Alternative forms of tourism – Development Law 4887/2022

Εναλλακτικές μορφές τουρισμού - Αναπτυξιακός Νόμος 4887/2022

Σκοπός του παρόντος καθεστώτος είναι η ενίσχυση τουριστικών επενδύσεων που αφορούν σε εναλλακτικές μορφές τουρισμού και στοχεύουν στην αξιοποίηση και ανάδειξη των ιδιαίτερων χαρακτηριστικών των περιοχών της χώρας, όπως γεωγραφικών, κοινωνικών, πολιτισμικών, θρησκευτικών.

Εναλλακτικές μορφές τουρισμού - Ποιους αφορά

The covered investment projects concern alternative forms of tourism and aim to exploit and promote the particular characteristics of the country's regions, such as geographical, social, cultural and religious.

Τα υπαγόμενα, στο καθεστώς επενδυτικά σχέδια αφορούν σε εγκαταστάσεις:
a. ειδικής τουριστικής υποδομής, όπως συνεδριακά κέντρα, γήπεδα γκολφ, τουριστικούς λιμένες, χιονοδρομικά κέντρα, θεματικά πάρκα, εγκαταστάσεις ιαματικού τουρισμού [μονάδες ιαματικής θεραπείας, κέντρα ιαματικού τουρισμού θερμαλισμού, κέντρα θαλασσοθεραπείας, κέντρα αναζωογόνησης (spa)], κέντρα προπονητικού αθλητικού τουρισμού, ορειβατικά καταφύγια, αυτοκινητοδρόμια, όπως αυτές ορίζονται στον ν. 4276/2014 (Α'155),
β. αγροτουρισμού ή οινοτουρισμού ή γεωτουρισμού ή πολυλειτουργικών αγροκτημάτων,
c. τουριστικών καταλυμάτων στην ύπαιθρο, τύπου Glamping,
d. καταδυτικού τουρισμού, σύμφωνα με τον ν. 4688/2020 (Α' 101).
 
Τα επενδυτικά σχέδια πρέπει να έχουν ολοκληρωμένο χαρακτήρα αρχικής επένδυσης.

Εναλλακτικές μορφές τουρισμού - Επιλέξιμες επιχειρήσεις

Eligible are companies that are established or have a branch in Greek territory at the time of commencement of the investment project and have one of the following forms:

• trading company,
• cooperative,
• Κοινωνικές Συνεταιριστικές Επιχειρήσεις (Κοιν.Σ.Επ.) του 4430/2016 (Ά 2015)), Αγροτικοί Συνεταιρισμοί (ΑΣ), Ομάδες Παραγωγών (ΟΠ), Αγροτικές Εταιρικές Συμπράξεις (ΑΕΣ) του N. 4384/2016 (Α' 78),
• companies being formed or merged, with the obligation to have completed the disclosure procedures before the start of work on the investment project,
• joint ventures engaged in commercial activities
• public and municipal enterprises and their subsidiaries, provided that:
  • they are not entrusted with the service of a public purpose,
  • they are not exclusively entrusted by the State with the provision of services,
  • δεν επιχορηγείται η λειτουργία τους με δημόσιους πόρους για το διάστημα τήρησης των
    μακροχρόνιων υποχρεώσεων του άρθρου 22.

Εναλλακτικές μορφές τουρισμού - Μη επιλέξιμες επιχειρήσεις

Δεν θεωρούνται δικαιούχοι και εξαιρούνται από τις ενισχύσεις του παρόντος καθεστώτος "Εναλλακτικές μορφές τουρισμού" οι κάτωθι:

• undertakings which are subject to pending aid recovery proceedings at the time of the submission of the investment project application (Deggendorf principle),
• οι προβληματικές επιχειρήσεις, όπως ορίζονται στην παράγραφο 18 του άρθρου 2 Γ.Α.Κ. (άρθρο 1 παρ. 4 περίπτωση γ' Γ.Α.Κ.),
• enterprises which, during the two (2) years preceding the submission of the application for aid, have relocated to the business premises where the initial investment in respect of which aid is requested will take place or have not undertaken not to do so within a period of two (2) years after the completion of the initial investment for which aid is requested,
• enterprises implementing investment projects carried out on the initiative and on behalf of the State, on the basis of a relevant contract for the execution of a project, concession or provision of services.

