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EU Funds Minister stated on Thursday, at the SME Forum, that there is still money to be spent out of SOPHRD and SOPIEC. For this reason, new calls funding critical areas of the economy will be launched and “money will be used in areas where projects are carried out simply and in shorter period of time.”

An example of a call addressed to SMEs could be released in April aims the employment of students in the final year of university. The costs of students training and those related to their employment for one year will be paid from EU funds, employers having the obligation to keep the created job for six months, not necessarily the person.

Also, the EU Funds Minister mentioned that the EUFM targets to sign financing agreements of about 1.3 billion Euros for SOPIEC and SOPHRD projects until the end of April, which means that the evaluation period for projects submitted will have ended by then and the financing contracts will be signed.

VAPRO can assist you in developing a successful project.

To be in touch with the latest information on grants, please visit our website regularly www.vapro.ro .

The MA ROP approved the launch of a new call for projects within DMI 4.3 “Supporting the development of micro-enterprises”, in the North-East, South- Muntenia and North-West Regions.

 Eligible Applicants are microenterprises activating in urban area that:

• have at least one year of activity
• registered profit in the previous financial year

Value of the project between: 100.000 lei – 3.000.000 lei
Value of the grant: up to 200,000 Euro (100,000 Euro for companies in transportation area)
Financing percentage: up to 100 % of eligible expenses

 Eligible expenses:

• technological equipments: machines and work equipments
• measurement, control and adjustments equipments and systems
• industrial furniture, IT systems (hardware and / or software) and other tangible assets

Indicative budget for this call for projects is about 23 million Euro distributed as follows:

• 5.4 million Euro for the North East Region
• 13.5 million Euro for the South – Muntenia Region
• 3.9 million Euro for the North West Region

Applications for funding can be submitted between 20^th of March 2014-17^th of April 2014.

VAPRO can assist you in developing a successful project.
To be updated with the newest information on grants, please visit our website regularly www.vapro.ro.

We present you the opportunity of obtaining grants from the European Commission through Horizon 2020 Programme.

Horizon 2020 Programme finances projects that encourage the development of science and research infrastructure in Europe, offers support for  the development of key technologies (microelectronics, advanced processing), development of innovative SMEs, research and development in the societal challenges (climate, environment, energy, transportation).
The program is divided into three priorities that can be accessed by both SMEs and large companies.

• Excellent Science – 24.4 billion Euro
• Industrial Leadership – 17 billion Euro
• Societal Challenges – 29 billion Euro

At the moment there are various open calls that support innovative project ideas.
We can mention a few that might be of interest to SMEs: leadership in industrial technologies, ITC, nanotechnology, advanced materials, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing technologies and processing, space, health, demographic change, food security, sustainable development, agriculture and forests, research on eco- innovative food production and efficiency in terms of resource use, energy and more.
Usually, the funds can be accessed in two phases:

• phase 1 finances with up to 50,000 Euro the analysis of feasibility and economic viability of ideas / innovative projects.
• phase 2 finances the innovation project.

Funding percentage for programs targeting SMEs varies from one financing line to another and can represent from 70% to 100% of the eligible project costs.

Given the diversity of the areas funded under Horizon 2020, if you are interested in developing such a project and your idea is aligned to the objectives mentioned above, please contact us to analyze the possibility of financing your project.

VAPRO can assist you in developing a successful project.
To be in touch with the latest information on grants, please visit our website regularly www.vapro.ro.

On February 10th the Energy Efficiency Program for SMEs in the industry, funded by the EEA Mechanism was launched.

Measures financed under the program include :

• Improving energy efficiency in electric drive systems (transformers, compressors, motors) ;
• Improving energy efficiency in heating and cooling systems (heat pump use, modernization of industrial heating / cooling processes) ;
• Improving energy efficiency in complex systems (replacement of existing equipment with newer, more efficient appliances with high yields) ;
• Improving energy efficiency through modernization of production lines and equipments of technological installations.

