Level of support

Amount of aid
Support under “UNION FOR ENTERPRISING PEOPLE – THE COMPETITITVENESS PROGRAMME” will be provided in the form of reimbursement of all or a part of eligible expenditure incurred during the implementation of the project. The scope of eligible expenditure depends on the measure under which the project is being delivered. Further information on eligible expenditure are available in the SOP-ICE Programme Complement and the Project Provider’s Manual.

For a number of measures support must comply with the State aid rules. The maximum level of support is then limited by the permissible public aid ceilings (not more than 50% + 15 percentage points gross for small and medium-sized enterprises) in accordance with the relevant regulations (including regulations on regional aid intensity and scope of support). For measures under which support is not subjected to State aid rules, reimbursement may be obtained for up to 100% of total eligible expenditure.


Under “UNION FOR ENTERPRISING PEOPLE – THE COMPETITITVENESS PROGRAMME” public aid is involved in measures focused directly on enterprises and certain aspects of measures concerning the business environment sphere.

The amount of grant for the SME sector is as follows:

1. under Measure 2.1 Improvement of SMEs competitiveness through advice, financial support cannot exceed 30% of eligible project-related expenditure for the city of Warsaw and the city of Poznań poviats, 40% for the city of Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot poviats, and 50% for the rest of Poland’s territory. For emerging micro-enterprises based on advanced technologies the level of support may be up to 100% project’s eligible  costs under the de minimis rule. The aid granted cannot be less than PLN 2,500 and not more than PLN 250k.
   
   DE MINIMIS RULE
   De minimis aid is aid granted to an entrepreneur over a 3-year period previous to the date of application, to the amount of EUR 100k, including the grant to be obtained. De minimis aid can be granted independently of the size of the enterprise. The ceiling applies regardless of the form of the aid or its aim.
   
   De minimis aid cumulates only with other de minimis aid, without regard to the aim and amount of the aid granted to any one enterprise. The beneficiary must receive a statement by bodies granting the aid certifying that the public aid granted is a de minimis aid.
   
   De minimis aid can be granted both under an aid scheme or as individual aid. Recovery procedures have been provided for in case of abuse of de minimis aid. The responsibility to ensure that the specified aid ceiling (EUR 100k) is not breached rests with the entrepreneur.
   
   
2. under submeasure 2.2.1 Support to enterprises making new investments financial support for SMEs cannot exceed 45% of eligible project-related expenditure for the city of Warsaw and the city of Poznań poviats, 55% for the city of Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot poviats, and 65% for the rest of Poland’s territory. Fore large enterprises, the level of support cannot exceed 30% of project’s eligible  costs for the city of Warsaw and the city of Poznań poviats, 40% for the city of Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot poviats, and 50% for the rest of Poland’s territory.
   
   NOTE: Support for investment includes:
   
   - investment grant, e.g. for purchase of land or machinery up to a limit of half the maximum public aid intensity as described above. For example, in case of an investment located in an area where aid intensity is 50%, carried out by a large enterprise, the investment grant will be 25%.
   
   - grant for new employment – if applicable – up to the equivalent of EUR 4,000 per job created, where the amount of aid cannot exceed a certain percentage of the wage costs of new employees, calculated over a period of two years, corresponding to maximum aid intensity.
   
   
3. under Measure 2.2.2 Support for internationalisation of enterprises  support will be granted for up to 50% of the project’s eligible costs under the de minimis rule. The aid cannot exceed PLN 20k in case of fairs and exhibitions, and PLN 7.5k for business missions.
   
   
4. under Measure 2.3 Improvement of SMEs competitiveness through investments financial support cannot exceed 30% for the city of Warsaw and the city of Poznań poviats, 40% for the city of Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot poviats, and 50% for the rest of Poland’s territory. The aid cannot be less than  PLN 10k or more than PLN 1,250k.
   
   
5. under Measure 2.4. Support for operations adapting enterprises to environmental protection requirements the aid cannot exceed EUR 5 mln.

Regional aid in the case of SMEs cannot exceed 45% for the city of Warsaw and the city of Poznań poviats, 55% for the city of Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot poviats, and 65% for the rest of Poland’s territory.

Regional aid for large enterprises is 30% of eligible project costs for the city of Warsaw and the city of Poznań poviats, 40% for the city of Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot poviats, and 50% for the rest of Poland’s territory.

Horizontal aid under Measure 2.4 is up to 30% of the project’s eligible costs for all voivodships.

The above measures are subject to the provisions of the Act on the conditions of admissibility and supervision of public aid for entrepreneurs

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