Εναλλακτικές μορφές τουρισμού - Προϋπολογισμός προγράμματος

The body's participation in the total eligible costs of the investment project can be done either through own funds or through external financing, provided that twenty-five percent (25%) of it does not contain any state aid, public support or provision (Article 14 par. 14 G.A.K.).

The same participation can also consist of external funding. The alternative ways of covering equity capital are:

• Increase in share or company capital from new cash contributions
• Capitalization of existing taxable reserves and retained earnings
• Use of existing taxable reserves and retained earnings
• Asset disposal
• Bank loan

Amount of subsidy

The minimum eligible investment project size for the inclusion of investment projects in the present aid scheme is defined on the basis of the size of the entity, i.e:

• για μεγάλες επιχειρήσεις, στο ποσό του ενός εκατομμυρίου (1.000.000) ευρώ,
• για μεσαίες επιχειρήσεις, στο ποσό των πεντακοσίων χιλιάδων (500.000) ευρώ,
• για μικρές επιχειρήσεις, στο ποσό των διακοσίων πενήντα χιλιάδων (250.000) ευρώ,
• for micro-enterprises, to the amount of one hundred thousand (100,000) euros,
• for the Social Cooperative Enterprises (SCE) of Law 4430/2016 (A'205), as well as the Agricultural Cooperatives (DP), the Producer Groups (POs) and the Agricultural Partnerships (ABP) of the Law. 4384/2016 (A' 78) in the amount of fifty thousand (50,000) euros.

Types of aid

• Tax exemption
• Subsidy
• Leasing subsidy
• Subsidization of the cost of employment created

 
Για τις μεσαίες και μεγάλες επιχειρήσεις η ενίσχυση περιλαμβάνει όλα τα ανωτέρω κίνητρα πλην της επιχορήγησης.

The aid rates for the eligible costs of the initial investment will be granted on the basis of the intensity ceilings of the Regional Aid Map as follows:

a. For micro and small enterprises, the aid rates for all types of incentives other than grants are granted at the maximum rate laid down in the Regional Aid Map.

The grant incentive is awarded at eighty percent (80%) of the Regional Aid Charter ceiling.
 
Increased rate of subsidy (up to the maximum rate (100%) of the Regional Aid Charter except for the following. δ' που χορηγείται στο ενενήντα τοις εκατό (90%)) χορηγείται για τα επενδυτικά σχέδια που υλοποιούνται στις ακόλουθες περιοχές:

• Mountainous areas, according to the classification of EL.STAT., except the municipal units that form part of the urban complex of Athens,
• areas located up to thirty (30) kilometres from the border,
• islands with a population of less than three thousand one hundred (3,100) inhabitants,
• buildings classified as listed,
• areas affected by natural disasters, in accordance with a decision of the Governmental State Relief Committee

 
b. For medium and large enterprisesThe aid rates for all types of incentives other than grants shall be granted at eighty percent (80%) of the regional aid map ceiling.
 
Αυξημένα ποσοστά ενισχύσεων (στο ανώτατο ποσοστό (100%) του Χάρτη Περιφερειακών Ενισχύσεων εκτός της περ. δ' που χορηγείται στο ενενήντα τοις εκατό (90%)) χορηγούνται για τα επενδυτικά σχέδια που υλοποιούνται στις ακόλουθες περιοχές:

• Mountainous areas, according to the classification of EL.STAT., except the municipal units that form part of the urban complex of Athens,
• areas located up to thirty (30) kilometres from the border,
• islands with a population of less than three thousand one hundred (3,100) inhabitants,
• buildings classified as listed,
• areas affected by natural disasters, in accordance with a decision of the Governmental State Relief Committee

Restrictions

• The total amount of aid per submitted investment project can reach up to €10,000,000
• The aid granted to each body, including aid to cooperating or associated enterprises may not exceed a cumulative total of 20 million euro. euros for an individual enterprise, and 30 million. euros for all related and cooperating undertakings, subject to the restrictions laid down in Article 4 of the General Tax Code.
• For investment projects that do not meet the condition of being an integrated initial investment project, the aid granted may not exceed EUR 1 million (EUR 1 000 000).

 
These restrictions shall apply to investment projects subject to the provisions of this Regulation for a period of three (3) years from the date of the entity's application for the inclusion of its investment project.

