved) products and services of high added value, in order to create a competitive advantage for the businesses of the Region, as well as their penetration into new markets.

Beneficiaries are businesses that operate in sectors with particular potential for the Region, in line with the Region's RIS3 and the relevant business discovery actions.

Beneficiaries eligible for public funding under this action are productive enterprises operating exclusively in one of the following forms of corporate/commercial enterprise:

• Public Limited Company,
• Limited Liability Company,
• General Partnership,
• Limited Partnership,
• ICE,
• Ατομική Επιχείρηση,
• Συνεταιρισμός,
• Κοινωνική Συνεταιριστική Επιχείρηση του Ν. 4019/2011 (ΚΟΙΝΣΕΠ),
• The Leisure Yachting Shipping Company (LSC).

The proposed investment project must be located exclusively in the North Aegean Region.

The private participation of the enterprise in the investment project must not exceed 50% of its average turnover for the last three (3) years, as shown in its published balance sheets or equivalent financial data.

Program Budget

The Public expenditure of the Action under this Call for Proposals amounts to 3.000.000€ and the its subsidised budget is estimated to be around 5.000.000€. The difference between the total (subsidised) budget and the public expenditure is defined as the own contribution, which will be covered by the beneficiaries (enterprises). The Public Expenditure of the positively evaluated investment projects, which will be included in the Northern Aegean OP 2014-2020 under this programme, may amount to up to 120% of the amount of advertised herein, subject to the approval of the Special Management Service of the OP North Aegean Region 2014-2020.

The Public Expenditure of the call may be modified after the decision of the Special Management Service of the OP North Aegean Region 2014-2020 and, if required, after the completion of the evaluation of the proposals submitted and in accordance with the current management rules of the NSRF. Any amendment will be published on the website of the North Aegean OP 2014-2020 ( www.pepba.gr ) and the NSRF ( www.espa.gr ).

The public expenditure is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and national resources. The ERDF contributes to the financing of aid to stimulate economic, social and territorial cohesion by reducing regional disparities and supporting the structural improvements and adjustment of regional economies, including the reconstruction of declining industrial regions. In the context of the 2014-2020 programming period, the ERDF should contribute to the Union's strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, thus ensuring a greater concentration of support on the Union's priorities.

Staff expenditure shall be financed by the ERDF in a complementary manner and within the limit of 10% of the Union funding for each priority axis on the basis of the eligibility of ESF expenditure, in accordance with the provisions of Article 2(3) of Regulation (EC) No . 137675/EYΘY1016/19-12/2018 Ministerial Decision (Government Gazette 5968/B/31-12-2018) "Replacement of the Ministerial Decision No. 110427/EYΘY/1020/20.10.2016 (Government Gazette B' 3521) ministerial decision entitled
"Modification and replacement of Decree No. 81986/EYΘY712/31.7.2015 (Government Gazette B΄ 1822) ministerial decision "National rules of eligibility of expenditure for the NSRF 2014-2020 programmes - Legitimacy checks of public contracts of co-funded operations NSRF 2014-2020 by Managing Authorities and Intermediate Bodies - Objections procedure on the results of the evaluation of operations".

Amount of subsidy

The subsidised budget of each investment proposal of a potential beneficiary of aid can range from 50.000€ to 300.000€.

Each potential beneficiary may make an investment proposal with a budget greater than the maximum subsidized budget. In this case, although the excess costs are not subsidized, the entire investment proposal is evaluated and monitored-controlled and all the excess costs are covered exclusively by private participation.

The aid intensity of the investment proposals for all the eligible costs of the investment projects under this Call for Proposals is 60%. In case of recruitment of new staff for at least one (1) additional PTE of wage employment (the achievement of the target is checked during the final certification), the aid intensity may be increased to 70%. The aid in no case may not exceed the €200,000 limit set by Kahn. 1407/2013.

