Investments for SME development that support sustainable growth and job creation
Projects with non-refundable funding of less than 2 million euros in the counties of Gorj, Hunedoara, Dolj, Galați, Prahova and Mureș

Advisory guide – 27.04.2023

Main objective
Supporting environmentally sustainable economic diversification, in particular of the small and medium-sized productive entrepreneurial sector, including female entrepreneurship, with a view to increasing the competitiveness and capacity of affected local economies to generate sustainable, secure and high-quality jobs attractive salary.

The type of call
Competitive with submission deadline

Financial allocation
Indicative allocation (euro)

Gorj – EUR 78,890,069
Hunedoara – 77,203,398 EUR
Dolj – EUR 58,313,846
Galatians – EUR 36,110,480
Prahova – EUR 44,597,491
Mureș – EUR 35,798,928

Eligible beneficiaries 

• The applicant falls into the category of small or medium enterprises.
• SMEs established no later than December 31, 2021 and which did not have their activity temporarily suspended at any time in the current year of submitting the funding application and in the previous fiscal year (2022).
• The company recorded an operating profit in the fiscal year prior to the submission of the financing request (2022).
• Applicants who fall into the category are not eligible micro enterprises.

Non-refundable financial aid

Funding is granted in the form of non-reimbursable funding, which constitutes regional and de minimis state aid

• Minimum grant funding: EUR 200,000
• Maximum grant: EUR 1,999,999

Maximum intensity of aid granted

Eligibility criteria

• The financed manufacturing/service rendering unit must be located in the target area of the call. The area targeted by the appeal represents the administrative territory of Gorj, Hunedoara, Dolj, Galați, Prahova, Mureș counties.
• The investment area must be found in the Annex "List of eligible fields of activity” at the Applicant Guide.
• When submitting the funding request, the applicant must already have the project implementation site registered as main or secondary headquarters. By way of exception, in the case of a funding request that involves the establishment of a secondary headquarters as a result of the investment, the applicant will undertake to register the place of implementation as the main/secondary headquarters until the completion of the project implementation.
• The investment must contribute to achieving a just transition by creating and maintaining environmentally sustainable jobs, especially for people affected by the transition process to climate neutrality at the territorial level, as well as for those who fall into the category of disadvantaged workers, the extremely disadvantaged and disabled workers.
• Targeted individuals may be directly affected by the transition process through job loss, or may be indirectly affected by the transition due to inadequate or insufficiently suited skills to demand. In this sense, the beneficiary of the funding will have the obligation to consult the AJOFM in the recruitment process, in order to hire people affected by the transition process.
  • The newly created jobs must be maintained for a period of at least 3 years after the completion of the investment in the area covered by the call.
  • Depending on the amount of non-refundable funding requested, the minimum number of jobs that must be created will be determined.
• The project provides for measures in accordance with environmental protection requirements to promote sustainable development.
• The applicant has the financial capacity to ensure his own contribution to the eligible value of the project and the financing of the non-eligible expenses of the project, where applicable.

Types of eligible investments

Initial investments:

1. creating a new unit
2. expanding the capacity of an existing unit
3. diversifying a unit's output through products/services not previously manufactured/provided in the unit

a) Investments in tangible assets

• construction works, expansion of production/service provision spaces, including related general utilities (water supply, sewerage, natural gas supply, heat agent, electricity, PSI). The modernization works can be considered eligible only to the extent that they are related to the initial investment proposed by the project
• the purchase of technological equipment, machines, work installations, furniture, computer equipment, office equipment, of the nature of fixed means, except means of transport
• the purchase of specific installations/equipment in order to implement the measures related to the contribution to sustainable development scored in the technical and financial evaluation

b) Investments in intangible assets: patents, licenses, trademarks, computer programs, others similar rights and assets, used exclusively in the field of activity targeted by the project

The eligible value of intangible assets cannot exceed 5% of the eligible value of tangible assets that are the subject of the project

Important!

• Projects that include investments started (ie construction work has started or a firm order for goods has been given) before submitting the funding application.
• Investments consisting of simple replacement of some assets.
• Points are awarded for the creation of additional jobs to the minimum mandatory ones.
• Points will be lost if the location of the applicant's registered office not is in the target area of the call.