PR South-East STEP: €10 million for SMEs, project outlines 2–30 November

The South-East Regional Development Agency, the Managing Authority of the South-East Regional Programme 2021–2027, has launched the call for preselection of project outlines for Action 1.8 – Development of enterprises contributing to the objectives of the STEP platform. Micro-enterprises and SMEs in the counties of Brăila, Buzău, Constanța, Galați, Tulcea and Vrancea can submit project outlines between 2 and 30 November 2026, for an ERDF allocation of 10 million euro. This is only the first stage: full funding applications will be submitted in MySMIS2021 in a call estimated for the first quarter of 2027.

In brief

• Programme: South-East Regional Programme 2021–2027, Priority 1.A, Action 1.8 (STEP platform – Strategic Technologies for Europe)
• Authority: ADR South-East, Managing Authority of the PR South-East
• Beneficiaries: micro-enterprises and SMEs with their registered office or a secondary office in the South-East Region, with at least one fiscal year of activity
• Total budget: 10 million euro (ERDF)
• Value per project / intensity: not specified in the preselection announcement
• Submission period for outlines: 2–30 November 2026, by e-mail to fiseSTEP@adrse.ro
• Status: preselection call announced, opens on 2 November; the call for proposals in MySMIS2021 is estimated for the first quarter of 2027

Who can apply?

Micro-enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises established under Law No 31/1990 that meet two basic conditions, as set out in the announcement, can submit project outlines:

• they have their registered office or a secondary office in the South-East Region;
• they have been active for at least one fiscal year before submission.

The investment must be implemented in one of the six counties of the region: Brăila, Buzău, Constanța, Galați, Tulcea or Vrancea.

What types of projects are sought?

Action 1.8 funds investments that contribute to the objectives of the STEP platform, established by Regulation (EU) 2024/795. Projects must fall within one of the three strategic areas:

1. Digital technologies and deep-tech innovation – advanced digital technologies and solutions based on cutting-edge scientific or technological advances;
2. Clean and resource-efficient technologies;
3. Biotechnologies, including for critical medicines and their components, under the conditions detailed in the guide.

The minimum and maximum project value, the support intensity and the applicable state aid rule are not mentioned in the text of the announcement and will be set in the applicant's guide for the call for proposals in MySMIS2021.

How does pre-selection work?

Each applicant submits a single project outline, completed in the standard format in Annex 1 to the guide, to fiseSTEP@adrse.ro, between 2 and 30 November 2026.

The outlines are assessed against a preselection grid which looks at, among other things, according to the announcement:

• the technological relevance and critical nature of the investment;
• the contribution to the STEP objectives;
• the maturity of the technology;
• the applicant's capacity to implement the investment;
• where applicable, the skills development component.

Preselection ends with the granting or rejection of the STEP technical substantiation opinion; projects that obtain the opinion are included in the list of preselected projects. Technical assistance is provided by JASPERS, through the Country Work Programme 2025–2027. Only after this list is published does the call proper follow, with funding applications submitted in MySMIS2021, estimated for the first quarter of 2027.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation: preselection is a short stage, but it decides who gets to the call for proposals. With 10 million euro for an entire region, the number of funded projects will probably be small, and the outline must show convincingly why the investment involves a strategic technology and not a simple upgrade.

• STEP fit is the main test. An ordinary production line or standard equipment will struggle to pass the technological relevance criterion. Describe the technology concretely, what makes it advanced or clean, and which European value chain it supports.
• Technology maturity must be demonstrated. Prepare evidence: test results, prototypes, patents, licences, contracts with technology suppliers.
• Do not overlook the skills component. It is a criterion in the grid, applicable where relevant; a training plan or a plan to hire qualified staff can make the difference.
• Check your track record and office location now. The company must have at least one completed fiscal year and an office (registered or secondary) in the region; a working point registered in a hurry can cause problems at verification.
• Budget provisionally. The value thresholds and intensity have not yet been published, so estimate the investment realistically and be prepared to adjust it to the final guide.

If you are not sure your project fits, you can start with the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

Can I submit the funding application in MySMIS2021 now?

No. For now, only project outlines are submitted by e-mail, between 2 and 30 November 2026. Funding applications in MySMIS2021 can be submitted in the call proper, estimated for the first quarter of 2027, by the preselected applicants.

How much money can I receive per project?

The preselection announcement does not specify the minimum or maximum value per project, nor the support intensity. Only the total allocation is known: 10 million euro from the ERDF. These details will be set in the applicant's guide for the call for proposals.

Can a company from Bucharest with a working point in Constanța apply?

The condition in the announcement is that the company has its registered office or a secondary office in the South-East Region, and that the investment is implemented in one of the six counties of the region. A secondary office registered in Constanța meets the territorial criterion, provided the other conditions in the guide are also met.

How many outlines can a company submit?

The announcement states that the applicant submits a single project outline, in the standard format in Annex 1 to the guide.

What happens if my outline is not preselected?

According to the announcement, only projects that obtain the STEP technical substantiation opinion are included in the list of preselected projects, and the call for proposals is linked to this list. For this reason, the quality of the outline matters greatly.

Official sources

• ADR South-East – Action 1.8 STEP, preselection call announcement (14 October 2026)
• MIPE, EU Opportunities – AM PR SE launches the call for preselection of project outlines, Action 1.8
• Guide for STEP project outlines, Action 1.8, with annexes (archive)

Information checked on 15 October 2026. Conditions may be changed by the managing authority — check the guide in force before you submit.