- Grants worth 20% of the loss suffered during the pandemic
- Through the implementation of the scheme, it is estimated that state aid will be granted to a maximum number of 74.000 beneficiaries
- The HoReCa scheme runs until December 31, 2021, and aid payments will be made by June 30, 2022 at the latest, within the limits of budget credits
In the Official Gazette no. 594 of June 14, 2021, Order no. 991/2021 of the Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism for the approval of the Procedure for implementing the state aid scheme provided for by Government Emergency Ordinance no. 224/2020 regarding some measures for providing financial support for businesses in the field of tourism, public catering and event organization, whose activity has been affected in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through this Scheme, grants are awarded in the amount of a maximum of 20% of the calculation base, resulting from the activities related to specific CAEN codes, in 2020 compared to 2019.
The state aid scheme for HORECA applies in all eight development regions
The procedure - provided in the Annex to Order 991/2021 of MEAT, published in the Official Gazette no. 594Bis of June 14, 2021 – details the implementation of the scheme (the document can be found HERE).
The granting of state aid will be done only in compliance with the criteria regarding state aid provided by the Temporary Framework for state aid measures to support the economy in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic with subsequent amendments and additions. The scheme applies throughout Romania, in all eight development regions.
When and how payments are made
The budget of the scheme is estimated at 500 million euros, equivalent in lei. The budget allocated for the 2021 budget year is 2,5 billion lei in commitment credits. The scheme runs until December 31, 2021, with the payment of the corresponding amounts to be made by June 30, 2022 at the latest, within the limits of budget credits. If the total value of the approved financing requests exceeds the value of the commitment or budget credits allocated for this purpose, the commitment, respectively the payment to the beneficiary, will be made proportionally, by relating the amount approved for each beneficiary to the total amount of the approved financing requests.
Through the implementation of the scheme, it is estimated that state aid will be granted to a maximum number of 74.000 beneficiaries
Who are the beneficiaries?
"Beneficiaries of state aid are: tourist reception structures with classified accommodation functions, catering structures, registered for tax purposes on the territory of Romania, licensed travel agencies, certified tour guides and event organizers, who operate on the territory Romania and which receive state aid, according to this scheme, owned by or organized as enterprises established on the basis of Companies Law no. 31/1990, republished, with subsequent amendments and additions, of Law no. 1/2005 regarding the organization and operation of the cooperation, republished, with subsequent amendments, of GEO no. 6/2011 for the stimulation of the establishment and development of micro-enterprises by entrepreneurs starting out in business, approved with amendments by Law no. 301/2011, with subsequent amendments and additions, of GEO no. 44/2008 regarding the conduct of economic activities by authorized natural persons, individual businesses and family businesses, approved with amendments and additions by Law no. 182/2016", is specified in the published document.
Beneficiaries eligible for HoReCa aid - CAEN codes
Grants are granted on the basis of a financing contract concluded with the following categories of beneficiaries: enterprises carrying out activities authorized by travel agencies according to CAEN Rev 2 codes 7911, 7912, 7990, enterprises carrying out activities authorized by tourist reception structures with accommodation functions according to CAEN Rev 2 codes 5510, 5520, 5530, 5590, enterprises carrying out authorized activities of food structures/units, according to CAEN Rev 2 codes 5610, 5621, 5629, 5630, enterprises carrying out authorized activities of organizing events according to CAEN code Rev 2 8230, as well as enterprises that carry out authorized activities as tourist guides according to CAEN code Rev 2 7990, enterprises that are registered/registered for tax purposes on the territory of Romania.
Conditions for activities eligible for grants
Activities are eligible if they are carried out on the basis of tourism licenses issued by the central public authority responsible for tourism for travel agencies, classification certificates issued by the central public authority responsible for tourism for accommodation structures, operating permits issued by the authorities local public or classification certificates issued by the central public authority responsible in the field of tourism for public catering structures/units, authorizations issued by sanitary-veterinary departments for mobile public catering units, ascertaining certificates issued by the National Trade Registry Office for event organizers or tourist guide certificates issued by the central public authority responsible in the field of tourism.
Other conditions
If an enterprise has more than one workplace (accommodation structures/food establishments/travel agencies), the classification certificates/authorizations/licenses for each workplace will be checked/uploaded. The CAEN Rev 2 code(s) for which the applicant requests funding must have been authorized for the period related to the calculation base under this Scheme, and in this sense the applicant will upload the ascertaining certificate with history in the IT application.
The Ministry of Economy is to announce the registration period
Furthermore, the Ministry of Economy must announce the enrollment period. Applicants have the obligation to follow the information related to the scheme posted on the MEAT website throughout the implementation period (registration, verification, clarifications, signing the contract, making payments, monitoring), as well as in the account created upon registration.
Enrollment in the Scheme, creating a profile, user, password and completing the application form in order to obtain financing will be done online, "using the link http://www.granturi.imm.gov.ro", according to the official procedure (attention: at this point in fact the link can be accessed without www. – here. It is about the old SME grants portal, opened last year: https://granturi.imm.gov.ro/auth/login).
On June 29, registration in the state aid scheme for HORECA companies affected by COVID was launched. Here you find all the details
Registrations will be made in two distinct stages
Enrollment in the Scheme will take place in two distinct stages:
• Stage 1 to create a profile, user and password, where applicants will register with an electronic signature both the data of the legal representative/authorized person and the data of the eligible company. Beneficiaries who already have profiles created for the COVID-19 aid based on GEO no. 130/2020 will be able to use that profile within the HoReCa scheme.
• Stage 2 of registration within the Scheme, in which the applicants, with profile, user and password generated in the first stage, will complete the electronic registration form. Also at this stage, the beneficiaries will upload the extrajudicial accounting expertise report, signed electronically by the accounting expert, or the audit (insurance) report, signed electronically by the financial auditor.
Mandatory activity maintenance period
According to the law, beneficiaries of the state aid scheme have the obligation to maintain the activity for which they obtained funding for at least 6 months or 12 months from the date of the first payment, if the amount of the grant is greater than the equivalent in lei of the sum of 200.000 euros , if no restrictions are established by normative acts to impose the suspension or interruption of commercial activity. The period of suspension or interruption of commercial activity is not taken into account when determining the term of 6 months, respectively 12 months from the date of the first payment.
Beneficiaries must make reports to access aid
The Ministry of Economy has announced that applicants must certify their calculation basis for aid with an accountant or a financial auditor. According to the Emergency Ordinance no. 224/2020, the basis for calculating the aid will have to be certified and assumed by an accounting expert or an accounting expertise company, members of CECCAR, selected and remunerated by the applicant. At your choice, the calculation base can be certified by a financial auditor or an audit firm, members of the Romanian Chamber of Financial Auditors, selected and remunerated by the applicant.
Under these conditions, the Ministry of Economy appeals to the potential beneficiaries to prepare in time the accounting expertise report, drawn up according to CECCAR regulations - Professional Standard no. 35 "Accounting expertise" or, as the case may be, of the audit report, drawn up according to ISRS 4400 "Engagements based on agreed procedures".