Financing value : 200,000 Euro – 700,000 Euro.
Grant :

• Small enterprises: 70 %, and for projects implemented in Bucharest-Ilfov – 60% .
• Medium Enterprises: 60 %, and for projects implemented in Bucharest-Ilfov – 50%.

The first call for proposals will be launched by the end of February and will be open for a period of 2 months.
For more information and details about this funding opportunity, please contact us.

VAPRO can help you develop a successful project !

VAPRO Romania together TPA Horwath and NRCC are happy to invite you to very interesting event.

The Latest Fiscal News & EU funds 2014-2020 is a knowledge center that presents the fiscal amendments entered into force in 2014 and the EU Funds available starting this year. The event is scheduled on Thursday, 20 February 2014, starting 8:30 am, at Van Gogh Café. The number of participants is limited to 35 persons and confirmations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

More information can be found here: Latest Fiscal News & EU funds 2014-2020 or on the Chamber of Commerce web site: http://www.nrcc.ro/ .

Please confirm attendance as soon as possible but no later than 18 February 2014 at info@vapro.ro.

We announce you about the availability of financing lines, within the program financed by Island, Liechtenstein and Norway, through the SEE Financing Mechanism 2009-2014.

 1. “Synergies for the future” project calls addressed to children and youngsters (age between 16-29) who find themselves at risk, the program following to implement integrated measures for social inclusion.

Main characteristics:

• Total financial allocation of 12.764.705 Euros.
• Project value: between 200.000 and 600.000 Euros
• Grant value:  90% for NGO-s and 100% for public entities
• Project duration: between 10 and 22 months.

Among the eligible expenses that can be included in such a project there are: salaries and fees for the management and experts teams, costs of the equipment purchased for the project, costs with the depreciation of these equipments, costs with construction works, renovation or utilities branching works (investment expenses cannot exceed 50% of the project value), cost with transport and accommodation of experts and beneficiaries, promotion costs, experience exchange costs etc.

The deadline for submitting the projects is March 10th 2014.

2. „Preservation and Revitalization of Cultural and  Natural Heritage”

The program has two main components and targets the following outputs:

Component 1. Restoration, renovation and protection of cultural heritage: buildings of cultural heritage value restored or rehabilitated; objects of cultural heritage value restoration/ preservation; digitized archives and databases; creation/ development of new museums and cultural facilities.

Financial allocation: 9.097.474 Euro

Component 2: Development of local communities, ensuring economically sustainable livelihoods through the revitalization of cultural and natural heritage: creation and improvement of strategic documents (planning and integrated management)  related to  cultural heritage assets; natural heritage sites protection and revitalization; making cultural intangible heritage of ethnical and cultural minorities more accessible to the public.

Financial allocation: 723.530 Euro.

Main characteristics:

• Eligible applicants: public institutions; religious organizations; higher education and research institutions; NGO’s and other non-commercial  entities
• Grant value per project: between 200.000 Euro – 2.000.000 Euro.
• Grant percentage: 90% for NGO’s and 100% for public institutions.

Eligible expenses: management costs; consulting and specific support costs; specific costs of investment (engineering, designing, land preparation, utilities, building and installation, equipment, intangible assets, amortization; restoration costs, insurance costs, others), costs for outputs dissemination, indirect costs.

The deadline for submitting the projects: 7th of April 2014.

Vapro can assist you in developing a successful project!
In order to receive all of the latest news on non-reimbursable financing we invite you to visit our website constantly for updates www.vapro.ro

The department of SME’s, Business Environment and Tourism has announced the launch of minimis schema. The on-line document of registration, for the minimis schema as per GD 274/2013, can be filled in between 15.01.2014, 10 a.m.  – 24.01.2014, 8 p.m.

As per the official announcement, the date and time of the on-line registration do not influence the ranking order. Once it is submited the on line registration form can not be changed anymore. An applicant can send /register  the on-line form only once.

