The first two actions of the new NSRF 2021/27 for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that will run in the next two months total budget of 1 billion euros, announced the Deputy Minister of State for Development and Investment, Yannis Tsakiris, responsible for the new NSRF and Public Investment, during the Board of Directors of Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry . In total, through the new NSRF, it is expected to be allocated around 4 billion. euros in small and medium enterprises. Three billion euros through actions and 1 billion euros through financial instruments.

For his part, the president of BEA, Pavlos Ravanis, pointed out that the new NSRF is a valuable tool. A tool that can breathe life into businesses and mobilize the shift to a new production model.

«The Chamber has repeatedly pointed out the need to give solutions to liquidity problem. No conditions adequate business financing, they cannot exist new initiatives and investments. The new NSRF must be based on a clear strategy, which will guide resources in entrepreneurship, investments, extroversion. We can no longer afford window projects, nor to waste resources on piecemeal and ill-advised actions. Now, targeting, planning and efficiency are needed," pointed out Mr. Ravanis.

According to the BEA, the two actions of the "Competitiveness" program will run as follows:

• The first action concerns the Digital Switchover of SMEs with the first round of calls for proposals involving €300 million. euro. The submission of applications will start at the end of October and will concern the funding of business plans of companies with low digital readiness.
• The second action concerns the Green Transition for SMEs, which includes €700 million. euro. The submission of applications will begin at the end of November and concerns the upgrading of the production function of SMEs by utilizing environmentally friendly solutions that will make the companies more competitive. In the context of this call, in addition to the subsidy for productive assets, the installation of solar panels in SMEs will also be subsidized for the production of electricity for own consumption, but not for "net metering". The aim of the action is to further reduce the operating costs of SMEs.

The investment projects to be included in the above actions, receive aid in the form of a grant. Submissions of projects by interested parties will be made electronically in the State Aid Information System (PASKE), at the following address: https://www.gsis.gr/kpske. Η their evaluation will be done with FIFO (First In-First Out) process. Thus, it is possible that the first disbursements will be made even before the end of the year. In fact, Mr. Tsakiris pointed out, that the inclusion of a mature investment can receive approval, even within a period of just one month, from the submission of the application.