VAPRO

Starting with 27^th of July 2016 micro-enterprises from urban areas can submit projects under the call for investments for the development of micro-enterprises (2.1 A) through the Regional Operational Programme (ROP).

Eligible beneficiaries:  micro-enterprises (under 9 employees and up to 2 million euro turnover/total assets), with at least 1 year of activity.
Investments in the Bucharest – Ilfov and ITI Danube Delta development regions are NOT eligible.

Eligible investments:

• Construction, extension, modernization of the production/ services areas;
• Acquisition of tangible and intangible assets (equipment, devices, tools), including e-commerce tools.

Minimum eligible value of the project:  25.000 euro;

Grant: maximum 200.000 euro;

Grant financing percentage: maximum 90% from the eligible costs of the project.

Also, the Ministry of Public Finance announced the opening of a new submission session to support investments promoting jobs creation (based on G.D No. 332/2014), which will take place on 8-22 August 2016.

Eligible beneficiaries: Newly established enterprises (the subscribed capital should be minimum 30.000 lei), SMEs, Large companies;

Eligible expenditure: The total salary costs with new work places created as a result of an initial investment for a period of 2 consecutive years.

Budget of the current session: 113 million lei.

Grant financing percentage:

• up to 15 % in the Bucharest region;
• up to 35 % in the West and Ilfov regions;
• up to 50 % in the rest of the regions (North-West, North-East Center, South-West, South, South-East);

The Ministry of European Funds launched under public consultation the Applicant Guidelines – Specific Conditions: “Romania Start-up Plus”, related to the Specific Objective 3.7 within POCU 2014-2020.

Projects aim at encouraging entrepreneurship and self-employment through supporting the establishment of enterprises with non-agricultural profile in urban areas.

The project beneficiary shall ensure to the target group:

• Entrepreneurship education courses;
• Advice on implementing the business plan;
• A mentoring and business development program;
• A micro-grant of maximum 40.000 euro / business plan;

Maximum project value: 5.000.000 euro.

Non-reimbursable financing: up to 100%.

Eligible applicants/partners:

• Public and private training providers;
• Trade unions and employers;
• Members of Sectoral Committees and legal Sectoral Committees;
• Authorities of local government (administrative units);
• Professional Associations;
• Chambers of commerce and industry;
• NGOs;
• Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business Environment and subordinated/ coordinated: institutions / agencies / organizations;

Target group:

• Individuals who intend to establish a business (eg. unemployed / inactive / people who have a job and intend to set up a business in order to create new jobs)

The guideline is under public consultation until 25^th July, 2016. More information here.

The updated version of the estimative calendar of launches within the Human Capital Operational Programme has been published. Differently than the previous versions, the current calendar presents the period for publication for consultations, not the launching date.

The calendar was presented last week during POCU Monitoring Committee.

Thereby, the related specific guidelines for the main types of projects, are expected to be launched for public consultation on the next dates:

• Axis 1 and 2 – Employment and training projects for young NEETs – June/July;
• 3.1 & 3.5 – Employment and training for unemployed people, especially the ones with disabilities – July;
• 3.8 & 3.9 – Projects for human resources management (August) and outplacement (October);
• 3.12 – Training of own staff – July/August;
• 4.4 – Measures for people from vulnerable groups (people in prisons and former prisoners) – August;
• 4.8 – Training of medical staff from medical priority sectors – June;
• 4.9 – Prenatal screening programs (August), mother and child screening programs (August) and cancer screening programs (July);
• 6.2 – Measures for increasing preschool participation – June/July;
• 6.3 – Activities for school students aiming at reducing early school leaving phenomenon, training for teachers from non-university education (6.6), including the diversification of educational offers (6.5) – July;
• 6.7 – Measures for students (scholarships etc), including training for teachers (6.9) and diversification of educational offers (6.10) – July;
• 6.12 – Providing of training programs – September;
• 6.13 & 6.14 – Internship and apprenticeship programs – during 2016;

The calendar has been published by www.fonduri-structurale.ro.

We also mention that projects financed within POCA, where NGOs can propose alternatives to public policies, are expected to be launched in July.

The consultative version of the Applicant Guideline for increasing the coverage of social services – vulnerable group: elderly over 65 years old (Specific Objective 8.3) within the Regional Operational Program (ROP) 2014-2020 was published.

Eligible beneficiaries are:

1.Administrative Territorial Units, other entities of public law;
2.Entities of private law:

• associations and foundations, including subsidiaries of international associations and foundations recognized in accordance with Romanian law;
• cult units / structures of denominations belonging to religious cults, including foundations and associations constituted by cults;

3.Partnerships between any of the entities mentioned above.

The Beneficiary or one of the partners must be accredited provider of social services and have at least 1 year of activity at the date of submission of the application.

Types of investments: 

• rehabilitation / modernization / expansion / endowment of infrastructure of existing social center without residential component;
• rehabilitation / modernization / expansion / endowment of infrastructure for the establishment of new social centers without residential component;
• ensuring / modernization of general and specific utilities for the infrastructure of social services without residential component;
• creation / modernization of facilities for physical access for people with disabilities;
• arranging of workshops in social centers without residential component;
• facilities adapted to the needs of beneficiaries of services provided by the social infrastructure without residential component, including equipment for people with disabilities;

*Projects can be implemented in all development regions except Bucharest – Ilfov region.

Eligible value of the project: vary according to the project objective between 50.000 euro and 850.000 euro.
Grant financing percentage: 98% from the eligible costs.

Observations or comments can be submitted until 6 July 2016 (16:00) at the email address: info@mdrap.ro.