“WE PRODUCE IN GREECE”: New Action for manufacturing SMEs – Subsidy up to 55% for investments €100,000–€400,000
The invitation is open for the Action “PRODUCING IN GREECE” of the “Competitiveness” Program NSRF 2021–2027, with a total budget of 50,000,000€ financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and national resources. The funding application is submitted online from Tuesday 31 March 2026 to Tuesday 2 June 2026.
The Action aims to strengthen the country’s production base and international competitiveness in sectors with a high external orientation. This is a targeted intervention that, on the one hand, strengthens selected productive sectors, and on the other, supports the expansion of the export orientation of Greek companies. At the same time, it seeks to increase the coverage of domestic demand with products of Greek production — reducing imports in sectors where the country has a trade deficit.
Eligible actions include: production modernization, technological upgrade (Industry 4.0, IoT), obtaining certifications, packaging and branding design, as well as covering the salary costs of newly hired specialized staff.
The Action is open to existing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) active in manufacturing and in sectors with an imbalance between domestic supply and demand.
The basic conditions of participation:
- Have at least one (1) full closed administrative year prior to the submission date.
- To have at least one eligible investment KAD before submission (as indicated in Appendix II of the Invitation).
- The investment should exclusively concern KAD of Annex II (Eligible Activities).
- To have at least 1 EME (Annual Work Unit) of dependent work during the previous calendar year, as verified through ERGANI.
In addition:
- The subsidized budget cannot exceed twice the highest turnover from the last three closed fiscal years, with a subsidy ceiling of €200,000 per VAT number.
- Proof of own participation of at least 25% of the subsidized budget is required.
- The funding application must score at least 75 points during the self-assessment at OPSKE — an application that does not meet this threshold cannot even be submitted.
- The total amount of aid of minor importance (De Minimis) for the business in the last three years cannot exceed €300,000 (including this aid.
- Businesses must be registered with the Register of Beneficial Beneficiaries before submission.
- Acceptable legal forms: SA, MAE, EPE, MEPE, OE, EE, IKE, MIKE, Sole Proprietorship, Municipal For-profit Company, COIN.SEP, Cooperative.
Not eligible to submit: financial institutions, public bodies, NPDDs, franchise companies or agency networks, sports clubs, offshore companies.
Selectable Domains
The selection of KAD was based on ELSTAT 2023–2024 trade balance data. For example, in the We produce in Greece program the sectors can participate:
- Pharmaceutical Industry
- Food Industry
- Beverage Production
- Medical and Dental Instruments
- Dental technicians
- Production of Base Metals
- Παραγωγή Χημικών Ουσιών και Προϊόντων
- Manufacture of Plastic & Rubber Products
- Production of Non-Metallic Minerals (Building Materials)
- Manufacturing of Metal Products
- Shipbuilding and Boats
- Electronic Equipment Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Machinery and Equipment
- Paper and Paper Products
- Textiles and Clothing
- Wood and Furniture Industry
Detailed list of KAD in Appendix II of the Detailed Call for Useful Files
https://espa.io/programmata/paragoume-stin-ellada-epidotisi-espa-2021-2027/
Project Budget
The subsidized budget of each investment project ranges from €100,000 to €400,000. An application with a budget below €100,000 is rejected from the outset. Any expenditure over €400,000 is considered private participation 100%.
The subsidized budget cannot exceed twice the highest turnover of the last three closed management years.
Eligible Expenses
| Spend Category | Limit |
| Production & mechanical equipment | 65%–90% of the subsidized p/u (mandatory) |
| Equipment for environmental protection / energy saving & circular economy | up to 20% |
| SaaS / cloud software | up to 20% (total with services & promotion) |
| Product certification | up to 3 certificates × €3,000 |
| Packaging design / branding | up to 10% |
| Intellectual property / patents | up to 20% |
| Consulting services | up to 10% and up to €25,000 |
| Implementation monitoring | up to 4% and up €10,000 |
| Building a website, e-shop, mobile applications, licenses | up to 20% (total with services) |
| Participation in professional exhibitions abroad | up to €40,000 |
| Other promotion / networking | up to 10% and up to €15,000 |
| Wage costs of newly hired staff | 10%–30% of the salary (mandatory) |
| Indirect costs | 7% of direct eligible costs (mandatory) |
Subsidy Amount
The public subsidy rate amounts to 50% for all regions of the country, regardless of the size of the business.
Rapid implementation bonus (+5%): If the beneficiary submits a request for aid that covers costs of at least 80% of the approved budget within 9 months of the final approval, the subsidy rate increases to 55%. The selection of the bonus is made when submitting the application.
Maximum grant limit: €200,000 per VAT number.
Implementation Duration
The maximum duration of completion of the investment project cannot exceed 15 months from the date of issuance of the Incorporation Decision. The start date of expenditure eligibility is defined as the date of publication of the Invitation (24/03/2026).
Submitting Applications
The submission is made exclusively online through the Integrated Information System of State Aid (OPSKE):
- Start of submissions: Tuesday March 31, 2026, 3:00 p.m.
- Deadline: Tuesday June 2, 2026, 3:00 p.m.
Applications that are not submitted electronically within the deadline cannot receive aid. The evaluation is comparative —all applications submitted within the period are evaluated as a whole.
See the Detailed Call for Action with its Annexes at
https://espa.io/programmata/paragoume-stin-ellada-epidotisi-espa-2021-2027/
Why Join
The Producing in Greece program is one of the latest programs of this Community Framework and is an opportunity for manufacturing companies that want to:
- They expand their production
- Invest in new technologies
- Improve their competitiveness