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Subventions from the EU – what’s in it for businesses?
Who can apply for funds from the Regional Operational Programme for 2014-2020, when, and what can the funds be spent on? Andrzej Najda, director of Najda Consulting answers this and a few other questions.
Andrzej Najda, director of Najda Consulting
/fot.: mab /
In 2015 firms from the West Pomeranian Province should consider filing their applications in the first round of competitions under the Regional Operational Programme for the West Pomeranian Province 2014-2020.
Who can apply?
In 2015, funds under the ROP 2014-2020 will be available mainly to SMBs whose projects are oriented towards:
• Innovation;
• R&D;
• Sustainable energy sources;
• Training and professional development services;
• Investments in the so-called Special Inclusion Zone.
Investment projects in other areas are eligible for loans with preferential interest rates and better terms.
What are the possibilities for large enterprises?
Under the new financial perspective, large enterprises can apply for funding of their R&D activity such as R&D cooperation or R&D infrastructure development, provided that their efforts yield tangible results affecting the SMB sector in the region. Large enterprises can also apply for support under the domestic Intelligent Development Scheme and obtain subsidies for their R&D work and for creating prototypes.
What competitions can businesses enter in Q3 2015?
Competitions to be launched in Q3 2015 (September) will focus on creating new jobs in the Special Inclusion Zone. An investment project applying for funding has to create a minimum of ten new full-time jobs.
Eligible projects include investments in buildings, structures, modern machines and equipment, manufacturing lines, intangible assets and implementation of new technological solutions resulting in construction/expansion of an enterprise, development of a new, much improved product or service or improvement in the production effectiveness of an enterprise, and creation of new jobs as a consequence.
The newly-created jobs will have to be available for at least four years. The subvention amount will depend on the actual number of new jobs offered:
• 10 jobs – PLN 2 m;
• Over 10 jobs – PLN 200 k for each new job.
The maximum subvention amount is PLN 10 m. The maximum share of EU subsidy in the eligible costs of a project:
• 45 percent for medium-sized enterprises;
• 55 percent for micro and small-sized enterprises.
The areas comprising the Special Inclusion Zone are marked in red on the map on page 25 of the publication.
Detailed information about the Zone, including the list of municipalities forming the Zone, is available on: http://bip.rbip.wzp.pl/sites/bip.wzp.pl/files/articles/delimitacjasswwramachrpowz.pdf
Other projects that qualify for funding include development of service for entrepreneurs and employees in accordance with the actual demand, and an improvement in the competitiveness and condition of West Pomeranian businesses giving them the possibility to choose development services from the offering of the Register of Development Services that best match their individual needs. Eligible services include:
• Training services;
• Professional development services, such as vocational qualification programmes or courses teaching trainees professional skills to enable them to obtain professional qualifications or expand their professional knowledge and skills;
• Other development services:
- Advisory services;
- Coaching;
- Mentoring;
- Postgraduate studies;
- Change implementation projects;
- Exams;
• E-learning services.
Support is available mainly to employees who are 50+, employees with low qualifications and high-growth businesses.
The maximum share of financing for a project is 85%.
What will happen in Q4 2015?
On account of limited cooperation between West Pomeranian businesses and R&D institutions, a new measure has been proposed, i.e. funding of R&D projects which aim to initiate cooperation between businesses and R&D units, which will enable businesses to buy R&D services from R&D units helping businesses to develop or test new or improved products/ services.
One enterprise can realise one or a few projects provided that the total value of funding is not greater than PLN 50 k, the maximum share being 85% of the project value.
In 2016, under Measure 1.4. Implementation of Results of R&D Work, micro, small and medium-sized businesses will be able to apply for financial aid for implementation of results of their R&D work, in particular under Measure 1.1 of the Regional Operational Programme for the West Pomeranian Province for 2014-2020.
Level of funding:
• 55 percent for micro and small-sized enterprises;
• 45 percent for medium-sized enterprises.
The maximum share of eligible costs of a project under this Measure is PLN 8 m.
In Q4 applications will be received for Measure Investments supporting development of regional and smart specialisations. The Measure is intended for micro, small and medium-sized businesses willing to develop regional or smart specialisations related to the West Pomeranian Province.
The Measure will support implementation of innovative products, processes and organisations in given specialisations or areas closely connected to these specialisations. In particular, support will focus on implementation of innovative technologies through investments in machines, equipment, manufacturing tools and intangible assets, which results in:
• Development of a new or much improved product/ service;
• Improvement in the manufacturing effectiveness of the enterprise;
• Material change in the manufacturing process.
The maximum share of EU subsidy in the eligible costs of a project:
• 45 percent for medium-sized enterprises;
• 55 percent for micro and small-sized enterprises.
The total value of eligible costs per project is PLN 8 m. Eligible entrants must conduct business activity in one of the following regional specialisation areas:
• Bio-economy;
• Maritime activity and logistics;
• Metal and machine industry;
• Next-generation services (rapidly growing ICT, IT, KPO and creative industries);
• Health and tourism services.
The Operational Programmes for 2014-2020 have resumed after a long time. The implementing institutions are now rolling out their programmes and it is high time businesses started preparing their applications for financial aid.
Recently, the implementing institutions have made a lot of changes to the programme documentation, some of which are not very clear, so please go to www.nowedotacjeunijne.eu for the latest updates on the changes made to programme documents.
Andrzej Najda, director of Najda Consulting
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