Development/Expansion and Modernization of Business Parks in Just Transition mainland areas

The budget of the Action's public expenditure amounts to €30,000,000 and is allocated as follows: 

• Territorial Just Transition Plan (TJTP) in Western Macedonia €15,000,000.00 
• Territorial Just Transition Plan (TJTP) in Megalopolis €15,000,000.00 

The subsidized budget of each investment proposal of a potential aid beneficiary can range from €300,000 to €25,000,000. 

For investment plans with a total budget over €25,000,000, the cost that exceeds this amount constitutes private participation. Although this excess is not subsidized, it is monitored during implementation. Investment plans with a subsidized budget under €300,000 are considered non-eligible from the outset and cannot be submitted.

The maximum duration for the completion of the physical and financial scope of the investment plan cannot exceed thirty-six (36) months from the date of online notification of the final approval of the funding application (evaluation result or objection evaluation result). 

Beneficiaries who may receive public funding under this action are: 

• Existing or newly established Business Park Development and Management Companies (“EADEP”), in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 and paragraph 10 of Article 47 of Law 4982/2022.
• Existing or newly established Single Large Unit Business Park Development Agencies (“EPMMM”), 

which are active or will become active within the Greek territory and will carry out investments exclusively in one of the areas (territorial units) of the Territorial Just Transition Plans (TJTPs) of Western Macedonia and Megalopolis, and which will be related to at least one of the eligible business activity codes (KAD) specified in the call.

The beneficiaries must be legal entities in the form of a société anonyme (S.A.) in accordance with Law 4548/2018. as specified in the Detailed Action’s Call

• They can submit one and only funding application per TIN
• Upon submitting the application, they must have:
  • Either a Joint Ministerial Decision (KYA) approving the development of a Business Park in accordance with Article 10 of Law 4982/2022
  • or a copy of the application submitted to the General Secretariat of Industry, if the Joint Ministerial Decision (KYA) has not yet been issued

• They must maintain double-entry account books under Law 4308/2014, as in force (Established).
• They must operate in full compliance with all applicable legal and licensing requirements relevant to their sector and business activity.
• They must be registered in the Beneficial Ownership Register of Article 20 of Law 4557/2018 (A’ 139), as in force (Established).
• They must not be subject to an order for the clawback of aid, following a prior decision of the European Commission or the Court of Justice of the European Union, declaring aid unlawful and incompatible with the internal market. (Established).
• They must comply with the legislation on occupational health and safety and prevention of occupational hazards (Established).
• They must undertake that there are no grounds for exclusion under Article 39, par. 1-4 and Article 40 par. 1 of Greek law 4488/2017 (A137/13.09.2017) (Established).
• They must not have received rescue or restructuring aid or, if they have received rescue aid they must have repaid the loan and terminated the guarantee agreement or, if they have received restructuring aid, this must has been completed (Established).
• They must not be financial or insurance institutions, public enterprises, public bodies, public organizations or their subsidiaries, Legal Entities under Public Law (NPDD), or offshore companies.
• They must keep double-entry account books under Law 4308/2014, as in force, from the date the works of the investment plan have been commenced.
• The potential beneficiary has not relocated, in the two years prior to the aid application, to the business premises where the initial investment for which aid is requested will take place and undertakes not to do so within a maximum period of two years as of completion of the initial investment for which aid is requested.
• They must not be considered “undertakings in difficulty” (either at the level of the applicant company or at group level — the applicant company and any affiliated enterprises).
• The proposed investment project must relate to one or more of the eligible KAD included in the call, in which the beneficiaries must be active at the location of the investment by the time of submission of the first grant disbursement request (including the advance payment).
• The incentive effect must be met, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 6 of Regulation. (EU) 651/2014 (GAK). Aid is considered to have an incentive effect only if the funding application is submitted before the start of the investment activities, otherwise the entire investment plan is not eligible for funding.
• Investment plans of large enterprises that will be supported for consultancy services according to Regulation (EU) 2023/2831 (OJ L 15.12.2023) (De Minimis) must meet the conditions of its application.
• Investment plans that will be supported under Commission Regulation 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 (OJ L 187/26.6.2014) must constitute an initial investment and, specifically, meet one of the following conditions:
  • Establishment of a new facility.
  • Expansion of the production capacity of an existing facility. The additional production capacity of the installation as a result of the investment plan can only be accepted if the existing capacity of the installation before the implementation of the investment can be certified by official documentation.
  • Diversifying the output of an existing installation into products or services that the installation did not previously produce. For aid granted to large enterprises or SMEs for the diversification of an existing business establishment, the eligible costs shall exceed by at least 200% the carrying amount of the assets reused, as recorded in the financial year preceding the start of operations.
  • a fundamental change in the overall production process of the products or in the overall provision of services to which the investment at the facility relates. With regard to aid granted to large enterprises for the implementation of a fundamental change in the production process, the eligible costs must exceed the depreciation of the assets related to the activity to be modernized over the previous three fiscal years. Please note that the replacement investment does not constitute an initial one.

• The subsidized budget of the investment plan must exceed the minimum threshold set in this call, and the expenditure included in the application must be linked to the KAD code of the investment plan and the categories of eligible expenses defined in this call.
• The proposed investment plan must be financially viable
• The financial participation of the beneficiary of the aid must stand at a minimum of 25% of the total eligible costs through own funds or external financing and in a form which does not contain elements of state support.
• They must undertake that the investment plan is not carried out on the initiative and on behalf of the Government, on the basis of a relevant contract for the execution of a project, concession or provision of services.
• They must undertake that the entire investment plan and the individual costs included in the specific financing application: 
  • Have not been included in any other action financed through national or EU funds.
  • Do not constitute approved expenditure of an investment plan included in another action financed through national or EU funds.
  • If approval is carried out and for the period that constitutes approved expenditure of the investment plan to be implemented, they will not be submitted for inclusion or certification in an investment plan of any other action financed by national or EU funds. Applications/approvals for financing concerning financial products (loans or guarantees) implemented with national or EU funds, which may additionally finance the same investment plan, on condition that they do not lead to excess of maximum amounts/aid rates as provided for in Regulation EU 651/2014, as in force, are excluded. 

• They must comply with the provisions set out in the Commission Communication (2021/C 373/01): Technical guidelines on strengthening the resilience of infrastructure to climate change during the period 2021-2027.
• All the conditions of Chapter I of the Call and the applicable Articles of Regulation EU 651/2014, as in force, must be fulfilled.
• The funding application must obtain a minimum overall score of 60 in the scoring criteria. 

The overall terms and conditions for the participation of beneficiaries are presented in detail in the Action guide.

The main expenses covered by the Program relate to:

• Costs of Equipment, Means of Transport & Instruments
• Expenditure on Buildings, Land Plots, Facilities & Surrounding Areas
• Expenses for the Provision of Services
• Software 

Eligible costs are detailed in the Call File.

The start date of the expenditure eligibility is the date of online submission of the Funding Application. Expenditures incurred before the start date of eligibility of expenditure (even if the contract has not been invoiced) make the entire investment plan ineligible for funding.

The implementation of the investment project is financed through a combination of public funding (grant) and private contribution. The grant rate is determined based on the size of the enterprise, the project location, the type of eligible expenditure, and the applicable aid scheme (GBER Article or the De Minimis Regulation).

Overall, public funding ranges from 30% to 75% of the eligible project budget (50% for advisory services), while the private contribution ranges from 25% to 70%, depending on the category of enterprise and type of expenditure, as detailed in the Programme Call for Proposals.