The ^9th amendment of the Call for applications for funding investment projects of the Entrepreneurship Toolbox Action has been published: Trade, Catering, Education of the EAFRD, according to which the duration of the implementation of investment projects is extended by three months until 31-12-2023 at the latest. You can read more information about the action here.

The Action is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union and by national resources.

See the 9^th amendment of the Action here.

Objective of the Action

The Entrepreneurship Toolbox Action: Trade-Food-Training aims to strengthen existing small and micro enterprises that are active:

• retail trade
• the provision of catering services
• the provision of private education-social care services

in order to upgrade their level of operational organisation and functioning.

Budget of the Action

80 million euros for all regions of the country

The Action is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union and by national resources.

Beneficiaries of the Action

Small and very small enterprises

Investment projects & Subsidy

• Investment projects from 10.000 euros to 150.000 euros
• 50% subsidy

Basic Conditions for Participation

Companies must cumulatively meet the following requirements:

• have the status of small and very small enterprises
• have closed at least three (3) administrative years of twelve months duration;
• have at least one eligible NACE code listed in Annex II "ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES (NACE)" as an active main or secondary activity throughout these three (3) financial years
• have the year preceding the electronic submission of the funding proposal as a minimum:

- 1 annual work unit (AWU) for the retail trade sector

- 2 AWU for the restaurant sector

- 3 AWU for the education and social work sector

Eligible expenditure of the Entrepreneurship Programme

• Buildings, Facilities and Surroundings up to 100% of the investment project

Interventions for:

- Energy saving
- Improving health and safety
- facilitating accessibility for people with disabilities

• Machinery and equipment up to 100% of the investment project
  Supply and installation of equipment for:

- Energy saving

- Improving hygiene and safety on the premises

- Supply and installation of ICT equipment

• Means of transport

- up to EUR 25,000 and up to 30% of the investment plan for retail-food service enterprises

- up to 100% for education-social care enterprises

• Digital Promotion
• Certification of services and/or processes
• Wage costs of employees (new staff)
• Costs of studies/training/monitoring of the investment project.

The starting date for the eligibility of expenditure is the date of publication of the call for proposals.

Time of Implementation of Investment Plans

Up to thirty (30) months and one hundred and thirty-two (132) days in total from the date of adoption of the Inclusion Decision. In the event that a deadline set out above expires on a non-working day, it shall be extended until the first working day.

When the completion dates of the physical and financial object are later than 31-12-2023, then the deadline for completion is set at 31-12-2023.

Electronic submission Applications for the Entrepreneurship Toolkit

Businesses submit an online application for funding accompanied by an online application file to the State Aid Information System (PASKE), at: www.ependyseis.gr.

The electronic application file includes the required application/registration documents of Annex I in a non-editable electronic file format (e.g. pdf file).

Investment projects will be evaluated on the basis of objective criteria as described in the tables of the Evaluation Criteria.

ATTENTION: Please note that each attached document must have a maximum capacity of 10 MB.

New users when registering in the State Aid Information System (SAIS):

• select: "Support for Entrepreneurship Actions"
• fill in the VAT number of the business and then
• select the Action entitled: Entrepreneurship Toolbox: Trade - Catering - Education