We remind you the main conditions for submitting a project:

• The non-reimbursable financing is 90% out of the elligible value of the project, but not more than 100.000 EUR (10% is the applicant contribution to the project)
• Project evaluation and financing approval will be made based on a ranking, that will be automatically calculated at the moment of the on-line submission of the project
• The ranking will be made based on 4 criteria: company size, sector of activity, number of new work places created, the location of the investment.

• The eligible costs are: acquisition or development of new constructions, technological equipment – machinery and equipment, equipment and systems of measurement, control and regulation, industrial vehicles (unregistered) to support enterprise activity, IT equipment.

For more details please contact us at info@vapro.ro.

VAPRO can assist you in developing a successful project!

The Draft Decision for amending the GD 274/2013 on de minimis aid for investments for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has been approved.

Some of the major changes proposed made by normative act are:

• de minimis aid is up to 100,000 Euro (representing 90% of the eligible project costs) and the company undertakes to create between 1 and 5 new work places;
• eligible applicants are only companies at least 1 year old;
• the CAEN code for which funding is requested must be registered in the applicant’s activity for at least 3 months prior to submitting the project;
• “first come, first served” criterion is no longer used and project evaluation will be done by an on-line application, based on clear and transparent criteria (company size – micro, small, medium, sector of activity, number of new work placed created, location of project implementation);
• additional points will be awarded to companies that will employ one 2013 university graduate;
• operational profit and net profit at 31.12.2013 will be used as  selection criteria between projects with similar score;
• micro-enterprises active in the production/ manufacturing sector and based in rural area will be favored

The opening of the financing line will be announced 5 days ahead and SMEs will have 10 days to submit the projects online.

Please find below the main features of projects financed within SOPHRD – KAY 6.1 “Developing social economy” as published in the Draft Guidelines.

The financed costs are for implementing the following type of activities:

• Information for the identification and selection of the target group
• Awareness campaigns and promotion for the integration of vulnerable people inside social economy structures
• Assessment and counseling dedicated to vulnerable people
• Training activities (authorized training), including ​​entrepreneurship and soft skills training, dedicated to both vulnerable people and those involved in the system (social workers, specialists, employees and volunteers in NGOs, etc.)
• Developing Social enterprises and providing further assistance in conducting their business.

The target group should include individuals from one or more of the following categories :

• People belonging to vulnerable groups (e.g. people with disabilities, people living in the MIG, women at risk, family members providing for their families with more than two dependent children, including single-parent families, people affected by the disease such as HIV, cancer, etc.);
• Social workers, personal assistants / community / foster family mediators / health, carers, staff of residential institutions and Specialists and trainers involved in the social economy
• Managers of social economy structures

Among the eligible applicants: NGOs, authorized training providers, career guidance and counseling providers, social services providers.

Please note that the maximum value of the projects is up to 500,000 euros (for grant projects) or up to 4 million euros (for strategic projects) and the financed grant value is up to 98%.

VAPRO can assist you in developing a successful project!

DG MASOPHRD published for public consultation up to September 8th, 2013 the Guidelines – specific conditions and the new budget template, for a new call for strategic and grant type projects for KAY 6.1: Development of social economy.

These documents can be viewed by accessing the link: www.fseromania.ro/index.php.   The financial allocation for this call is 200 million euro, of which 80 million euro available for grant projects and 120 million for the strategic type. The maximum value of the projects is up to 499,999 euro for grant type projects and up to 4,000,000 euro for strategic projects and the nonrefundable awarded value is up to 98%.

Within each type of project, out of the total budget, a part is financed under de minimis aid scheme. Therefore, up to 200,000 euros de minimis aid can be obtained for each social economy structure founded / developed within the project covering a list of necessary costs, such as they are presented in the guidelines.

One of the most important information that you have to be aware of is the requirement to create at least 2 social economy structures and 8 jobs – for grant projects and 12 social economy structures and at least 48 jobs – for strategic projects.

VAPRO can assist you in developing a successful project!