• The Just Transition Program 2021 – 2027 will support the small and medium productive entrepreneurial sector, to increase the competitiveness and capacity of local economies to generate sustainable, secure jobs with an attractive salary level.
Through the two calls for projects, whose first applicant guides have already been released for public consultation by Ministry of European Investments and Projects, SMEs from the counties of Gorj, Hunedoara, Dolj, Galați, Prahova and Mureș will have access to financing in the total amount of 620,46 million euros for the creation of new production or service units, for the expansion of existing ones, but and for the diversification of products and services offered.
The projects selected for financing must lead to the creation of new jobs, directly related to the financed investment, which must be maintained for a period of at least 3 years after the completion of the investment.
The two calls for projects are addressed to small and medium-sized enterprises from Gorj, Hunedoara, Dolj, Galați, Prahova and Mureș counties, established by December 31, 2021 and offer access to grants of up to 2 million euros and grants between 2 million and 5 million euros in two competitive calls, with a submission deadline.
Eligible activities
The amounts accessed will be invested in eligible fields of activity, established in accordance with the rules on regional and de minimis state aid and will aim to:
- creation of a new production / service provision unit;
- expanding the capacity of an existing facility;
- diversifying a unit's output through products/services not previously manufactured/provided in the unit.
Types of eligible investments under the two calls are:
- Investments in physical assets such as construction works, expansion of production/service provision spaces, including related general utilities (water supply, sewerage, natural gas supply, heat agent, electricity, PSI); the purchase of technological equipment, machines, work installations, furniture, computer equipment, office equipment, of the nature of fixed means, except means of transport; the purchase of specific installations/equipment in order to implement the measures related to the contribution to sustainable development scored in the technical and financial evaluation.
- Investments in intangible assets: patents, licenses, trademarks, computer programs, other rights and similar assets, used exclusively in the field of activity targeted by the project.
Selection mechanisms
The financed production/service provision unit must be located in the area targeted by the call, i.e. the administrative territory of the county corresponding to PTJ priorities (P1 – Gorj, P2 – Hunedoara, P3 – Dolj, P4 – Galați, P5 – Prahova, P6 – Mureș) .
The project selection mechanism involves checking eligibility exclusively in the base The single statement drawn up by the applicant, and the technical and financial evaluation is carried out only for projects that fall within the limit of 130% of the call allocation, taking into account the cumulative requested funding, in the order of submission of funding applications.
The total budget of the call Projects with non-reimbursable funding between 2 - 5 million euros launched under the action "Development of enterprises and entrepreneurship", the component "Investments for the development of SMEs that support sustainable growth and job creation" is 289,54 million euro.
The second call, through which grants of up to 2 million euros are awarded, has a total budget of 330,91 million euros.
Allocations are composed of the contribution Fund for Just Transition (85%) and the contribution from the state budget (15%) and is granted in the form of non-refundable funding, consisting of regional and de minimis state aid.
Total budget of 2,53 billion euros
The Just Transition Program 2021 – 2027 has a total budget of 2,53 billion euros and its main objective is to support environmentally sustainable economic diversification by generating sustainable and safe jobs. PTJ includes seven investment priorities, corresponding to the 6 counties included in the program, to which the technical assistance component is added.
Among the expected results at the end of the 2021-2027 period are:
- 257 direct jobs created in SMEs;
- 845 supported enterprises;
- 925 people will benefit from professional retraining programs;
- households supported to acquire prosumer status;
- 266 ha of surfaces will benefit from decontamination and reconversion actions;
- Support to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for Liberty Galati and Azomureș companies.
Within the PTJ, which also includes the milling sector, there are 87 calls for projects that will be launched by the end of the current year.
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor of Arta Albă.
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