To cover the private contribution, the potential beneficiary of the aid may use its own resources (own contribution) and/or a loan. The loan to be used may be supported by the financial instruments of the NSRF, e.g. (a) provision of a guarantee by the ΕΤΕΑΝ ΑΕ to obtain an investment loan or a letter of guarantee; b) the provision of business loans at low interest rates and on favourable terms.

Expenses subsidized

In the Action "Support to existing and new enterprises for the exploitation of patents, innovations and new productive / business ideas to improve their productive activity and/or to develop new products" the following categories of expenditure will be financed:

Costs for investments in assets:

Investment aid in assets concerns investments in tangible and intangible assets in relation to:

• Buildings, facilities and surrounding area, indicatively:
  • Building infrastructure for the operation of the business
  • Building infrastructure for the protection of the Environment and Energy Saving
• Machinery - Equipment, indicative:
  • Machinery
  • Equipment for the Protection of the Environment and Energy Saving
  • Technological upgrading through increased use of ICT
  • Fixtures
• Intangible Costs, indicatively:
  • Systems Certification, Design and Standardization
  • Know-how rights and their utilization for the most effective production of products and services
  • Branding.

Advisory services:

Eligible are the costs of providing specialised services by external consultants/experts, which are exclusively related to the implementation of the investment project, such as the preparation of a business plan, an economic viability study, a market research study. Routine or periodic services are not eligible.

Aid for participation in trade fairs:

Eligible costs are the costs of renting, setting up and managing a stand for a company's participation in any trade fair as an exhibitor.

Innovation Aid:

The eligible costs are as follows:

• Expenditure on intangible assets
  It concerns expenditure on the acquisition, validation and protection of patents and other intangible assets (related to the award of a right resulting from research activities carried out, financed or in which the beneficiary participates).
• Expenditure on innovation services
  This sub-category includes expenditure on consultancy and support services in the field of innovation. Innovation consultancy services include assistance and professional training in the areas of knowledge transfer, the acquisition, protection and exploitation of intangible assets, the use of standards and regulations containing them, as well as translation costs for patent applications. Support services in the field of innovation are the provision of office space, databases, libraries, use of laboratory, labelling
  quality, testing and certification to develop more efficient products, processes or services.
• Knowledge and patents
  The sub-category includes expenditure relating to the purchase of knowledge and patents (bought or licensed), which is eligible subject to the condition of equal treatment. That is, the terms of the transaction between the parties should not differ from those that would have been agreed between independent undertakings and should not contain any element of collusion. Any transaction resulting from an open, transparent and non-discriminatory procedure shall be deemed to comply with the principle of equidistance.

Staff costs (Salary costs of new staff):

Eligible costs are those relating to the salary costs of newly recruited staff.

Eligible expenditure shall meet the conditions laid down in the Commission Decision No. number 137675/EYΘY1016/19-12-2018 (Government Gazette 5968/B/31-12-2018) Decision of the Deputy Minister of Economy and Development.

The investment shall be maintained in the area where the aid is granted for at least three (3) years after completion of the investment. This does not prevent the replacement of plant or equipment that has become obsolete or damaged during this period, provided that the economic activity is maintained in the area concerned for the minimum period required above and after approval of the request by the competent monitoring body of the operation.

Important dates

Date of opening of the online submission of investment projects to the State Aid Management Information System : 12/12/2019, Time 13:00:00

Closing date for online submission of investment projects to the State Aid Management Information System: 11/09/2020, Time 15:00:00

Duration of implementation of investment projects: 24 months from the date of adoption of the decision of inclusion

The starting date of each proposed investment project may be specified in the operator's proposal, which in any case may not be earlier than the starting date of the Call for Proposals.

An extension of the project implementation period, which may not exceed 6 months, may be granted after evaluation of a documented request, submitted to EFEPAE at least two (2) months before the end of the project. A prerequisite is the approval of the extension and the modification of the corresponding Inclusion/Funding Decision.

Date of eligibility of expenditure: Date of publication of the call for proposals

Necessary supporting documents for submission

Supporting documents for submission/inclusion

Useful files

09/12/2019
Call for applications for investment project funding

23/03/2020
Deadline for submission of funding applications extended