PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES:
The main objective of the Programme is to support regional development areas
affected by industrial restructuring. A concrete way of achieving this objective
is to support SME development in productive sector.
The PRIORITIES of this Grant Scheme are:
- To foster investment for development of existing start-ups, micro and young
enterprises in order to increase the overall contribution of Micro, Small and
Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) to the creation of employment and sustainable
economic growth in the targeted zones;
- To support investment in existing SMEs in order to create new jobs in the
targeted zones and develop, diversify and improve the quality and quantity of
products and services offered.
To support SME access to business support services for complying with
international quality standards, counsel for technological transfer and research
and development support, elaboration of company specific marketing plans, market
studies and export promotion measures.
ELIGIBLE SECTORS AND ACTIVITIES:
The sectors eligible within this Call for proposals are:
- manufacturing industry, with the exception of the tobacco industry and
production of the alcoholic beverages with alcohol content over 15% and arms and
ammunitions;
- construction sector;
- tourism services (accommodation and catering, tour operators);
- software production and IT services.
Any project must include a component of 2-10% of counselling service from the
total budget proposed.
Eligible activities:
For investment:
- Direct investments in equipments and �know-how� intended to develop business,
and/or to comply with safety standards and environmental regulations
- Investments for production and/or services development
- Investments in research � development activities or/and innovations, transfer
of technology, IT technology.
- Investments linked to quality certification and clean technologies adoption
- Tourism services (accommodation, catering, tour operators, etc)
- Rehabilitation of industrial buildings directly related to the project;
For services, only counselling services are eligible, as follows:
- counsel the beneficiary SMEs for technological transfer and research and
development support;
- elaboration of company specific marketing plans, market studies and export
promotion measures;
support for obtaining quality and/or environment certification under
international technical and quality standards (such as getting ISO 9000
certification etc.)
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:
Private companies fulfilling the following conditions:
- either operating start-ups or young enterprises established between 1 Jan 2001
�31 Dec 2002, with up to 50 employees and an annual turn-over below 8 million
Euro or operating micro enterprises, with up to 9 employees and an annual
turnover below 8 million Euro established until 31.12.2002;
- having at least 20% of the total capital held by Romanian private
shareholders, and the rest of the capital held by EU and/or Phare shareholders;
- having their legal headquarters and/or production facilities/operations in
Romania, within the 11 zones;
- not having recorded operating losses in the fiscal year preceding the date of
grant application;
- not having more than 25% of share capital or voting rights held by another
company which have more than 50 employees;
- not owning more than 25% of share capital or voting rights of another company
which have more than 50 employees;
- having stable and sufficient sources of finance to ensure the continuity of
their organisation throughout the project
Applicants must act only individually; the consortia/partnerships are not
eligible for financing under the present scheme.
ELIGIBLE AREAS:
Activities of the project must take place in one development region, in the
localities included in the 11 industrial restructuring zones and with potential
for economic growth, identified as such in the National Development Plan and
approved by GD 399/2001 (please consult the Annex for the list of the eligible
localities). The project must be located in one of these localities.
The budget is distributed at regional level proportionally to the number of the
inhabitants included in these target areas, as follows:
Region: Indicative Amount (EURO)
North East: 3.341.900
South East: 3.078.800
South Muntenia: 1.466.000
South West Oltenia: 2.471.500
West: 1.725.800
North West: 1.759.500
Centre: 3.026.500
TOTAL: 16.870.000
BUDGET LIMITS:
Between 10,000 and 100,000 EURO (total public support: Phare + State budget
co-financing)/ project.
FINANCING CONDITIONS:
- a grant may not exceed 60 % of the total project eligible costs;
- each beneficiary is to contribute at least 40% of the project budget in cash,
form her/his own resources.
PROJECT DURATION: Maximum 12 months
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS:
The deadline for reception of applications is 9 June 2003, at 16.00 h. Any
application received after the deadline will be automatically rejected, even if
the postmark indicates a date preceding the deadline.
WHERE TO SEND THE APPLICATIONS:
Applications must be submitted (in one original and 3 copies), in a sealed
envelope by registered mail, by express messenger or by hand-delivery to the
address indicated below:
For the region North-East (NE): Bacau, Botosani, Iasi, Neamt, Suceava, Vaslui
counties
Regional Development Agency North-East
Str. Alexandru cel Bun nr. 27 bis, cod 5600 Piatra Neamt, jud. Neamt, Tel.:
0233/218071; fax: 0233/218072; e-mail: adrnorthest@adrnorthest.ro
For the region South-East (SE): Braila, Buzau, Constanta, Galati, Vrancea,
Tulcea counties
Regional Development Agency South-East
Piata Independentei nr. 1, et. 5, cod 6100 Braila, jud. Braila, Tel.:
0239/611086; fax: 0239/623403; e-mail: seagency_ro@cibnet.flex.ro
For the region South-Muntenia (SM): Arges, Calarasi, Dambovita, Giurgiu,
Ialomita, Prahova, Teleorman counties
Regional Development Agency South Muntenia
Str. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr. 1, cod 8500 Calarasi, jud. Calarasi, Tel.:
0242/331769; fax: 0242/313167; e-mail: adr3sud@nex.ro
For the region South-West (SW): Dolj, Gorj, Mehedinti, Olt, Valcea counties
Regional Development Agency South-West Oltenia
Str. Unirii nr. 19, cod 1100 Craiova, jud. Dolj, Tel.: 0251/414904; 0251/418240;
fax: 0251/419496; e-mail: adr4@rdslink.ro
For the region West (W): Arad, Caras-Severin, Hunedoara, Timis counties
Regional Development Agency West
Str. Proclamatia de la Timisoara nr. 5, cod 1900 Timisoara, jud. Timis, Tel.:
0256/191923; fax: 0256/191981, e-mail: office@adr5vest.ro
For the region North-West (NW): Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Cluj, Salaj, Satu-Mare,
Maramures counties
Regional Development Agency Nort-West
Str. Sextil Puscariu nr. 2, cod 3400 Cluj-Napoca, jud. Cluj, Tel.: 0264/431550;
fax: 0264/439222; e-mail: adrnv@mail.dntcj.ro
For the region Centre (C): Alba, Brasov, Covasna, Harghita, Mures, Sibiu
counties
Regional Development Agency Centre
Str. Decebal nr. 12, cod 2500 Alba Iulia, jud. Alba, Tel.: 0258/818616; fax:
0258/818613; e-mail: adcentru@abx.logicnet.ro
Applicants must apply in Romanian and present a one-page length project
executive summary in English.
Applications sent by any other means (e.g. by fax or by e-mail) or delivered at
other addresses will be rejected.
Hand-written applications will not be accepted.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Specific questions may be sent by e-mail or by fax to the RDA�s (see list with
contact details).
Applicants may submit questions of substance in writing up to 21 days before the
deadline for submission of proposals to the following address:
