The second consultative version of the Applicant Guideline for the development of micro-enterprises, within the Regional Operational Program (POR) has been published for public debate until 1.03.2016. The launch of this financing line is estimated for the next period.

Some of most important changes in the new version of the guide:

• The condition for an applicant to record operating profit for thelast fiscal yearis nowmandatory;
• The companies that had no employees in last fiscal year are now permitted to apply as long as they have at least 1 full time employee for an indefinite period at the moment of the project submission;
• The guide has clarified the regions excluded from funding: the investments made in Bucharest – Ilfov and ITI Delta Dunarii regions are not eligible;
• The introduction of a co-financing of at least 10% from the applicant for a higher score of the project.

The main conditions to access this financing line:

• The applicant must be a micro-enterprise: company or cooperative (up to 9 employees, up to 2.000.000 euro turnover);
• The investment is made in an eligible sector according to the CAEN codes published in the Guidelines for the Applicants;
• The applicant has at least one full fiscal year (established at the latest 01.01.2015) without suspended activity in 2015-2016.

Types of eligible investments:

• Construction, extension, modernization of the production activities/ area;
• Acquisition of technological equipment, machines, working tools, specific furniture, IT and office equipment, including specific equipment and installations used for obtaining energy efficiency;
• Investments in nontangible assets: licenses, patents, copyrights, software, including expenses related to e-commerce solutions;
• Consulting and support services for the project (up to 10%, depending of the type of the project).

Eligible value of the project: between 25.000 euro – 200.000 euro.
Grant financing percentage: up to 100% from the eligible costs.

All the conditions that beneficiaries must meet to access this funding, and the new scoring grid can be found here.