Grants of €30,000-120,000 for micro-enterprises in the West Region, August-September 2023: fitness gyms, construction, video games, photography and other services

In the West development region, micro-enterprises in the services sector in the four counties will have access to EU funds worth 30,000-120,000 euro for investments. This funding opportunity will be available in a registration call window opening in August-September 2023, according to the draft consolidated guide published under the West Regional Programme. The West Regional Development Agency (ADR) has published the second version of the draft applicant's guide for regional intervention 1.3.A – Support for micro-enterprises, call for proposals no. PRV/1.3.A/2. The total budget allocated to this call is 10 million euro and is intended for micro-enterprises in the services sector in the counties of Timiș, Arad, Hunedoara and Caraș-Severin.

The new indicative timetable is as follows:

• The applicant's guide (second version) remains open for consultation until 06 June 2023, 12:00. Comments and proposals can be sent to the e-mail address: consultare@adrvest.ro.
• June 2023 – the final Guide will be published. Entrepreneurs will have two months to prepare their projects.
• August 2023 – September 2023 – the call window for submitting projects will take place in the MySMIS2021 electronic system. The submission period may be shortened if the call budget, including the over-contracting amount, is covered earlier.

Of the total budget of 10 million euro, non-refundable grants will be awarded as follows:

• 30,000 – 120,000 euro for micro-enterprises that recorded revenue under the CAEN codes for which they are requesting funding, representing at least 30% of the turnover recorded in the fiscal year preceding the submission of the funding application.
• 30,000 – 60,000 euro for micro-enterprises that recorded revenue under the CAEN codes for which they are requesting funding, representing less than 30% of the turnover recorded in the fiscal year preceding the submission of the funding application, or that recorded no revenue at all from the activities under the CAEN codes for which they are requesting funding, as this is a new activity for the company.

Beneficiaries must also provide their own co-financing for eligible costs in the following proportion:

• 24% in Timiș county
• 17% in Arad county
• 10% in Hunedoara and Caraș-Severin counties.

Eligible activities include:

• Purchase of tangible assets, including installations/equipment specifically for achieving energy savings, and intangible assets exclusively related to the operation of the fixed assets purchased.
• Activities to expand sales markets and the range of products and services offered, as well as participation in the main internationalisation channels and platforms, including marketing activities generated by the funded CAEN codes.
• Activities in the field of the circular economy or the development of new green supply chains.
• Construction/extension of multifunctional leisure and fitness infrastructure, for physical education and sport, including spa treatment infrastructure, exclusively in certified tourist resorts and exclusively for investments relating to the CAEN codes included in point B of Annex 19 – Eligible fields of activity to the applicant's guide.

The costs required in projects also include publicity, including “sending two press releases to the media for publication (local/regional/national print press, online publications, etc.)”.

The conditions for micro-enterprises in the West region are as follows:

• The applicant must be a company incorporated under Law no. 31/1990 or a cooperative society incorporated under Law no. 1/2005, or operate under OUG no. 6/2011.
• The applicant's registered office must be located in the West region, and the project implementation location must be in an urban area, including the villages belonging to the municipalities and towns of the West region, or in certified tourist resorts in urban or rural areas of the West region.
• The project implementation location must be in an urban area, including the villages belonging to the municipalities and towns of the West region, or in tourist resorts certified by law in the West region.
• The applicant, including associated enterprises, must qualify as a micro-enterprise under Law no. 346/2004 on stimulating the establishment and development of SMEs. Micro-enterprises are defined as enterprises with an average number of employees of fewer than 10 and with an annual net turnover or total assets of up to 2 million euro, equivalent in lei.
• The applicant must have been active for a period corresponding to one full fiscal year before submitting the funding application, that is, it must have been established no later than 31 December 2021, according to information taken from the National Trade Register Office.
• The applicant must have recorded operating profit in the fiscal year preceding the submission of the funding application, that is, in 2022 (operating profit > 0), according to the information in the annual financial statements filed with the Ministry of Finance.

The list of eligible fields is provided as an annex to the forthcoming Guide and includes almost 70 CAEN codes, among them:

• 4299 Construction of other civil engineering projects n.e.c.
• 4334 Painting and glazing
• 5821 Publishing of computer games
• 7420 Photographic activities
• 8622 Specialist medical practice activities
• 8623 Dental practice activities
• 9313 Fitness facilities
• 9511 Repair of computers and peripheral equipment
• 5510 Hotels and similar accommodation (in tourist resorts)