Scope

The following operations shall be eligible for support under the scope of SI2E:

• a) Creation of micro and small businesses or expansion or modernization of micro and small businesses created less than five years ago;
• b) Expansion or modernization of micro and small businesses created more than five years ago.

Eligible Entities

According to Article 7 of SI2E, small and micro businesses are eligible within the scope of the Commission's Recommendation no. 2003/361/EC, of 6 May, concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
This covers any entity which, regardless of its legal form, carries out a business activity through the supply of goods or services on the market, being regarded as such, namely entities that exercise a craft or other activities on an individual or family basis, civil partnerships or associations which regularly exercise a business activity.

Geographic area of implementation

Applications where the place of investment is within the scope of the Coimbra Region NUT III will be considered.

Sectoral scope

Under the terms of Article 5 of SI2E, operations that are part of all business activities are eligible, except those that are part of:

• a) The fishing and aquaculture sector;
• b) The primary agricultural production and forestry sectors;
• c) The processing and trading of agricultural products sector, listed in Annex I to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the processing and trading of forestry products;
• d) Activity diversification projects for farming operations, under the terms of the Partnership Agreement;
• e) Projects that focus on the following activities provided for in the CAE - Rev.3:
• i) Financial and insurance - divisions 64 to 66 of section K;
• ii) Defence - subclass 25402, of Class 2540, of Group 254, Division 25 of Section C; subclass 30400, of Class 3040, of Group 304, Division 30 of Section C; subclass 84220, of Class 8422, of Group 842, Division 84 of Section O;

iii) Lotteries and other betting games — Division 92 of section R.

Projects that include investments arising from obligations set out in concession agreements with the State (Central or Local Administration) are not eligible.
Eligible expenses

Financing rates are calculated for each of the FSE or FEDER components of the application, and apply to each of its operations, in accordance with Article 5 of REISE.

Expenses set out in no. 1 and 2 of Article 10 of SI2E, which concern the FEDER and FSE components of the supported project, respectively, are eligible, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 15 of Decree-Law no. 159/2015, of 27 October.

Expenditure under paragraphs g) to j) of aforementioned paragraph 1 are subject to the following limits, calculated on the basis of the total investment and set out in the notice of invitation to tender.

Please note that only expenses incurred after the date of application are eligible, as per no.3, article 10 of Ordinance SI2E.

Ineligible expenses

Ineligible expenditure are set out in Article 11 of SI2E.

Grant limits and thresholds

In accordance with Article 12 of SI2E, the incentives to be provided are non-repayable grants, with the reimbursement of actually incurred and paid eligible expenses.
Pursuant to no.6, Article 76 of REISE, in conjunction with Article 21 SI2E, the overall amount of FSE and FEDER subsidies to be granted may not exceed the limit of 200 000 euros over a period of three years, per company, in accordance with the minimums framework provided for in the Commission's (EU) Regulation no. 1407/2013, of 18 December, concerning the application of articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union to State aid.

Investment Incentive

Pursuant to no.2, Article 13 of SI2E, ERDF support is determined on the basis of eligible investment approved, by applying a 40 % base rate for investments located in low-density territories or 30 % for investments located in remaining territories.
The following increases will be applied to the aforementioned base rate, up to a maximum of 20 percentage points (20 %):

• a) Projects of the type provided for in paragraph a), Article 6 of SI2E: 10 %;
• b) Projects falling within the priorities relevant to the territories covered by this CAA, as set out below:
• i) Priority A: 10 pp, for projects presenting a highly innovative and differentiating character, within the following sectors: - renewable energies and promotion of energy efficiency - smart and sustainable mobility - tourism - health and life sciences - agrofood industry - traditional sectors – economic valuation of regional products - social economy and education - cultural and creative industries - emerging sectors of regional interest that promote endogeneisation in the knowledge and innovation generated in the scientific system (RDI).
• ii) Priority B: 10 pp, for projects integrated in the Strategic Action Plans for Collective Efficiency - PROVERE; Or projects developed within the defined areas "of the PARU and PAICD."

Employment Incentive

Under the terms of no.2, Article 13 of SI2E, funding for job creation through the FSE, including the creation of own employment, is provided through the full contribution towards the remuneration of jobs created, and has as its monthly limit the amount corresponding to the Social Support Index (IAS, Indexante de Apoio Social), observing the maximum periods defined in paragraph a), no. 3 of aforementioned article 13, namely:

- 9 months, for open-ended employment contracts or self-employment;

- 3 months, for fixed-term employment contracts of a minimum duration of 12 months.

The increases provided for in paragraph b), no.3, Article 13 shall apply to the maximum periods mentioned above, in accordance with the following assumptions:

- 2.5 month increments, with a maximum of 6 months, for each of the following situations:

1. Projects located in low-density territories;
2. Projects for the creation of businesses provided for in paragraph a), Article 6 of SI2E;

• For workers of under-represented gender, as listed in the Annex to the Notice, or for skilled workers within the scope of paragraphs g) and m), respectively, of Article 2, of SI2E.

Limit on number of applications

Each beneficiary may only submit one application, which may integrate two operations relating to each of the Funds (FEDER and/or FSE).

Indicative allocation of the fund to be granted

The overall allocation from the FSE and FEDER Funds to SI2E is EUR 8 million, corresponding to the following indicative allocations, by investment priority:

Result indicators to be achieved

Following a results-oriented approach, the projects to be funded should contribute to the following outcome indicators, as provided for in no.1, Article 73, of the Specific Regulation on Social Inclusion and Employment, for the implementation of the Centre's Regional Operational Programme (Centre 2020) and the Covenant for the Development and Territorial Cohesion of the Coimbra Region:

* Reading this information should not replace a full reading of Ordinance SI2E, the Specific Regulation on Social Inclusion and Employment, in its current wording, nor direct contact with the funds' managing entities (CR IMC, GAL and Centre 2020).