Financing opportunities

P-ta Victoriei nr. 3, Timisoara, 300030
Tel:
+40-256-219173
+40-256-219172
E-mail:
euroinfo@cciat.ro 

SUSTAINING ROMANIAN COMPANIES FOR THE ACCESSION ON THE EUROPEAN MARKET THROUGH THE PROGRAM FOR DEVELOPING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS  

Through HG 357/31.03.2004 the Program for 2004 was approved. The program is coordinated by the Ministry of Economy and Trade and financed from Romania ’s state budget.
Types of activities financed by the program - priorities:
1.Implementing and certifying the quality assurance systems and/or the environment management systems in accordance with the requirements of SR EN ISO 9001/2001 and, respectively, SR EN ISO 14001/1997.
2. Implementing and certifying the health management and labor safety systems, the social responsiveness and food hygiene systems, the information security management systems
3. The certification of the testing and standard laboratories, in accordance with SR EN ISO 17025/2001 and their endowment.
4. Product certification
5. Designing experimental models, prototypes, assimilation of new technologies
6. Elaboration of compared assessments
7. Organizing and arranging exhibitions and stands at the site of companies
8.Registering and protecting the Romanian trade marks, industrial models and designs.
Beneficiaries: Companies activating in the production sector of the processing industry 
Financing: 
Financial support of minimum 2,500 Euro and maximum 50,000 euro/year for one company, representing maximum 50% of the project’s total budget for projects type 1-6, and maximum 45% of the project’s total budget for projects type 8, and maximum 30% for projects type7. The remaining 50%,  55%, and70% of the project budget must be covered from the beneficiary’s own resources. 
The duration of the projects:  maximum 24 months
Deadline for submitting the projects: The projects can be submitted during the year 2004. The financing shall be granted according to the principle “first in – first financed ".
Assistance and further information can be obtained from CCIAT-Euro Info Centre Timisoara RO823, Mrs. Rodica Jurcut, Piata Victoriei nr.3, ground f;oor, tel/fax 0256-219173, e-mail: euroinfo@cciat.ro, or directly from the internet page of the Ministry of Economy and Trade www.minind.ro 

 Financing body: Romania ’s Government through the Agency for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and Cooperation (ex MIMMC).
Implementation procedures approved by the Order of  MiMMC no.35 published in the Official Journal no. 146/06.03.2003
Budget for 2004 : 99.8 billion lei 
Objective: Facilitating the Romania SMEs’ access to external markets, the capitalization of their export potential and decreasing the gap between the Romanian SMEs and European SMEs from the market information, counseling services and training point of view. 
Activities financed by the program – priorities : 
-          Participation in international fairs and exhibitions, organized abroad or in Romania , with their own stand or in collaboration with other companies; 
-          Elaboration and publication of promotional materials for the companies, creation of web site for promoting the activity and the products of the company; 
-          Participation in training courses abroad or in Romania , in the field of export promotion techniques; 
-          Contracting counseling services for the elaboration of export strategies and/or market studies;
-          Acquisition of information regarding the external markets from specialized companies.
Beneficiaries: SMEs created according to Law 31/1990, fully private, with a turnover of maximum 8 mil. euro/year, with maximum 249 employees, with at least 1 year of activity on the date of the request.
Financing procedure: grants between 10.000.000 lei and 80.000.000 lei/beneficiary, depending on the type of activity, representing maximum 60% of each eligible expenditure (excluding VAT). A beneficiary (company) may receive a total grant of maximum 80 mil. lei, cumulated, from the funds of this program, during two consecutive years.
Application deadline: the 15th of October 2004 , if the funds of the sub-program are not exhausted. The financing proposals can be handed-in every day, to the Agency for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and Cooperation. The applications must be transmitted with at least 20 calendar days before the beginning of the activity; the Ministry will communicate its answer within 15 calendar days after the date of receiving the application. The financing proposals (applications) will be handled as « first in – first served ».

Additional information MIMMC (http://www.mimmc.ro) and CCIATimisoara-Euro Info Centre, Piata Victoriei nr.3, parter, tel/fax 0256-219173 and 497136, e-mail : euroinfo@cciat.ro or europa@cciat.ro, contact person Mrs. Cristina Onciu or Mr. Mircea Gui.

