In the last six months, based on the implementation data, it was found that the fragmentation of entrepreneurship actions resulted in planning problems for businesses and the public sector, delays and objections in the evaluation procedures and ultimately an unsatisfactory rate of return of subsidies to the market. For this reason, and in view of the last programme review to be completed in June 2020, the strategy for supporting entrepreneurship through the NSRF for SMEs is changing.

The objectives set by the Ministry of Development and Investments for the successful completion of the programming period and for the more direct return of aid to businesses and the practical support of entrepreneurship are the following:

• Acceleration of the existing calls and the aim is until then to eliminate all outstanding issues on the part of the state (completion of evaluations and accessions), so that only the implementation of the plan by the entrepreneur remains
• The publication of few, but emblematic new calls for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which will cover a wide range of activities

For this reason, three new actions for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are to be announced later this year, with the Ministry of Development and Investments set as its objective the "clearing up" of investment projects in the programme "Competitiveness – Entrepreneurship – Innovation" (EPAnEK) and more than doubling the absorption of the EPANEK programme to 50% from 18% which was its absorption at the end of 2018.

New actions for SMEs in the pipeline

More specifically, regarding the new actions, these are the following:

• Renewal and upgrading of equipment for small and medium-sized enterprises, including digital, technical and fixed equipment. This is a call designed to cover a wide range of businesses and eligible actions based on their identified needs. The evaluation is planned to be by direct procedure.
• Subsidy for in-company training. This action will have a budget 50 million euro in public participation, which will allow companies to train their staff in the areas where they believe there is more added value, ministry of development and investment officials say. Όπως τονίζει συχνά η Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή και όπως αναφέρθηκε και από τον πρωθυπουργό στο πρόσφατο Εθνικό Αναπτυξιακό Συνέδριο για το ΕΣΠΑ 2021-2027, οι επιχειρήσεις χρειάζονται ανθρώπινο δυναμικό κατάλληλα εκπαιδευμένο και διαρκώς εκπαιδευόμενο, προκειμένου να υποστηρίξουν την ανάπτυξή τους· το λεγόμενο reskilling και upskilling.
• Investigation to subsidize wage costs and operating expenses for new companies established in Greece. The aim is to attract foreign investment, as well as businesses, that wish to expand further. Subsidies are envisaged to be given to the fullest extent possible of the regional aid map, i.e. companies that choose to establish themselves in less developed regions will also receive a higher percentage of the grant.

The new actions are planned, in cooperation with the competent Special Management Service for EPANEK, with the aim of being announced as soon as possible in 2020.

Through these actions the Ministry seeks not to lose money from the NSRF, as the Minister had said Development and Investment. It is noted that payments to the operational programmes of the NSRF at the end of 2019 reached 32.71% of public expenditure and reached the 35.8% if including the funds directed to the Rural Development Programme (RDP).