Last update: 16/4/2013

The NSRF program of the Ministry of Development is entering the final stretch through which business and professional sectors of manufacturing, trade and services are subsidized.

Beneficiaries have almost a month to submit their proposals, and to be precise, until May 10.

The aid rates range from 40% to 60% and the range of investment proposals that new and existing businesses can submit and succeed in this financing is for all three categories from 20,000 to 300,000 euros.

In the manufacturing sector, the following are granted:
•Construction trades, such as metal door and window makers, electricians, plumbers, refrigeration, carpenters, those who install tiles on floors and walls as well as glazing, but also those who apply mortar (plasterers) as well as roofers.

•Small food production units such as bakery, production of fresh confectionery, nuts and biscuits, pasta, lasagna, couscous and similar flour products, chocolate and confectionery, ready meals and snacks.

•Clothing and footwear manufacturing industries.

•Manufacturing industries of metal products, such as tanks, tanks and containers, cutlery, locks and hinges, tools, steel barrels and similar containers, wire articles, chains and springs.

•Machinery and equipment manufacturing industries such as ovens, furnaces, desks, power hand tools, non-domestic refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, bicycles.

•Furniture makers.

•Jewelry and watch manufacturers.

In the manufacturing sector, the range of the subsidized budget of the proposals is from 30,000 to 300,000 euros.

Support opportunities are also presented by specific business and professional activities in the trade and service sectors. There the amount of the subsidized budget of the investment proposals is from 20,000 to 100,000 euros.

Through the actions of the specific branches, professional activities are strengthened in order to set up their own business, as well as those who have businesses.

This is how they are financed:

•Activities of architects, such as services of architectural studies for the preservation of traditional buildings, preparation of spatial development studies and programs, studies of the environmental effects of urban planning intervention, studies of coordinated urban development, services of urban planning and zoning studies, spatial planning and regulatory studies, special architectural studies, preparation of studies of phytotechnical environmental shaping green space and works and services of design and supervision of green spaces, pavements, sidewalks, fences and parking areas.

•Engineering activities and related activities of providing technical advice, such as services for the preparation of environmental impact studies of technical projects, feasibility studies of technical projects, services of economic and technical studies, services of providing scientific technical advice, expert opinions for real estate and technical projects, statics, studies of large or special technical projects, electrical design services for buildings, mechanical design for buildings, technical design services for fire extinguishing systems, etc.

•Car repair shops, namely maintenance and repair of motor vehicles.

•Designers, such as decorators, aesthetic product design, furniture, packaging, textile, jewelry and model designers.

•Advertising designers, billboard and sign manufacturing services.

• Foreign language tutoring and online education services.

•Wholesale of food.

•Wholesale of machinery and industrial products.

The eligible expenses of the program

Eligible expenditure for the manufacturing, trade and services sectors, among others, are:

1 Buildings, facilities and surrounding area. The maximum eligible percentage of the grant budget for this expenditure is 60%.
•Building works for shaping spaces.
• Interventions to improve, upgrade and shape the environment
• Constructions, configurations, extensions, arrangements of the building facilities which aim to facilitate the accessibility of the disabled.
•Licensing costs and supervision costs are not included.

2 Machinery – Equipment. The maximum eligible percentage of the budget is 100%.
•Supply - transport - installation of new modern machines and other equipment that serve the production, storage, distribution of the products and the operation of the business (including the administration areas)
•Supply of means of transport for handling products and raw materials within the production area
• Supply - transport - installation of new modern office machines, telecommunications equipment and upgrading of existing telecommunications systems, call centers, etc.
•Supply – transport – installation of new modern machines and other IT equipment, e.g. computers, computerization, and electronic networking equipment, etc.
•Supply – transportation – installation of new modern automation systems, automated product transfer systems, office machines, telecommunications equipment and upgrading of existing telecommunications systems, call centers

3 Means of transport. The maximum amount in the manufacturing sector that can be granted is 15,000 euros, and in trade and services 10,000 euros.
•Supply of new and unused motor vehicles for professional use only.

4 Software and software services. The maximum eligible amount on the budget is 30,000 euros in the manufacturing sector and 10,000 euros in trade and services.
•Cost of software licenses or service contract for up to one year from the time of supply. .
•Cost of training in systems / applications that will be procured by the company in the context of this action.

5 Environmental protection and energy saving equipment and facilities. The maximum subsidy rate is 100%.
•Building works, electromechanical and special installations directly connected either to energy saving.
•Purchase - transportation - installation of equipment and systems for environmental protection, such as installation of a RES system.

6 Projection – promotion. The maximum eligible amount in the subsidized budget is 20,000 euros. Costs of participation in international and professional exhibitions, costs for design and production of printed information material, construction of a website (up to 5,000 euros) and advertising registration costs are financed.

Method of financing

The public funding allocated to the beneficiaries is paid by the EFEPAE. The time of payment of the public subsidy is affected by the immediate availability or non-availability of the corresponding credits.

There are three payment methods:

1. Advance payment (potential): After the signing of the integration decision, it is possible to grant an advance payment, up to 100% of the public grant, provided that the beneficiary provides an advance guarantee letter of the same amount from an institution recognized for this purpose, which is issued in favor of the EFEPAE with a period of validity at least until the project is received.

2. Interim payments: They are made after submission of a relevant Request for Verification - Certification by the beneficiary and certification of a physical and financial object, where the amount of the eligible costs of the project up to the time of the submission of the Request is determined, and the corresponding public funding. The beneficiary is paid up to 80% of the approved public funding.

3. Repayment: It is made after verification of the completion of the project.

Upon receipt of the project, the amount of its eligible costs, the date of its completion, its accounting settlement is carried out and any public funding due is paid to the beneficiary.

The deadline for completing the financed investments cannot exceed 15 months from the date of issuance of the Inclusion Decision for the "Processing" Thematic Sections and 12 months from the date of issuance of the Inclusion Decision for the "Trade - Services" Thematic Section.

There is the possibility of a three-month extension, which will be granted at the request of the beneficiary of the aid. The above extension cannot be approved if the implementation of the investment plan exceeds 30/06/2015 and must be adjusted accordingly.

Submission of applications
How the proposal is submitted

The investment proposal is submitted with the "Submission Form", which is generated during the electronic submission process by the State Aid Information System provided by the Department of Development.

The electronic submission process is mandatory and proposals are submitted via the website: www.ependyseis.gr. No proposals will be accepted after the deadline for electronic submission of proposals.

The proposals that will be evaluated will be those that have been submitted electronically and for which the physical file has been sent to the submission sites on time. The physical file is submitted at the point indicated by the investor in his electronic submission. After the submission of the proposals, the evaluation process of the proposals follows with the responsibility of the EYD EPAE, the participation of the regions and the support of the EFEPAE. The evaluation takes place in two stages:

1. In the first stage, the EFEPAE checks formal conditions and supporting documents for the participation of the proposals in accordance with what is detailed in Appendix XIII.

2. In the second stage, proposals are evaluated based on the following criteria:
•Technical state of business
• Business financial situation
• Investment plan status
• Impact of the investment project on society and the economy