The main objective of the 'Research in Epirus' action is to promote collaborations and partnerships between businesses and research organizations and to support existing businesses that operate or will operate in the Region of Epirus, investing in research and innovation, for the development of competitive innovative products and/or services that they plan to market, as well as/or innovative processes and procedures in the production of their products. Each business can participate in the action either individually, or in collaboration with other businesses, or in collaboration with Research Organizations and/or other businesses, in the following ways:
- by businesses (individual businesses or business collaborations) which can implement such actions with their research departments, or
- through the possibility of forming collaborative schemes of business cooperation with appropriate Research Organizations within the framework of medium-term research consortia. A prerequisite is that the total budget of the businesses must be greater than or equal to 30% of the total project budget.
Beneficiaries who can receive public funding under this call are:
- Businesses (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Large Enterprises)
- Research and Knowledge Dissemination Organizations / Research Organizations
- Other Bodies treated as Research Organizations
The total Public Expenditure of the Action amounts to €15,000,000.
The subsidized budget of each research project should be proportional to the intended research subject and can range from €50,000 to €300,000 or up to €400,000 if 2 or more businesses participate.
A prerequisite is that the total budget of the businesses must be greater than or equal to 30% of the total project budget, and each business must have substantial participation in the project with at least 15% of the total budget.
The aid intensity for businesses amounts to up to 80% of the subsidized budget and 100% for Research Organizations/Research and Knowledge Dissemination Organizations and Other Bodies treated as research organizations.
- 01- Materials - Construction and Industry
- 02- Tourism - Culture - Creative Industries
- 03- Agri-food Chain
- 04- Environment - Circular Economy
- 05- Biosciences - Health and Pharmaceuticals
- Sustainable Energy
- 08- Digital Technologies
The planned action must meet the incentive character, and for this purpose, the implementation of the research project to be supported must not have started before the submission of the funding application by the Beneficiaries under this call. Otherwise, the entire research project becomes ineligible for funding.
- Direct costs for personnel remuneration: Researchers and technicians to the extent that they are directly employed in the project
- Uniform Rate for Calculating Eligible Project Costs (40%) of personnel costs without submitting corresponding supporting documents (e.g., depreciation costs of instruments, equipment, buildings and land, contract research costs, additional overheads, and other operating costs)
- A business can submit one (1) and only one research project as a Coordinating Body/Lead Partner, while it can participate in a total of up to three (3) research projects (Lead Partner/Partner)
- To have completed at least one annual financial year by the date of submission of their proposal, as presented in their published balance sheets or appearing in their official tax data for 2024
- To keep single-entry or double-entry accounting books
- Large enterprises can participate in the Action only in collaborative projects, which must include at least one small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
- To contribute to the core activities of the research project (core activities) and not to the provision of ancillary/consulting services, and only if the necessity of each participant's involvement is justified.
- Not to be undertakings in difficulty
- The work or activity must not have started before the submission of the aid application
- The requested total budget of each business in a funding application cannot exceed 100% of the highest turnover achieved in one of the three (or fewer if the business does not have three) accounting periods, of the year preceding the submission of the Funding Application, as derived from its published balance sheets or equivalent financial data
- To operate legally, possessing the appropriate licensing document, in accordance with current legislation for their supported activity (e.g., operating license)
- The Aid Scheme is defined by Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 (GBER)
- The evaluation of funding applications is "comparative"
The implementation period for the submitted research project proposals must not exceed 30 months from the date of electronic notification of the final approval of the funding application, with the possibility of a 6-month extension, upon justified documentation by the beneficiaries and its competent approval by the Managing Authority/Intermediate Body.
The electronic submission date for research proposals to the Integrated State Aid Information System (OPSKE) is set for July 21, 2025, at 1:00 PM and the deadline is October 30, 2025, at 3:00 PM.
To learn about the intensity, aid amounts, eligible expenses, and for any other information, do not hesitate to contact us, so that an experienced associate can guide you according to your needs.
