PoCIDIF 1.1.2: deadline extended to 16 November for €53.17 million in SME–research projects

The Ministry of Investments and European Projects has extended once again the deadline for the PoCIDIF calls "Support for innovative technological projects" (Action 1.1, Measure 1.1.2). Under MIPE Order no. 1582/14.10.2026, SMEs and public-law research organisations applying in partnership can submit their applications in MySMIS2021 until 16 November 2026, 17:00. The budget of the two calls is 53,174,731 euro.

The call opened on 29 May 2026 and was due to close on 31 August. This is the second extension: MIPE Order 1311/20.08.2026 had already moved the deadline to 16 October. The call is therefore open at the moment, even though some sources previously presented it as closed.

In brief

• Programme: Smart Growth, Digitalisation and Financial Instruments Programme (PoCIDIF) 2021–2027, Priority 1, Action 1.1, Measure 1.1.2 – Increasing public-private collaboration (research organisations and SMEs)
• Authority: PoCIDIF Managing Authority within the Ministry of Investments and European Projects
• Beneficiaries: SMEs and public-law research organisations, in partnership
• Total budget: 53,174,731 euro for the two calls (more developed regions and less developed regions)
• Submission period: 29 May 2026, 10:00 – 16 November 2026, 17:00
• Status: open, competitive calls with a submission deadline, submission exclusively in MySMIS2021/SMIS2021+

What changed under Order 1582/2026?

The Order, signed on 14 October 2026 by minister Dragoș-Nicolae Pîslaru, amends a single point of the applicant's guide: subsection 4.3.2, which sets the closing date and time of the calls. The new text states that projects can be submitted until 16 November 2026, 17:00. The amendment applies to both calls.

The other conditions in the guide are not changed by this order. The previous extension, under Order 1311/2026, had also clarified section 3.1. According to it, the application is submitted with all mandatory annexes through the MySMIS2021 application, and a withdrawn application can be resubmitted if it is still within the deadline.

Who can apply and in which region?

The call funds collaboration between the business sector and public research. SMEs and public-law research organisations can apply, only in partnership. There are two separate calls, depending on the place of implementation:

• Call 1 (code PCIDIF/946/PCIDIF_P1/OP1/RSO1.1/PCIDIF_A1): the more developed region (Bucharest-Ilfov);
• Call 2 (code PCIDIF/947/PCIDIF_P1/OP1/RSO1.1/PCIDIF_A1): the less developed regions.

The maximum value per project, aid intensities by type of activity, the mandatory composition of the partnership and the eligible costs are set out in the applicant's guide approved by MIPE Order 772/28.05.2026. Check them directly in the guide, in its updated version, before setting the project budget.

How do you submit the application?

1. Agree the partnership between the SME and the public-law research organisation, and who the leader is.
2. Check in the guide which call you fall under (MDR or LDR), depending on the place of implementation.
3. Prepare the application and the mandatory annexes, then complete them in MySMIS2021 (mysmis2021.gov.ro).
4. Submit the application before 16 November 2026, 17:00. The calls are competitive, so the score matters, not the order of submission.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation: the extra time helps above all companies that already had a partnership with a university or a national institute but had not managed to finalise the documentation. Three weeks is too little to start a research project from scratch with a new partner. The partnership agreement, the budget broken down by partner and the activity plan usually require several rounds of discussion with the institutional side.

The pitfalls we see most often in partnership projects are:

• partnerships that exist only on paper, in which the research organisation has no real, measurable activities;
• incorrect classification of activities (industrial research, experimental development, innovation), which changes the aid intensity;
• leaving the submission in MySMIS2021 to the last day, when the platform is congested.

If you are not sure that your company qualifies as an SME or that the project suits this call, start with the eligibility check. Our page on PoCIDIF – innovative technological projects summarises the programme.

Frequently asked questions

Until when can projects be submitted under PoCIDIF 1.1.2?

Under MIPE Order no. 1582/14.10.2026, projects can be submitted until 16 November 2026, 17:00, in both calls (the more developed region and the less developed regions).

Can a company apply on its own, without a research partner?

No. SMEs and public-law research organisations are eligible only in partnership. The exact conditions on the composition of the partnership are in the applicant's guide.

What is the call budget?

The total allocation for the two calls is 53,174,731 euro. The maximum value per project and the aid intensities are set out in the guide.

I withdrew an application submitted earlier. Can I submit it again?

Yes. The guide, as amended by Order 1311/2026, allows a withdrawn application to be resubmitted, provided it is submitted before the closing deadline.

Does the latest order change any other conditions?

No. Order 1582/2026 amends only subsection 4.3.2 of the guide, that is, the closing date and time of the calls.

Official sources

• MIPE – Applicant's guide "Support for innovative technological projects" (call page and documents)
• MIPE Order no. 1582/14.10.2026 amending the guide
• MIPE Order no. 1311/20.08.2026 amending the guide
• MIPE – PoCIDIF updates the applicant's guide (20 August 2026)
• EU Opportunities – launch of calls PCIDIF/946 and PCIDIF/947
• MySMIS2021 – the submission platform

Information checked on 26 October 2026. Conditions may be changed by the managing authority — check the guide in force before you submit.