Two projects were launched for public consultation, the schemes "Synergies and Networks" and "Innovative Aid for SMEs". The terms and conditions for the inclusion of investment projects. The distribution of incentives.

The Ministry of Economy and Development is proceeding with the activation of two new schemes-programs of the development law 4399/2016.

Ήδη έχει θέσει σε δημόσια διαβούλευση (http://www.opengov.gr), η οποία θα διαρκέσει έως τις 26 Μαρτίου δύο νεα καθεστώτα. «Συνέργειες και Δικτυώσεις» και «Ενισχύσεις Καινοτομικού Χαρακτήρα για Μικρομεσαίες Επιχειρήσεις». Ο συνολικός προϋπολογισμός για δύο προγράμματα για το τρέχον έτος έχει καθοριστεί at 200 million euros. 150 million euros will be made available to businesses in the form of a grant for leasing subsidies and subsidies for the cost of employment created and the remaining 50 million. euros in the form of tax exemption.

The announcement of the two programs is scheduled for immediately after Easter. It should be noted that these two programmes are being launched for the first time. They are part of the eight programme schemes designed under the Development Act. Analytically:

1. Synergies and Networking

Στόχος του καθεστώτος «Συνέργειες και Δικτυώσεις» είναι η, μέσω της ενίσχυσης κοινών δράσεων, προώθηση της ανταγωνιστικότητας των επιχειρήσεων που συμμετέχουν στα συνεργατικά σχήματα, καθώς και η αύξηση των σημαντικών οικονομιών που δύνανται να παραχθούν για το σύνολο της οικονομίας από τη δημιουργία πυκνών οριζόντιων και κάθετων δικτυώσεων, με τη διασπορά της συνεργατικής κουλτούρας στην ελληνική επιχειρηματικότητα.

At the same time, the aim is to achieve a series of more specific objectives, which include enhancing export readiness, competitiveness and scaling up the critical mass of local business exports, developing the competitiveness of regions, creating strategic partnerships between the state, enterprises, institutions, knowledge and other institutions to facilitate the concentration and diffusion of innovation within and outside the supported clusters, developing technology consortia.

The total budget of this scheme for the year 2018 is at 100 million euros of which EUR 80 million concerning the types of aid of the grant, the leasing subsidy and the subsidy of the cost of employment created come from the Public Investment Budget and the 20 million euros. they concern the type of aid for the tax exemption.

Minimum level of investment projects for programmes

The minimum eligible amount of investment for the inclusion of investment projects in the "Synergies and Networks" is set at € 250,000. It should be noted that investment projects covered by this aid scheme must have the character of an initial investment and in particular fulfil one of the following conditions:

a. Creation of a new unit.

b. Expansion of the capacity of an existing plant. The additional capacity of the plant due to the investment project can only be accepted if the existing capacity of the plant can be certified by official documentation.

c. Diversification of the production of a unit into products or services that have never been produced in it. The basic condition is that the eligible costs exceed by at least 200% the book value of the reusable assets as recorded in the financial year preceding the application for inclusion of the investment project. In the event that the operator of the investment project does not have at least one closed fiscal year at the time of submission of the application for inclusion or if the submitted financial data do not reflect the above condition, the non-fulfillment of the relevant criterion is presumed.

d. Fundamental change of the entire production process of an existing unit. It is stipulated that the eligible costs exceed the depreciation over the previous three fiscal years of the assets linked to the activity to be modernised. Where the depreciation associated with the activity is not clearly reflected, the relevant criterion shall be presumed not to have been met.

e. Acquisition of the total assets, owned by a closed establishment which is bought by an investor unrelated to the seller and which excludes the simple acquisition of the shares of an undertaking.

Beneficiaries for programmes

The beneficiaries of this aid scheme are clusters, i.e. networks of undertakings with a thematic focus. These are created by the formation of a legal person and in which enterprises can participate, the main activities of which:

(i) they must fall within the aided branches referred to in Article 7 of the Law. 4399/2016,

(ii) be consistent with or served or supported by the joint action of the submitted investment project of the legal person in the cluster, and

iii) to operate in the same Region as the Region where the investment plan of the legal entity of the cluster is carried out or in adjacent Regions. In the legal entity of the cluster may participate research / educational institutions (universities, public and private research and development organizations, N.P.D.D., N.P.I.D., etc.).

The established legal entity, in which all its members participate, is the management body of the business cluster, represents it, develops and implements activities that support its development and creates added value for each of its participants. The managing body shall be the promoter of the aided investment project.

