New Provisions under the Development LawThe Investment Center (Business Consultants – ESIF Consultants) provides full and comprehensive support, from the initial eligibility assessment and estimation of the expected evaluation score (pre-assessment), through to the preparation and submission of a high-quality business plan designed to achieve the maximum possible score. With more than 10 years of experience, we undertake the complete application and support process for businesses.
☆ More than 10 years of experience in business development and investment aid schemes ☆
*ESIF Consultants: Regional Operational Programmes, DYPA, Tourism ESIF, Development Law
Our high success rates in recent subsidised programmes are a guarantee of the high-quality support provided by our firm.
Detailed Information on the “Agri-Food – Primary Production and Processing of Agricultural Products – Fisheries – Aquaculture” Scheme
⬢ Basic Eligibility Requirements⬢ Eligible Types of Businesses – NACE Codes⬢ New Regional Aid Map and Aid Distribution⬢ Eligible Expenditure⬢ Minimum Investment Amount⬢ Evaluation Criteria |
⬢ Basic Eligibility Requirements
Beneficiaries under the Development Law are enterprises — existing, newly established or under merger — which are established or have a branch within Greek territory and operate in the form of a commercial company (S.A., Ltd, P.C., G.P., L.P.).
The following legal forms are also eligible: Social Cooperative Enterprises (Koin.S.Ep.), Agricultural Cooperatives, Producer Groups, Agricultural Corporate Partnerships and enterprises operating as joint ventures, provided that they are registered with the General Commercial Registry (GEMI).
Sole proprietorships are not eligible.
Applications must necessarily concern one of the following:
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Creation of a new establishment.
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Expansion of the capacity of an existing establishment.
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Diversification of the production of an establishment into products or services not previously produced.
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A fundamental change in the overall production process of an existing establishment.
To qualify under the Scheme, the subsidised investment project must not have commenced before submission of the application. This includes signing contracts, purchasing machinery, making advance payments, etc. Undertakings in difficulty are also excluded, as are enterprises that have relocated to the investment location where the supported project will take place during the previous two years.
⬢ Eligible Types of Businesses
The productive sectors supported by the Investment Law under the “Agri-Food – Primary Production and Processing of Agricultural Products – Fisheries – Aquaculture” Scheme include investment projects falling within primary agricultural production and the processing of agricultural products.
- In the primary agricultural production sector, eligible activities include the cultivation of cereals, legumes and oilseeds, rice cultivation, vegetable cultivation, tobacco cultivation, perennial crops, dairy cattle farming, pig farming, poultry farming, etc.
- In the agricultural product processing sector, eligible activities include the processing and preservation of meat and production of meat products, processing and preservation of fruit and vegetables, production of dairy products, manufacture of grain mill products, starches and starch products, bakery and farinaceous products, pharmaceutical preparations, etc.
⬢ Aid Amount – New Regional Aid Map and Distribution
Subsidy rates — whether provided as a cash grant or tax exemption — vary according to the size of the enterprise and the Region in which the investment project is implemented. Investment projects start from a minimum amount of €100,000, except for Cooperatives, Social Cooperative Enterprises, etc., where the minimum investment amount is €50,000.
Small and very small enterprises may receive all types of aid, including grants, while medium-sized and large enterprises may receive tax exemptions, financial leasing subsidies and wage cost subsidies, but not grants.
Very small, small and medium-sized enterprises receive 80% of the aid rate specified in the Regional Aid Map when applying for a grant, except for certain “special categories”, which may receive 100% of the rate specified in the Map. Where a tax exemption is requested instead of a grant, 100% of the applicable Regional Aid Map rate is available.
Large enterprises receive 80% of the Regional Aid Map rate in the case of tax exemptions, except for certain “special categories”, which may receive 100%. Grants are not available to large enterprises.
Special Categories Eligible for the Maximum Aid Rate (100%) of the Regional Aid Map
In the following cases, the grant may reach the maximum aid rate provided under the Regional Aid Map, meaning 100% of the stated aid rate rather than the reduced rate of 80%:
Investments implemented in the following areas:
- Mountainous areas, according to the classification of the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), excluding Municipal Units forming part of the Athens urban complex.
- Border areas, namely areas located within thirty (30) kilometres of national borders.
- Island areas, namely islands with a population of fewer than three thousand one hundred (3,100) inhabitants.
- Areas affected by natural disasters.
Detailed list of areas throughout Greece eligible for the maximum aid rates by region.
Business investments concerning cases where:
- They are implemented in Industrial and Business Areas, Business Parks, excluding Intermediate-Level Organised Business Parks, Technology Parks, Innovation Activity Zones and Organised Receptors of Manufacturing and Business Activities, provided that the investment does not concern the modernisation or expansion of existing facilities of the supported enterprise.
- They are implemented in buildings officially designated as listed or protected buildings.
- They concern the reopening of industrial units that have ceased operations. The value of the fixed equipment of the industrial unit to be reopened must account for at least fifty percent (50%) of the eligible cost of the investment project.
⬢ Eligible Expenditure
Almost all expenditure related to the construction, modernisation or expansion of a facility or production unit is eligible.
Indicative eligible expenditure includes:
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Construction, expansion and modernisation of buildings and surrounding areas.
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Purchase of new machinery, other equipment and technical installations.
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Purchase of buildings and equipment for units that have ceased operations.
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Intangible expenditure, including certifications, software systems, IT equipment, etc.
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Financial leasing payments for new machinery that will be purchased upon expiry of the lease.
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Technology transfer, operating licences, patents and know-how.
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Salary costs for newly created jobs.
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Special expenditure outside Regional Aid, subject to specific restrictions:
- Consultancy services
- Remediation of contaminated sites
- Waste recycling and reuse
- Vocational training
- Participation in trade fairs
See the detailed [ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURE] and SPECIAL EXPENDITURE outside Regional Aid.
⬢ Minimum Investment Amount
b. €500,000 for medium-sized enterprises,
c. €250,000 for small enterprises,
d. €100,000 for very small enterprises,
e. €50,000 for Social Cooperative Enterprises (Koin.S.Ep.), Agricultural Cooperatives, Urban Cooperatives, Producer Groups and Agricultural Corporate Partnerships.
