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EU Funds

Last update: May, 2010


by PriceWaterhouseCoopers  

 

 

  • EU membership enables companies to seek financial support through the EU structural and cohesion funds. In most cases incentives take the form of development grants. A range of investment incentives are available to qualified applicants active in different economic sectors, in particular to small and medium size enterprises.
  • Around EUR 27.9 billion are available for 2007 - 2013 for Romania under the European Social Fund, European Regional Development Fund and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. These funds are designed to reduce regional disparities and to promote economic and social cohesion within the European Union. They are intended to be used to support projects which directly address locally identified needs (e.g. to help train people in new skills, or help develop existing businesses).
  • The implementation of these European funds is usually done by programmes which set allocation priorities and give information about the type of projects financed. Applicants for EU grants need to identify the programmes which would best fit their projects. The selection of projects is carried out by the national authority competent for each programme.
  • For companies, the most relevant national programmes implementing EU funds are:

 

         - The Sectoral Operational Programme “Increase of Economic Competitiveness” which is managed by the Ministry of Economy, has a budget of 3,011 billion EUR and with the main objective to increase Romanian companies’ productivity. The main type of investments funded are:

  • Productive capacity: The target beneficiaries are both existing enterprises that need to modernise and develop their products and technological processes and new enterprises, especially from the processing industry and construction sector that need qualified and integrated support by a proper development of business environment.
  • Research and development: Companies could get EU funds for industrial research and precompetitive development activities that generate results of economic interest and support the transformation of the research results into new or improved products, technologies and services with high demand on the market. Different forms of collaboration between enterprises and R&D institutions are encouraged with the aim of enhancing their R&D activities and fostering the technology transfer. In order to raise their level of innovation and their market competitiveness and to create new R&D jobs, support is provided for the development of the research capacities in enterprises. The procurement of instruments, equipment, computers, software, etc necessary for R&D activity is financed.
  • Information and Communication Technology: Under the key area of intervention “Sustaining the E-Economy” financial support is directed towards ICT applications and their interoperability, adoption of integrated solutions for companies leading to long-term cost-cutting thus facilitating the access to internal and international market and sustaining more efficient management processes, observing at the same time the increased security of the electronic networks and the adoption of anti-fraud solutions in order to develop a secure and dynamic E-Business sector.
  • Energy: The Programme also finances projects aimed at improving end-user energy efficiency and promotes specific types of investments in installations / equipment of industrial operators in order to achieve energy savings, based on energy balance. Investments in installations to reduce industrial users’ energy consumption and investments in upgrading and building new power and heating production capacities by valorisation of renewable energy sources are also eligible for financing.

 

         - The “National Programme for Rural Development” managed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Rural Development with a budget of 8,022 billion EUR supports the restructuring and modernising agricultural and forestry products processing and marketing sectors, while observing the principles of sustainable development. Promoting the investments in agricultural holdings, both in the vegetable and animal breeding sectors, for new buildings and / or the modernisation of existent agricultural buildings as part of the holding, as well as the connected utilities, the acquisition of new equipment and machines and the setting-up of plantations is also a Programme priority.

 

         - The Sectoral Operational Programme "Human Resources Development" managed by the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Solidarity, with a budget of 4,089 billion EUR has the objective of developing human capital and increasing employee competitiveness, by linking education and lifelong learning with the labour market. One priority of the Operational Programme is to promote entrepreneurial culture, flexibility and adaptability by supporting skilled, trained and adaptable labour force and enterprises. The programme supports individuals in creating new business; innovative forms of work organisation, including better health and safety at work and diversity of contractual and working arrangements, with a view to improving quality and productivity at work. The actions also cover support for enterprises on specific training, with a focus on new technologies and organisational improvement.

 

 

Other important European Funds available are:

 

LIFE+ 2007 - 2013 Programme

  • The LIFE+ 2007 - 2013 programme aims to reduce the environmental impact of goods and services. Projects may cover an extremely broad area ranging from the demonstration of innovative clean technologies in various types of industry and other economic sectors, to the development and optimisation of methods for monitoring and managing environmental impact.

 

The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme 2007 - 2013 Programme

  • The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) aims to encourage competitiveness in European enterprises. With small and medium-sized enterprises as its main target, the programme supports innovation activities (including eco-innovation), provides better access to finance and delivers business support services in the regions. It encourages a better take-up and use of information and communications technologies (ICT) and helps to develop the information society. It also promotes the increased use of renewable energies and energy efficiency.

 

Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7)

  • The Seventh Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7) is the European Union´s main instrument for funding research over the period 2007 to 2013. Support is given to the whole range of research activities carried out in transnational cooperation, from collaborative projects and networks to the coordination of research programmes. The Programme focuses on nine thematic areas: health, food, agriculture and biotechnology; information and communication technologies; nano-sciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies; energy; environment and climate change; transport and aeronautics; socioeconomic sciences and the humanities; space and security.

 

The Intelligent Energy - Europe programme

  • The Intelligent Energy - Europe programme is the EU's tool for funding actions to move us towards a more energy intelligent Europe. The programme finances projects in various areas such as capacity building, spreading of know-how, exchange of experience, policy input, awareness raising, education and training.

 

Media 2007

  • The MEDIA Plus programme provides funding for independent European producers of audiovisual projects with a European dimension, both upstream of production stage and during production. The funding is designed to help you cover your costs for project development, financing and television production. Support is also given to distributors of European films, European sales agents and publishers of European DVDs. MEDIA also supports the distribution of European audiovisual works at two other levels: support for cinemas and support for television broadcasting.