The business clusters covered by this scheme must include at least:

a) six enterprises for investment projects to be implemented in the Region of Attica or in the Prefecture of Thessaloniki, or

(b) four undertakings for investment projects to be carried out in the other prefectures of the territory.

If joint actions are developed in combination in the geographical areas referred to in subparagraphs (a) and (b) of the preceding paragraph, the minimum number of participants required in the business cluster shall be determined in accordance with those cases, on the basis of the prefectures in which the investment costs incurred are incurred. exceed 50% of the eligible cost. If affiliated or partner enterprises participate in the business cluster, they shall be considered as one for the purpose of determining the minimum required number of enterprises referred to in this paragraph.

Applications to benefit from the provisions of this scheme may be submitted by the managing body of existing or established business clusters and not by its individual or potential members. Where the managing body has not already been established when the project is subject to the provisions of these schemes, the procedures for its establishment must have been completed within the time limit laid down in the decision to include it. Exceptionally, managing bodies whose eligible amount of investment projects exceeds EUR 500 000 and are subject to this aid scheme are obliged to take the legal form of a commercial company or cooperative before the start of works on the investment project.

The management bodies must be enterprises established in the Greek territory, this at the time of the start of works of the investment project and have one of the following forms:

• sole proprietorship
• commercial company
• partnership

- Social Cooperative Enterprises (SCE) of Law 4019/2011 (A' 216), Agricultural Cooperatives (DP), Producer Groups (PO), Agricultural Partnerships (AES) of Law 4384/2016 (A' 78),

- companies being formed or merged. However, having the obligation to have completed the publicity procedures before the start of work on the investment project,

• businesses operating in the form of a joint venture subject to their registration in the GEMI.

2. "Innovative Aid for SMEs" of the Development Law 4399/16

The scheme aims to support investment projects aimed at producing innovative products or introducing organisational and procedural innovations. The purpose of the scheme is to introduce or strengthen innovative products. It also aims to integrate organisational and procedural innovations into production and other processes. In general, the aim is a continued commitment to innovation as a central choice of the aided enterprises.

The total budget of this scheme for the year 2018 amounts to 100 million euros of which EUR 70 million relating to programmes, the types of aid for the grant, the leasing subsidy and the subsidy for the cost of employment created come from the Public Investment Budget while the30 million euros they concern the type of aid for the tax exemption.

Beneficiaries for the programmes

Beneficiaries of aid schemes under this aid scheme are small and medium-sized enterprises established or having a branch in Greek territory. This at the time of commencement of work on the investment project and have one of the following forms:

a. sole proprietorship,

b. trading company,

c. cooperative,

d. Social Cooperative Enterprises (S.S.E.) of Law 4430/2016 (A' 205), Agricultural Cooperatives (DP), Producer Groups (PO), Agricultural Partnerships (AES) of Law 4384/2016 (A' 78),

e. companies being formed or merged. It is noted that they have the obligation to have completed the publicity procedures before the start of works of the investment project,

F. enterprises operating in the form of a joint venture subject to their registration with the GEMI,

G. Public and municipal enterprises and their subsidiaries, provided that:

aa. they are not entrusted with the service of a public purpose,

bb. they are not exclusively entrusted by the State with the provision of services,

cc. their operation shall not be subsidised by public funds for the period of compliance with the long-term obligations referred to in Article 21.

Undertakings whose eligible amount of investment projects exceeds EUR 500 000 and are subject to this aid scheme are obliged to take the legal form of a commercial company or cooperative before the start of works on the investment project.

The following shall not be considered as beneficiaries for the programmes and shall be excluded from the aid under this scheme:

a) undertakings in difficulty;

b) undertakings which, in the two years preceding the aid application, have relocated to the establishment in which the initial investment for which the aid is requested will be made, or which, when submitting their aid application, do not undertake not to do so within a period of two years after the completion of the initial investment for which the aid is requested (Article 14(16) of the GDPR).

'Relocation' means the transfer of the same or a similar activity or part thereof from an establishment in the territory of a contracting party to the EEA agreement (initial establishment) to an establishment in which the aided investment takes place in the territory of another contracting party to the EEA agreement (aided establishment). A transfer exists where the product or service in the initial and the aided establishment serves, at least in part, the same purpose and meets the requirements or needs of the same type of customers and jobs are lost in the same or a similar activity in one of the beneficiary's initial establishments in the EEA.

c) undertakings implementing investment projects carried out on the initiative and on behalf of the State. This arises on the basis of a relevant contract, works execution, concession or service.