The conditions for participation in the new round of the program: Extroversion – Competitiveness of Businesses (II)
The conditions for joining the program, Extroversion – Competitiveness of Businesses (II), was announced by the Ministry of Development, which concerns existing very small, small and medium and large businesses in the manufacturing, construction, selected branches of trade and services.
The announcement of the program is expected in early July.
The co-financing rate reaches 55%. Businesses should operate continuously from 01-01-2012 and have closed at least one twelve-month full administrative year before the deadline for the submission of electronic applications.
The following are considered eligible for the Extroversion – Competitiveness program:
- corporate for-profit enterprises (Société Anonyme, Limited Liability Company, General Partnership, Limited Partnership, Private Capital Company),
- sole proprietorships and
- profit-making cooperatives.
Eligible are undertakings active in the sectors of Processing, construction and selected activities of Trade and Services. They are classified, either on the basis of their main or secondary active activity in one of the eligible sectors of the Program (see in the adjacent file the list of eligible sectors in Annex VI).
Please note: Under certain conditions, companies that were active in an ineligible CAR and wish to be active in an activity eligible for the program may also be eligible.
It is noted that they should keep B or C category books (haplographic and double-entry accounting system respectively, in accordance with the applicable KFAS), with an activity corresponding to at least one of the eligible on a case-by-case basis and by analogy as below are defined economic activity codes.
Budget for the Extroversion – Competitiveness program
The eligible investment budget ranges from €20,000.00 to €200,000.00 or €100,000 for specific sectors. The aid rates range from 30 to 55 % and are as follows:
In order to cover the private participation, the investors can use their own resources and/or a bank loan. The loan to be used can be supported by the NSRF financial tools. As e.g. providing a guarantee by ETEAN SA for obtaining an investment loan or receiving a letter of guarantee, providing business loans with low interest rates and favorable terms.
The duration of the implementation of the investments is fifteen months from the date of signing of the decision to integrate the enterprise with the possibility of a three-month extension under conditions.
The amount of the budget of the proposed investment project may not exceed 60% of the Average Turnover of the last three years of the enterprise or at least of the one twelve-month full fiscal year that is a formal condition of participation in this Program. The condition of the above percentage applies to proposals submitted, either in the framework of a cooperation or individually.
The total rate of equivalent Public Funding ( percentage subsidy ) is determined by the size of the business and whether or not partnerships are entered into and is structured as follows:
1) For individual Business Plans and for all categories of SMEs: 45% of the eligible budget for the whole Territory.
2) In the case of individual investment projects without partnerships, for all categories of small and medium-sized enterprises eligible commercial enterprises and for large enterprises: 35% of the eligible budget for the whole Territory in the case of commercial SMEs and 30% of the budget for the whole Territory for large enterprises.
3) All categories of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and in the context of concluding partnerships either with eligible commercial enterprises or with other small and medium-sized enterprises: 55% of the eligible budget for the whole Territory.
4) In the case of partnerships with large enterprises: 45% of the eligible budget for the whole Territory for large enterprises and 55% of the budget for the entire Territory for all categories of SMEs.
The eligible actions concern new products / services or in generates products / services in new markets and includes investments that fall under the following general categories of actions:
• Mechanical Equipment – Special Facilities
• Information technology / telecommunications activities
• Design, certification and compliance actions for products and packaging.
• Actions (except studies) for promotion in target markets.
• Technical and Advisory Support Actions.
• Actions (except studies) for the protection or acquisition and use of patents, intellectual property and transfer of know-how at European and international level.
• Actions for the development of specialized personnel and human resources.
• Other Actions (SMEs only)