Introduction

The “Internationalization of Small and Medium Enterprises” initiative, part of the 2021–2027 National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), is backed by a budget of 200.000.000€. Its primary objective is to strengthen the export potential of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This goal will be achieved through targeted support for investments in advanced technologies, which will enable SMEs to modernize their operations and increase their competitive edge. Additionally, the program aims to foster the development of new and improved products and services, thus enhancing the overall competitiveness of these businesses. A key component of the initiative is to increase the international presence of SMEs by facilitating their participation in trade fairs and exhibitions, both within the European Union and internationally, thereby expanding their global market reach.

Eligible Businesses & Participation Requirements

The “Internationalization of Small and Medium Enterprises” initiative will be available to existing medium-sized, small, and micro-enterprises, as defined by Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC. These businesses must be engaged in manufacturing and related services, as identified by the relevant business activity codes (NACE). A comprehensive list of eligible activity codes (NACE) will be provided in the full invitation for the action.

The key participation requirements for potentially eligible businesses are as follows:

• The investment must be exclusively made in one (1) regional category.
• The business must have at least two (2) full financial years completed prior to the electronic submission of the funding application.
• The business must primarily operate (based on the main NACE or the highest revenue-generating NACE) in one (1) eligible NACE code related to the products the business intends to promote via participation in trade fairs.
• The business must possess the eligible NACE code(s) for the investment outlined in this invitation prior to the electronic submission of the funding application.
• The business must already have export activity, with at least 2% of annual turnover originating from exports of products it produces/processes, or it must intend to develop export activities during the project’s implementation period.
• The business must have at least one (1) full-time equivalent employee (FTE) in the calendar year preceding the submission of the funding application. This will be confirmed based on the business’s declared data in the ERGANI system.
• The business must operate legally and not have started the investment plan before submitting the funding application.

Type and Amount of Support

The minimum budget for each investment project will be 80.000€

The total subsidized budget for the investment project cannot exceed the highest turnover achieved in one of the three (or fewer if the business has less than three) fiscal years preceding the submission of the funding application, with a maximum subsidy limit of 200.000€.

Amounts exceeding the maximum subsidy limit will be considered 100% private participation and will not be subsidized.

The support for the action will be provided based on Regulation (EU) 2023/2831 (De Minimis), and the subsidy rate will be 40%, with a 60% private contribution. This subsidy rate may increase up to 60% for businesses that achieve at least a 20% increase in exports. The increase in the subsidy will be calculated progressively, depending on the percentage increase in exports, reaching up to 20% for export activities above 8%. For businesses without export activity, the increase will apply to smaller export percentages.

Implementation Duration

The eligibility start date for expenses is set as the date of submission of the funding application. The maximum duration for the completion of the physical and financial aspects of the investment project cannot exceed twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance of the Inclusion Decision.

Eligible Expenses

Submission and Evaluation of Funding Applications

Funding applications must be submitted electronically, without the submission of physical documentation, via the Integrated Information System for Managing State Aid (iSAMIS).

The deadline and method of submission, the required supporting documents, the obligations of beneficiaries, and other implementation terms will be detailed in the Action’s Detailed Invitation.

During the review and evaluation of applications, cross-checks will be conducted through National Databases (IAPR, ERGANI) to verify the accuracy of the data provided in the applications and to prevent fraudulent activities that could harm the EU budget. The methodology applied for the evaluation of the action will be Comparative Evaluation. Initially, eligibility criteria will be checked, followed by scoring based on criteria that will be defined in the detailed invitation and its respective appendices.

Indicative criteria may include:

• The description, clarity, completeness, and sustainability of the investment plan
• Changes in turnover, sales of goods and services abroad, and operational profitability
• The level of existing international presence/experience
• The adequacy of corporate infrastructure and human resources to support international sales/activities
• The size of the proposed investment’s subsidized budget relative to the company’s turnover
• Securing Private Participation with a scoring of the availability of partners/shareholders’ funds
• The realism of the implementation timeline

Information – Publicity

The application submission period will be defined in the Ministerial Decision of the Detailed Invitation.

The Pre-Announcement clarifies that no legal obligation arises for the Government concerning the final Invitation of the Action. The terms, criteria, or details included in this document may be modified or revised when the final Invitation is issued. The Managing Authority of the “Competitiveness” Program reserves the absolute right to introduce changes or modifications to the terms included in this Pre-Announcement to better align with the needs and requirements of the Program.

For further details on this specific program, other available funding opportunities, or any support related to the planning and implementation of your investment projects, please do not hesitate to contact us at 231 0 552000 or 210 9580000, or via email at [email protected].