Εναλλακτικές μορφές τουρισμού - Δαπάνες που επιδοτούνται

Τα επενδυτικά σχέδια που υπάγονται στο παρόν καθεστώς "Εναλλακτικές μορφές τουρισμού" μπορούν να λαμβάνουν ενισχύσεις για επιλέξιμες δαπάνες Περιφερειακού χαρακτήρα για αρχική επένδυση, είτε αυτοτελώς, είτε σε συνδυασμό με ενισχύσεις μη περιφερειακού χαρακτήρα των λοιπών τμημάτων του Γ.Α.Κ. και άλλων Κανονισμών της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης.

Regional investment aid

Regional aid is granted in accordance with the Regional Aid Charter for:

• Initial investment:
  • The investment in tangible and intangible assets in connection with the creation of a new business establishment, the expansion of the capacity of an existing business establishment, the diversification of the production of a business establishment into products that have never been produced in it, or the fundamental change of the entire production process of an existing business establishment.
  • The acquisition of assets belonging to a business establishment that has closed or would have closed had it not been purchased and which is purchased by an investor unrelated to the seller and excludes a simple acquisition of the shares of a business.
• Initial investment for new economic activity:
  • The investment in tangible and intangible assets related to the creation of a new business establishment, or the diversification of the business establishment's activity, provided that the new activity is not the same or similar to that previously carried out in the establishment.
  • The acquisition of the assets belonging to a closed business establishment which is purchased by an investor unrelated to the seller, provided that the new activity to be carried on using the acquired assets is not the same or similar to that practiced in the business establishment prior to the purchase.

Eligible expenditure for regional aid

Tangible assets

• Construction, expansion, modernization of building facilities and special and auxiliary building facilities and the shaping of the surrounding area. The total may not exceed 45% of the total eligible costs.

  For investment projects in the tourism sector, the rate is set at 60% for building costs, for investments in the Logistics sector in 70% also for the building costs of the investment projects in question, while in investment projects for plant production in greenhouses the coefficient amounts to 60%. Finally, for buildings which are classified as preserved, the factor in question amounts to 80%.

• Purchase of all or part of the existing fixed assets, such as buildings, machinery and other business establishment equipment, under the following conditions, which must be cumulative:
  • the business establishment is closed,
  • the purchase is made by the entity of the investment plan, which is not related to the seller of the business establishment of approx. i unless it is a small business, which is acquired by an employee of the original owner,
  • the relevant transaction is carried out under normal market conditions. The cost of assets which have previously been granted or subsidized through development laws or other aid schemes prior to their purchase shall be deducted from such eligible expenditure.
• Purchase and installation of new modern machinery and other equipment, technical installations and means of transport that move within the area of ​​the integrated unit
• Leases for financial leasing of new modern machinery and other equipment
• Modernization of special non-building facilities and mechanical facilities

Intangible assets

• Transfer of technology, purchase of intellectual property rights, licenses, patents, know-how and unproprietary know-how
• Quality assurance systems, certifications, software supply and installation and business organization systems

 
For large enterprises, the subsidized costs for intangible assets cannot exceed thirty percent (30%) of the total subsidized regional aid costs. For SMEs, the maximum percentage is set at fifty percent (50%).

Wage cost

The wage costs of new jobs created as a result of the implementation of the investment plan are subsidized, calculated for a period of two (2) years from the creation of each position.

Conditions for wage cost support

1. Mandatorynet increase in the number of Annual Work Units (AWUs) compared to the AWUs of the previous 12 months from the date of submission of the application for membership
2. The jobs must be filled within 3 years from the date of completion and start of production operation
3. Each job created through the investment shall be maintained in the assisted establishment for a minimum period of at least five (5) years for large enterprises, at least four (4) years for medium-sized enterprises and at least three (3) years for small enterprises, from the date on which it is first created.

Eligible expenditure other than regional aid:

• Consultancy fees for SMEs
  Only for new small and medium-sized enterprises and up to €50,000 (up to 5% of total eligible costs)
• Investment costs for energy efficiency measures
• Investment costs for co-production of high efficiency energy from RES
• Expenditures for energy production from RES
• Costs for installing efficient district heating and district cooling systems
• Costs for remediation of contaminated sites
• Costs for waste recycling and reuse
• Vocational training expenses
• Expenses for media participation in trade fairs
• Ενισχύσεις για εργαζόμενους σε μειονεκτική θέση και εργαζομένων με αναπηρία

Important dates

Expected

Necessary supporting documents for submission

Expected

Useful files

18/01/2022
Draft Law "Development Law - Greece Strong Development"

02/02/2022
Map of Regional Aid

04/02/2022
Development Law 4887/2022

22/07/2022
Special areas with increased aid rates