POCU – Consultative guidelines – “School for all”

July 8th, 2016

The Ministry of European Funds launched under public consultation the Applicant Guidelines – Specific Conditions: “School for all” (SO 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.6) – financing line dedicated to:

  • Facilitating the access to education and preventing / reducing the rate of early school leaving;
  • Increasing the quality of educational services;
  • Providing qualified human resources in education field;

A project should comprise activities from at least two of above mentioned categories and will be implemented over a period of maximum 36 months.

Maximum project value:

  • Small projects 500.000 euro (at the level of a single county);
  • Large projects: 1.500.000 euro (at the level of more counties);

Eligible applicants:

  • NGOs;
  • Religious institutions;
  • Public or private educational institutions (compulsory participation);
  • Various organizations with attributions in education area, according to the Guidelines;

Target group:

  • children with ante/preschool age, students from groups with school dropout risk including their parents;
  • teaching staff;
  • people who have not completed compulsory education;

According to the Ministry, the projects can be submitted during 1st of August 2016 – 30th of September 2016, their implementation being estimated to start in December 2016.

The Guideline is under public consultation until 21st of July 2016 and can be downloaded from here.

55.000 euro grant for SMEs from the Government, including Bucharest and Ilfov!

July 6th, 2016

Starting with July, a new series of non-reimbursable financing will be available for SMEs (including Bucharest-Ilfov region), through the Micro-industrialization National Programme. 

Eligible beneficiaries:

  • SMEs from all development regions and
  • Microenterprises and SMEs from Bucharest-Ilfov, region not covered by European funds

The grant value: up to 250.000 lei/beneficiary (approx. 55.000 euro).

Financing percentages: up to 90% of eligible expenditures of the project.

Total budget allocated for 2016: 60 mil lei (for minimum 244 beneficiaries).

Eligible expenditures within the project: purchasing of technological equipment, measurement and control equipment, fiscal electronic devices, vans, patents, brands, e-commerce software, IT equipment, development of a website, work/production spaces, heating/air-conditioning installations, entrepreneurship training, consultancy etc.

More information you can find here.

JULY – LAUNCH of European funding for new businesses in rural areas!

July 4th, 2016

Starting with July, anyone with entrepreneurial initiative can access European funds in order to start a non-agricultural business in the rural area!
 
What activities can be performed?

  • Services: medical services, car repair shops, IT business, consultancy or accountancy offices, veterinarian clinic and others;
  • Production: pellet manufacturing, electrical components factory, metal constructions, furniture factory, pharmaceuticals, crafts etc.;
  • Tourism: agro-pensions and leisure activities;
  • Other activities – contact us to confirm that your idea can be financed;

 What is the maximum grant for a project?

  • For 6.2 financing line – Up to 70.000 euro (100 % non-refundable) and the payment is granted in two instalments: 70% in advance, at the beginning of the project and 30% at project completion and achievement of indicators;

OR

  • For 6.4 financing line – Up to 200.000 euro (up to 90% non-refundable financing) for those who want a more complex investment, with periodic payments (maximum 5 payments) during the project implementation period;

 What can be financed?

  • Construction or modernization of the working space;
  • Purchase of equipment, machinery or other equipment necessary for the business;
  • Other expenses required by the project.

 Who can access the funding?

  • Micro-enterprises, small businesses or any individual that can found a company in the rural area until the submission deadline of the project;

The evaluation and approval: the grants are awarded to the highest scoring projects until the available funds are contracted! Therefore, funds are granted to those who submit well prepared projects, as soon as possible.

For a FREE evaluation of your eligibility or for more information contact us via E-mail: info@vapro.ro or phone: 037 117 29 54.

PNDR – non-agricultural projects in rural area at the end of July

June 27th, 2016

According to the updated estimated calendar of launches within PNDR, the projects for non- agricultural investments in rural areas can be submitted starting with 25-29 July.

The eligible beneficiaries are existing or newly founded companies and farmers who want to diversify their activity.

Investments financed for production in non-agricultural areas, provision of services (eg medical, sanitary-veterinary), agro-tourism or crafting activities.

