Published the 2nd amendment the Call for Action: Key SME Digital Transformation of the Programme "Competitiveness 2021-2027", according to which the the maximum duration of completion of the physical and economic scope of the investment project may not exceed nine (9) months, from the date of the adoption of the Decision approving the Evaluation Results, as applicable. Funding applications with a duration of implementation of more than nine (9) months from the date of issue of the Decision approving the Evaluation Results of the Tender will be withdrawn and any aid paid will be fully recovered.

The amendment of the Call, inter alia, also concerns changes to the objections procedure, according to which the Interested parties may, within within a time limit of seven (7) working days from the day following the notification of the final evaluation report in accordance with the Decision approving the Evaluation Results, to submit an administrative objection (appeal within the meaning of Article 25 of Law 2690/1999) exclusively through the IPSCE.

Key Digital Transformation of SMEs - The Action

The priority of Action 1: Basic Digital Transformation of SMEs is to cover the basic needs of SMEs with modern information and communication technologies (ICT).

The Action encourages, as a priority, the implementation of targeted basic digital transformation investment projects that contribute to an outward-looking, innovative and competitive production of higher value-added products or services.

Rate of aid

From 50% to 60% depending on the region.

Action budget

90.000.000 euros

The Public Expenditure is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union and by National Participation. For greater complementarity, funding is provided using Common Support (Article 25 C(EU) 2021/1060) to finance interventions falling within the scope of ESF+.

Budget breakdown by category of regions

• 19.800.000 euros for the Regions in Transition: Attica and South Aegean
• €70.200.000 for the Less Developed Regions: North Aegean, Eastern Macedonia - Thrace, Central Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Western Greece, Crete, Western Macedonia, Ionian Islands, Peloponnese, Sterea Greece

Key Digital Transformation SMEs - Beneficiaries

Existing micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, which among other things should:

• Have at least one (1) full financial year closed
• Have been operating in one of the eligible CDOs of the investment project for at least one (1) year
• Have at least three (3) PES of paid employment in the calendar year preceding the submission of the application for funding
• The physical object of the investment has not been completed or has not been fully implemented before the submission of the application for funding.
• The overall conditions of participation of the beneficiaries are presented in detail in the Call for Proposals

Eligible expenditures

• Equipment costs (indicative): purchase of digital office equipment, upgrade of internal data transfer networks, interaction with employees, customers or suppliers, etc.
• Software Expenditure (indicative): procurement of modern business resource & process management applications (e.g. ERP, WMS, KPIs, EDI, BMPS, etc.), image processing, 3D models and CAD, digital security, customer and supply chain management, production optimization, etc.
• Expenditure for the provision of services related to the digital upgrade (indicative): consultancy support for monitoring the implementation of the investment project, technical support for the implementation of the investment project, installation or configuration of applications included in the funding application
• Indirect Costs