VAPRO

The Ministry of European Funds will launch in the next period a financing line through which can be settled investments with training for managers and HR department  in LARGE companies.

The call is dedicated to the improvement of the management activity of human resources through: training, coaching, seminars, workshops, conferences, lectures, long-term strategic planning etc

How long does the project implementation last?

• maximum 12 months, estimative January – December 2018

Which is the maximum grant for a project?

• 300.000 euro, from which the non-reimbursable financing is between 50 and 95%, depending on the activities.

Who can apply for funding?
Employers (large enterprises) which operates in:

• one of the economically competitive sectors identified according to the SNC: tourism/ ecotourism, textiles/ leather, wood/ furniture, auto and components, IT and communications, beverage/ food processing, energy/ environment, health/ pharmaceutical, bioeconomics/ biopharmaceuticals/ biotechnologies or
• intends to adapt its activity to these economic sectors / intelligence areas.

Which are the employees that can be included into the project (target group)?

• Employees who have management/leadership role;
• Employees from human resources departments;

Minimum target group: 150 persons;

The draft Guideline can be downloaded here.

The Ministry of European Funds launched under public consultation 2 Applicant Guidelines – Specific Conditions financed through POCU:

• “Youth Entrepreneurship Support Program NEETs I” – SO 1.1&1.2 – Centre, South-Muntenia, South-East regions;
• “Youth Entrepreneurship Support Program NEETs II” – SO 2.1&2.2 – Bucharest-Ilfov, North-East, North-West, West, South-West Oltenia regions;

The financing lines are dedicated to encouraging entrepreneurship and self-employment of young NEETs through supporting the establishment of enterprises with non-agricultural profile in urban areas.

The project beneficiary shall ensure to the target group:

• Entrepreneurship training programs, authorized by ANC;
• Internships;
• Advice on implementing the business plan;
• A mentoring and business development program;
• A micro-grant of maximum 40.000 euro / business plan;

Project duration: maximum 12 months.

Maximum project value:

• 3.000.000 euro, with a contribution from the beneficiaries of: 0%/2%/5%/8%, according with the organization type.

Eligible applicants/partners:

• Training providers; Providers of occupation/evaluation and certification of competences;
• NGOs; Youth organizations
• Accredited Universities;
• Chambers of Commerce and Industry;
• Professional associations; Employers organizations and Trade unions;
• Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Business Environment, Commerce and Entrepreneurship and subordinated institutions / agencies / organizations.

Target group:

• NEETs (Not in Education Employment or Training) aged between 16-24 years, who are resident or established in the eligible regions, registered and profiled by the Public Employment Service.

The Guidelines are under public consultation until 19.07.2017, and can be downloaded from here.

The Ministry of European Funds launched under public consultation the Applicant Guidelines – Specific Conditions financed through POCU: “Outplacement measures – adaption to change of dismissed/ fired workers” – SO 3.9.

Eligible applicants:

• Employers;
• Accredited providers of specialized services for employment stimulation;
• Authorized providers of professional training;
• Associations and foundations;
• Chambers of Commerce and Industry;
• Trade union / employers organizations;

Applicants must be established for more than 1 calendar year.
Projects can not be submitted in partnership!
 
Maximum project value: 500.000 euro, from which non-reimbursable financial assistance: 100% for NGOs; 95% for private beneficiaries.

Project duration: maximum 24 months.
 
Target group:

• Workers with individual labor contract from “enterprises in difficulty” who will be dismissed / fired collectively or individually, with their domicile / residence in the development region where the project will be implemented (Bucharest-Ilfov region is exempted from funding);

Minimum target group: 200 persons;
 
Eligible activities:

• Identifying / contacting companies in difficulty who intend to dismiss / fire employees, individually or collectively;
• Active employment measures including outplacement (information and counselling services / work mediation);
• Support for employment (flexible forms of employment, innovative organizational models of work etc.);
• Promotion campaigns of various flexible forms of employment;
• Information and legal advice for the establishment of a company or Authorized person;

The Guidelines are under public consultation until 17.07.2017, and can be downloaded from here.

The Ministry of European Funds launched under public consultation two Applicant Guidelines – Specific Conditions financed through POCU:

1. “Professional Romania – Competitive enterprises” (SO 3.8):

The financing line is dedicated to the improvement of the management activity of human resources through: training, coaching, seminars, workshops, conferences, lectures, long-term strategic planning etc. 

Project duration: maximum 12 months.

Maximum project value: 300.000 euro, from which non-reimbursable: 95% from the expenditure that does not fall under the State aid scheme and 50% from the expenditure related to the State aid scheme.

Eligible applicants: Employers (large enterprises) which operates in:

• one of the economically competitive sectors identified according to the SNC and in correlation with one of the fields of intelligent specialization according to SNCDI, or
• intends to adapt its activity to these economic sectors / intelligence areas.

 Target group:

• Employees who ensure the strategic management of enterprises and who occupy management positions in enterprises;
• Employees from human resources departments;

Minimum target group: 150 persons;

2. “Professional Romania – Competitive human resources” (SO 3.8)

Within this call, the trade unions, employers’ associations and business associations can develop projects up to 500.000 euro (100% non-reimbursable) in order to organize accredited and informal training courses, coaching, seminars, workshops, conferences, lectures, etc. for managers, HR staff and SME entrepreneurs.

The Guidelines are under public consultation until 06.06.2017, and can be downloaded here.

A new type of financing through Regional Operational Program 2.1B “Business incubators” has an estimated launch in the next period, according the current official calendar.

Total call allocation: 117,65 mil. euro.

Eligible applicants:

• Founders of business incubators (local public authority, territorial administrative unit, research & development centers/institutes, Chambers of Commerce, companies etc.) or partnerships between business incubators founders.
• Joint ventures between a founder public authority and: companies, associations, foundations, associations of employers, trade unions, Chamber of Commerce etc.

Value of no reimbursable grant: min. 200.000 euro – max. 7 mil. euro.

Financing percentage:

• For regional aid component: up to 70% (depends on the dimension of the applicant and location of investment);
• For minimis aid component: up to 90% and within the minimis ceiling.
  The minimis component can not exceed 20% of the total eligible costs.

Types of eligible investments:

Investments financed through the regional state aid:

• Creation / expansion of business incubators, through construction, expansion of related areas;
• Equipping business incubators with tangible assets, intangible assets;

Investments financed through the minimis aid:

• Development of services provided within the business incubators.

For more details from the Applicant Guideline (consultative form) you can find here.

AFIR published the estimative calendar for launches and proposed allocations for 2017. According to the calendar, the main sub-measures for the private beneficiaries will be launched starting with April:

April:

• 4.1 “Investments in agricultural holdings” – vegetal component – 105 million euro;
• 4.1 “Investments in agricultural holdings” – zootechnical component – 80 million euro;
• 4.1.a “Support for investments in fruit-growing holdings” – 100 million euro;
• 6.2 “Support for the creation of non-agricultural activities in rural areas” – 18,3 million euro;
• 6.4 “Investments in the creation and development of non-agricultural activities” – 35 million euro;

May:

• 4.2 “Support for investments in processing / marketing and / or development of agricultural products” – 100 million euro;
• 4.2.a “Support for investments in processing / marketing of products in the fruit-growing sector” – 12 million euro;

To consult the estimative launching periods for the other sub-measures click here.