The grant support is:

  • For the sub-measure 6.2 – 50.000 euro with the possibility of increasing* up to 70.000 euro;
  • For the sub-measure 6.4 – 70% of the investment cost, with the possibility of increase* up to 90% but no more than 200.000 euro;

*The grant can be increased in the case of investments in production, provision of medical and sanitary-veterinary services, agro-tourism or in the case of farmers who develop non-agricultural activities (sub-measure 6.4).

The calendar has been published by Finantare.ro

POCU – Updated calendar

June 14th, 2016

The updated version of the estimative calendar of launches within the Human Capital Operational Programme has been published. Differently than the previous versions, the current calendar presents the period for publication for consultations, not the launching date.

The calendar was presented last week during POCU Monitoring Committee.

Thereby, the related specific guidelines for the main types of projects, are expected to be launched for public consultation on the next dates:

  • Axis 1 and 2 – Employment and training projects for young NEETs – June/July;
  • 3.1 & 3.5 – Employment and training for unemployed people, especially the ones with disabilities – July;
  • 3.8 & 3.9 – Projects for human resources management (August) and outplacement (October);
  • 3.12 – Training of own staff – July/August;
  • 4.4 – Measures for people from vulnerable groups (people in prisons and former prisoners) – August;
  • 4.8 – Training of medical staff from medical priority sectors – June;
  • 4.9 – Prenatal screening programs (August), mother and child screening programs (August) and cancer screening programs (July);
  • 6.2 – Measures for increasing preschool participation – June/July;
  • 6.3 – Activities for school students aiming at reducing early school leaving phenomenon, training for teachers from non-university education (6.6), including the diversification of educational offers (6.5) – July;
  • 6.7 – Measures for students (scholarships etc), including training for teachers (6.9) and diversification of educational offers (6.10) – July;
  • 6.12 – Providing of training programs – September;
  • 6.13 & 6.14 – Internship and apprenticeship programs – during 2016;

The calendar has been published by www.fonduri-structurale.ro.

We also mention that projects financed within POCA, where NGOs can propose alternatives to public policies, are expected to be launched in July.

POCA – Projects for NGOs starting with July!

June 13th, 2016

According to the launches calendar published on the website of the Managing Authority for the Administrative Capacity Operational Programme, the projects for NGOs are expected to be launched in the following months:

  • July 2016 – Increasing the capacity of NGOs and social partners to formulate policy alternatives;
  • December 2016 – Supporting actions regarding the unitary application of rules, mechanisms and procedures in matters of ethics and integrity, as well as measures to prevent corruption in the public authorities and institutions;
  • January 2017 – Increasing the capacity of NGOs and social partners to support and promote development at local level and to interact with public authorities and institutions of local administration;

The calendar presents also information like the financial allocation, the eligible beneficiaries and the type of call, (non)competitive, by case.

For further information access the calendar here: http://poca.ro/calendar-lansari/

Seminar in Cluj-Napoca: EU funds and Public Tenders

June 8th, 2016

VAPRO Romania, NRCC and Stratulat Albulescu Attorneys at Law organizes an interactive event that will give you recent updates and best practices regarding two important opportunities for growing your business: EU Grants & Public Tenders.
 
When?
16th of June 2016 (16:30 – 19:00)
 
Where?
Beyfin hotel, Cluj-Napoca
 
Audience?
Owners of companies, managers, CEO’s interested in non-reimbursable funds, or who participate/would like to participate in public procurement projects.
 
About?

EU funds – the main topics:
The main conditions a company should fulfil in order to access funds; which are the eligible conditions and benefits of accessing EU grants; which are the type of investments/costs that are financed through EU grants, how the process of developing and implementing such a project look like.
Public tenders – the main topics:
What implications have the new public procurement law in Romania; how your business can take benefit from the new legislative framework; which are the benefits of the new legislative framework for small and medium size companies; what is the impact of the new public procurements legislation on project development process.

