EU funds 27 September 2026 6 min read

PPE 2026: ARICE pays in full for your fair stand, last deadline 29 September

Under the Export Promotion Programme, ARICE covers 100% of the stand and of exhibit transport at trade fairs abroad. For 2026, Gitex Global Dubai remains, with a deadline calculated as 29 September.

Todos & Company editorial team · EU funding consultancy since 2006

PPE 2026: ARICE pays in full for your fair stand, last deadline 29 September

Programme sheet · Call window closed Export Promotion Programme (PPE) — international trade fairs and economic missions, ARICE

Romanian companies that want to sell abroad can take part in international trade fairs and economic missions through the Export Promotion Programme (PPE), administered by ARICE. The state pays in full for the rental and fit-out of the stand and for the transport of exhibits, plus half of the transport, accommodation and medical insurance costs for one representative. Mind the calendar: the complete application must be submitted at least 70 days before the event. For the last trade fair on the 2026 list, Gitex Global Dubai (8–11 December), the deadline resulting from this rule is 29 September 2026. ARICE has not specified a cut-off time.

In brief

Programme: Export Promotion Programme 2026 (PPE) – international trade fairs and economic missions abroad
Authority: Romanian Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade (ARICE), Export Promotion Directorate
Beneficiaries: economic operators registered for tax purposes in Romania with export activity; they do not have to be members of any professional association
Total budget: 150,000 thousand lei for 2026 under the de minimis scheme for trade fairs, and 20,000 thousand lei for economic missions (ARICE Order no. 127/2024)
Value per project / intensity: 100% for exhibition space, stand, transport of exhibits and promotional materials; 50% of transport, accommodation and medical insurance for one participant; the de minimis ceiling is 300,000 euro over three years
Submission period: online applications on arice.ro from 23 July 2026, at least 70 days before the start of each event
Status: open only for the last events of 2026; for Gitex Global Dubai the calculated deadline is 29 September 2026

What does the state cover at an international trade fair?

The support is granted as de minimis aid, under ARICE Order no. 127/2024. The scheme applies until 31 December 2027. For each exhibitor, the programme budget covers:

100% of the rental, construction or fit-out of the exhibition space and the stand;
100% of the transport, insurance and handling of exhibits, samples and advertising materials;
100% of the presentation and promotional materials and of the representation and protocol costs provided for in the order;
50% of the external transport, accommodation and medical insurance for one participant from each exhibitor.

The company pays the remaining travel costs. A company may take part with state support in no more than four trade fairs a year. All de minimis aid a company receives from state sources may not exceed 300,000 euro in total over the last three years.

Who can apply?

Companies established under Romanian law that have export in their business purpose and promote their own high-quality, high-value-added products or services can apply. The company must not have debts to the state budget or the local budget. It also cannot be insolvent, in difficulty or subject to a state aid recovery decision. ARICE specifies that membership of a non-governmental organisation is not required for registration, even though each action in the programme is coordinated by a sector association structure.

How and by when do you apply?

From 23 July 2026, applications are made only through the arice.ro platform. The files then go to the Export Promotion Directorate, which reviews them. The complete application must be submitted at least 70 days before the start of the action. Order 127/2024 requires, among other things:

the declaration on de minimis aid received;
the tax clearance certificates from ANAF (National Agency for Fiscal Administration) and from the local authority;
the certificate of good standing from the trade register;
proof of payment of the 2,000 lei bank guarantee, in the case of trade fairs;
documents proving product quality, the declaration on quality and added value, and the list of products or services for export.

Selection takes into account the order of registration and the number of previous participations, and first-time participants have priority. Places are limited by the space obtained from the foreign organisers. On the programme page, ARICE also states that public procurement procedures begin after the budget appropriations are allocated.

Which actions remain in 2026?

The August 2026 list of trade fairs includes 80 events. Of these, only Gitex Global Dubai (8–11 December, coordinated by ARIES) still meets the 70-day rule, with the resulting deadline on 29 September. For Industrial Transformation Riyadh (30 November–2 December), the deadline has already passed. In the list of economic missions, the Dubai mission (ARCF) appears only with the month, December, without exact dates. If you are interested in this mission, ask for confirmation of the deadline at promovare.export@arice.gov.ro.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation: if you work in IT or technology and are ready for Dubai, check today that your tax certificates are valid. Then pay the guarantee and submit the application on arice.ro by 29 September. If you are missing documents, it is more realistic to prepare for 2027. For 2027 the de minimis scheme has a budget of 180,000 thousand lei for trade fairs, but the list of PPE 2027 actions has not yet been published.

For the next cycle, we recommend that you:

choose two or three trade fairs relevant to your sector well in advance, using the 2026 list (many recur annually), and contact the association structure that coordinates them;
keep a record of the de minimis aid received over the last three years, because the 300,000 euro ceiling also includes other schemes;
prepare the quality evidence (certifications, technical data sheets) and the export product list before applications open;
after the event, submit the effectiveness form within 6 months. Otherwise, the company is excluded from future selections.

If you want to know which other funding options suit your expansion plan, take the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to be a member of an association to attend a trade fair through the PPE?

No. ARICE states explicitly that membership of a non-governmental organisation is not required to register for and take part in trade fairs or economic missions, even though each action has a coordinating association structure.

Does the state also pay for the plane ticket?

Partly. Under Order 127/2024, the programme covers 50% of the external transport, accommodation and medical insurance for a single participant from each exhibitor. The company pays the rest, as well as the costs of any other delegates.

What is the registration deadline for a trade fair?

There is no single deadline. The complete application must be submitted on arice.ro at least 70 days before the start of each action. For Gitex Global Dubai (8–11 December 2026), the resulting deadline is 29 September 2026.

How many trade fairs can I attend in a year?

No more than four international trade fairs and exhibitions a year with support from the state budget, within the de minimis ceiling of 300,000 euro over three years.

Has the 2027 programme been announced?

Not yet. The de minimis scheme is valid until 31 December 2027 and has a budget for 2027, but ARICE has not published the list of trade fairs and missions for 2027.

Official sources

Information checked on 26 September 2026. The conditions may be changed by the managing authority – check the applicant's guide in force before submitting.