Strengthening Small and Medium Enterprises

The programme

The programme Support for SMEs operating in the sectors of Manufacturing - Tourism - Trade & Services, comes as a partial initiative of the Ministry of Development, Competitiveness, Infrastructure, Transport and Networks and the Regions within the framework of the Regional Operational Programmes of the NSRF 2007-2013 to pursue:

• the containment of the productive base of the Greek economy and in particular the Manufacturing, Tourism, Services and Trade sectors in recessionary conditions.
• strengthening outward-looking entrepreneurship and competitiveness as a key option for productive
  upgrading the country towards high value-added goods and services, with quality, environmental sensitivity, integration of knowledge and innovation.
• the promotion of the entrepreneurial "advantage" of the country's regions through targeted actions to support SMEs in these sectors and activities.

Objective of the action Support for Small and Medium Enterprises is the support of enterprises for the implementation of innovation-oriented investments, the environment and  information technologies and the direct stimulation of business in crisis conditions. In addition, this funding is aimed at and job creation, as the aid is also directed to start-ups.

Who it concerns

Within the framework of this Action Support to Small and Medium Enterprises the following are supported existing ones and new ones - under establishment enterprises operating in the assisted regions, categorised as follows:

• Existing enterprises: enterprises which, by 31.12.2011, have two or more closed financial years of at least 12 months' duration.
• New enterprises - enterprises in the process of being set up: enterprises which do not fall into the above category of existing enterprises.  It is clarified that for the purposes of this call, 'existing' enterprises abroad are understood as 'new start-up' enterprises.

Program budget

The budget for this programme is 456.0 million. euros and distributed to the thirteen (13) Regions of the country as follows:

• Eastern Macedonia-Thrace 22.500.000,00
• K. Macedonia 90.000.000,00
• ∆. Macedonia 22.500.000,00
• Epirus 22.500.000,00
• Sterea Greece 18.000.000.000,00
• Thessaly 22.500.000,00
• Ionia 22.500.000,00
• ∆. Greece 22.500.000,00
• Peloponnese 22.500.000,00
• Β. Aegean Sea 22.500.000,00
• S. Aegean Sea 15.000.000,00
• Crete 22.500.000,00
• Attica 130.500.000,00

Amount of subsidy

The eligible budget of each investment proposal of a potential beneficiary of aid may vary:

• from thirty thousand to three hundred thousand euros (30.000€ to 300.000€) for the Thematic Section "Manufacturing"
• from twenty thousand to three hundred thousand euros (20.000€ to 300.000€) for the Thematic Section "Tourism" and
• from twenty thousand to one hundred thousand euros (20.000€ to 100.000€) for the Thematic Section "Trade - Services".

Expenses subsidized

The following costs are subsidised:

• wildings, fakilites ed surudings
• Machinery – Equipment
• Environmental Protection and Energy Saving Equipment and Facilities
• Means of transport (professional use)
• ∆Know-how rights
• Certification of quality assurance systems
• Software
• Promotion
• Consulting services
• Operating costs only for start-up small businesses (25% of the eligible costs incurred in the first three years after setting up and 15% in the two subsequent years)

Important dates

The deadline for submitting proposals is 30.06.2015

Necessary supporting documents for submission

The necessary documents for the program for Existing Businesses are the following:

• A submission form signed by the company's Legal Representative and stamped with the company's stamp.
• Balance sheets - results for the financial year (for companies with a corresponding obligation to prepare), tax returns and detailed tax information for the calendar years (financial year) ending on 31/12/2009, 31/12/2010, 31/12/2011 (financial years 2010, 2011, 2012) for companies that have completed three years
• A copy of the last codified articles of association of the company or a copy of the last articles of association and amendments thereto for beneficiaries in the form of a company and a certificate of the competent authority on amendments to the articles of association.
• Certificate of commencement of operations and certificate of change of operations for all changes from the competent D.O.Y.
• A valid operating licence or an application for renewal submitted to the competent body or a certificate from the competent Chamber of Commerce in case no operating licence is required by law.
• Final Statement of Settlement of the amounts of tax, stamp duty and OGA contribution due on income from employment services (Form E7 and attached detailed statement), which is submitted once a year, for the calendar years (fiscal year), 2010, 2011.
• Declaration of Responsibility N. 1599/86 by the company's legal representative with a certified signature in accordance with the model in Annex XI of the Guide.
• Quotations / Quotations with detailed description of costs by item and cost breakdown per metric unit. Tenders must not have been issued before the date of the call for tenders.
  Program.
• Responsible Statement N. 1599/86 in accordance with the model of the declaration concerning the status of
  SMEs under EU Regulation 800/2008 (see Annex XII of the Guide for details.)
• Responsible Statement N. 1599/86 of subsidies received by the undertaking in the past (see
  detailed in Annex XII of the Guide)

The necessary documents for the New Businesses programme are as follows:

• Submission form signed by the Legal Representative of the company and stamped by the company (for new companies) or signed by the investing entity (for sub-constituted companies).
• A copy of the E1 of the most recent financial year submitted for each partner/shareholder separately or a solemn declaration by the partner/shareholder who does not have an E1 that he/she is not obliged to submit a tax return.
• If there are participating shareholders / beneficiaries who are already engaged in business activity, a solemn declaration of article 8 of Law 1599/86 with the authenticity of the signature
• A copy of the last codified articles of association of the company or a copy of the last articles of association and amendments thereto for beneficiaries in the form and a certificate from the relevant competent authority on amendments to the articles of association only for new companies.
• Certificate of commencement of business and certificate of change of business for all changes from
  the competent D.O.Y. only for new businesses.
• Certification of land use for the intended location of the establishment of the business being set up
• Operating licence in force or an application for renewal submitted to the competent body or a certificate from the competent Chamber of Commerce in the event that an operating licence is not required by law only for new premises
  businesses.
• Offers / Quotations with detailed description of costs by item and cost breakdown by metric
  Unit. Tenders must not have been issued before the date of the notice of invitation to tender.
  Program.
• Declaration of Responsibility N. 1599/86 by the legal representative of the company with the authentic signature
  in accordance with the model in Annex XII for new enterprises and for enterprises in the process of being set up
• Responsible Statement N. 1599/86 in accordance with the model of the declaration of SME status
  Regulation (EC) 800/2008 of the EU (see Annex XII of the Guide for details)
• Responsible Statement N. 1599/86 of subsidies received by the undertaking in the past (see
  detailed in Annex XII to the Guide), only for new enterprises.