Speakers?
Irina Zugravu – Managing Partner VAPRO Romania
Alina Alecu – Senior Consultant VAPRO Romania
Georgiana Sirbu – Managing Associate and Head of Spanish Desk Stratulat Albulescu
 
Registration?
Registrations can be made at a.constantin@vapro.ro no later than 14th June 2016.
More information regarding the event agenda, speakers and participation fee here.

Financing for social centers – elderly

June 7th, 2016

The consultative version of the Applicant Guideline for increasing the coverage of social services – vulnerable group: elderly over 65 years old (Specific Objective 8.3) within the Regional Operational Program (ROP) 2014-2020 was published.

Eligible beneficiaries are:

1.Administrative Territorial Units, other entities of public law;
2.Entities of private law:

  • associations and foundations, including subsidiaries of international associations and foundations recognized in accordance with Romanian law;
  • cult units / structures of denominations belonging to religious cults, including foundations and associations constituted by cults;

3.Partnerships between any of the entities mentioned above.

The Beneficiary or one of the partners must be accredited provider of social services and have at least 1 year of activity at the date of submission of the application.

Types of investments: 

  • rehabilitation / modernization / expansion / endowment of infrastructure of existing social center without residential component;
  • rehabilitation / modernization / expansion / endowment of infrastructure for the establishment of new social centers without residential component;
  • ensuring / modernization of general and specific utilities for the infrastructure of social services without residential component;
  • creation / modernization of facilities for physical access for people with disabilities;
  • arranging of workshops in social centers without residential component;
  • facilities adapted to the needs of beneficiaries of services provided by the social infrastructure without residential component, including equipment for people with disabilities;

*Projects can be implemented in all development regions except Bucharest – Ilfov region.

Eligible value of the project: vary according to the project objective between 50.000 euro and 850.000 euro.
Grant financing percentage98% from the eligible costs.

Observations or comments can be submitted until 6 July 2016 (16:00) at the email address: info@mdrap.ro.

”Fresh start” – Meeting between MA POCU and specialists from the private sector

June 7th, 2016

Thursday, 26 May 2016 we participated, together with the representatives of POCU Management Authority, to a roundtable debate about the key interest areas of the program. The debate was organized by Structural Consulting Group and the Romanian-Dutch Chamber of Commerce.

From MA POCU attended, among others, the General Director – Mr. Vladimir Rovintescu, the OIR Bucharest –Ilfov Director – Mr. Dragos Iorga, while the private sector has been represented by organizatios of the following interest areas: education, training, employers, NGOs, consultants, former projects beneficiaries etc.

The participants discussed and proposed solutions for improving several specific sections of the Applicant’s Guideline – General Conditions such as: beneficiary’s operational capacity, subcontracting of services, financing contract etc. Also they proposed amendments for the provisions of the Specific Guidelines related to employment of youngsters and entrepreneurship but also for the MySMIS system.

The representatives of the Ministry have acknowledged the participants recommendations and promised to return with more information and updated guidelines. Not at least, they announced that the call launches calendar will be updated and that the evaluation process of the grant applications will be more objective.

The submission of HCOP projects started today!

May 16th, 2016

The Ministry of European Funds opened today the MySMIS system for submission the first projects within the following calls:

  • Axis 4, Specific objective 4.1. Reducing the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion from marginalized communities where there is Roma minority population by implementing integrated measures;
  • Axis 4, Specific objective 4.2. Reducing the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion of marginalized communities (non-Roma) by implementing integrated measures.

The total budget launched is around 350 million euro and the eligible beneficiaries are local authorities and NGOs with responsibilities in the specific field, in partnership with stakeholders with relevant expertise (eg. Employers, counselling/training providers).

The maximum budget allocated to a project is up to 6 million euro and should be used during a period of maximum 3 years.

Moreover, following the public consultations with the beneficiaries, the Ministry has published a corrigendum for the Applicants Guidelines – General Conditions and also for the Specific Guidelines. The modifications can be consulted here.

The applications for funding can be submitted starting today until 1st of August 2016. The applicants’ guidelines were published on 20th of April.

The submission of HCOP projects started today!