Financing body: Romania’s Government, through the Ministry of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and Cooperation (MIMMC).
Implementation procedures approved by the Order of MIMMC no.36 published in the Official Journal no. 146/06.03.2003
Budget for 200 : 9.8 billion Lei
Objective: Affirming and capitalizing the production and service potential of small and medium sizd enterprises by diminishing the gap between the executive and decision making personell’s training from the SMEs in Romania and the personell from the European Union and facilitating the SMEs access to consulting services.
Activities financed by the program – priorities:
-          Training for the SME personnel with decision making and/or executive positions, on priority themes : management, marketing, strategy and planning, financing sources and methods for investments, European legislation and practices, etc ; 
-          Consulting for SMEs in order to elaborte business and marketing plans, accessing financing sources, counseling in the filed of standrds, certification, quality systems and European Union’s norms, in the field of internal and international cooperation. 
Beneficiaries: SMEs created based on Law 31/1990, fully private, with a turnover of maximum 8 mil. euro/year, maximum 49 employees. Alos, these funds are available for natural persons nd family associations authorized in accordance with Law.507 /2002.
Financing procedure: grants between 10.000.000 lei and 50.000.000 lei/beneficiary, according to activity, representing maximum 60% of each eligible expenditure (excluding VAT). A beneficiary (company) may receive  grant of maximum 80 mil. lei, cummulated, from the funds of this program, during two consecutive years.
Application deadline: 15th of November 2004, if the funds of the program are not exhausted. The financing requests can be sent/transmitted every day, at the Agency for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and Cooperation. The Agency will send its answer within 15 calendar days from the date of receiving the request. The financing requests are handled s « first received – first served ». 
Additional information MIMMC (http://www.mimmc.ro) and CCIA Timisoara-Euro Info Centre, Piata Victoriei nr.3, 1900 Timisoara, tel/fax.0256-219173 si 197136, e-mail : euroinfo@cciat ro si europa@cciat.ro, contact person Mr. Mirca Gui or Mrs. Cristina Onciu

Specific Regional Programs for City Development by stimulating the activities of small and medium sized enterprises 
Program financed from the state budget by the Romanian Government through the Ministry for Development and Prognosis, according to HG 322/2003
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:
-creating conditions for small cities to become industrial poles; 
-Accelerating the economic development and increasing the SMEs contribution to creating new jobs 
-Increasing the investment in the private sector
-Developing companies capable to perform production or service activities that generate added value products. 
PRIORITIES:
Supporting the investments for SME development: direct investments in equipment, tools and renovation of industrial buildings directly linked to the project. The investments already financed or under ongoing financing from the state budget or other grants are not eligible.
WHO CAN APPLY FOR FINANCING:
The applicants must fulfill the following conditions:
-They are trade companies, Romanian legal bodies, fully private, with the SME category, defined in accordance with Law 133/1999 with modifications and completions in force, set-up before 03.04.2003
-They have their social office or branches in one of the cities enumerated in appendix 7 of HG no.322/2003, respectively: Buzias, Deta, Faget, Jimbolia, Sannicolaul Mare, Baile Herculane, Geoagiu, Chisineu Cris, Curtici, Ineu, Lipova, Nadlac, Pancota, Sebis.
- They must be operating companies with no losses registered during the fiscal year 2002
FINANCING CONDITIONS
The applicants can request grants between 350 million lei and 3,5 billion lei, representing maximum 50% of the project budget. Each beneficiary must ensure the co-financing of the project of minimum 50% of the project budget. The eligible costs include investments in equipment, tools, and/or renovation of industrial buildings directly linked to the project. 
PROJECT DURATION: maximum 7 months.
THE FINANCING REQUESTS (APPLICATIONS) MUST BE SENT TO: 
The financing requests together with the annexes must be sent by registered mail or handed-in to the Ministry for European Integration, Str. Libertatii nr.12, floor 4, room 409, sector 5 Bucharest . 
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 20^th of March 2004, 16.00 hours
Additional information can be found on the web site of the Ministry for European Integration www.mie.ro  or ADR 5 Vest tel. /fax 0256- 491981, or at CCIAT-Euro Info Centre Timişoara RO823, Piaţa Victoriei nr.3, tel/fax 0256-219173, e-mail : euroinfo@cciat. 

Copyright ©2004 Timisoara Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture - Euro Info Centre RO823