Find success in the Czech Republic with Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovation! Financial Support for Businesses
23.04.2008,
For the period 2007-2013 an allocation of EUR 3,041.31 million has been prepared for the Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovation (OPEI), which represents 11.75% of the total allocation of EU financial resources for the Czech Republic. Applicants can present their projects from the manufacturing industry and related services when individual calls for programmes are announced and opened. An important goal of OPEI is improvement of the Czech Republic’s business environment as one of the key elements of the future successful development of the domestic economy. A dynamic business environment creates conditions for successful start-ups and development of competitive firms that create new jobs and strengthen the country’s economic and social cohesion.
Some programmes are available only to small and medium-sized enterprises, while others also provide support to large enterprises. Funding comes partly from the European Regional and Development Fund (85% of the total allocation) and partly from the state budget (15%) of the Czech Republic. Programmes are classified according to individual priority axes, the majority of which are administered by CzechInvest, whereas three of them are managed by the Czech-Moravian Guarantee and Development Bank (for more information on these programmes, please visit www.cmzrb.cz).
Five new calls have been announced this year on the Ministry of Industry and Trade and CzechInvest websites. Receipt of Registration Applications for the majority of these calls will begin on 1 March 2008. Applicants must first register via the eAccount internet application, which enable the submission of projects online. The online 24-hour access reduces the administrative burden and makes the process of handling subsidy applications more efficient. Applicants must first establish a master account through which individual projects can then be created. All necessary information and documents related to grant applications are submitted electronically through eAccount. However, every document must be electronically signed and it is therefore necessary that applicants have an electronic signature. Instructions for creating a master account in the eAccount application can be found at www.czechinvest.org. The application is currently only available in Czech.
Since preparing individual projects for grant applications can be relatively time-consuming, a high-quality business plan is a fundamental key to success, as is the applicant’s ability to implement and finance the project. Once the business plan is prepared on the CzechInvest and Ministry of Industry and Trade websites, information on possible support from the programmes as well as the currently open calls can be obtained.
Every call specifies the basic conditions pertaining to the particular call. Some conditions are the same for all programmes as they are derived from European rules for regional policy. An example of such a condition is that projects implemented in Prague cannot be supported. Projects also must not violate the European horizontal policies and their basic principles, particularly equal opportunities for men and women and sustainable development. One very important condition is the financial health of the applicant. Upon submission of the Registration Application, the applicant must also submit financial data for the past two years (two closed accounting periods), base on which rating evaluation is then calculated. All applicants must have at least a C+ evaluation. Other eligibility conditions are further specified in individual calls.
Michala Hartová, CzechInvest
Some programmes are available only to small and medium-sized enterprises, while others also provide support to large enterprises. Funding comes partly from the European Regional and Development Fund (85% of the total allocation) and partly from the state budget (15%) of the Czech Republic. Programmes are classified according to individual priority axes, the majority of which are administered by CzechInvest, whereas three of them are managed by the Czech-Moravian Guarantee and Development Bank (for more information on these programmes, please visit www.cmzrb.cz).
Five new calls have been announced this year on the Ministry of Industry and Trade and CzechInvest websites. Receipt of Registration Applications for the majority of these calls will begin on 1 March 2008. Applicants must first register via the eAccount internet application, which enable the submission of projects online. The online 24-hour access reduces the administrative burden and makes the process of handling subsidy applications more efficient. Applicants must first establish a master account through which individual projects can then be created. All necessary information and documents related to grant applications are submitted electronically through eAccount. However, every document must be electronically signed and it is therefore necessary that applicants have an electronic signature. Instructions for creating a master account in the eAccount application can be found at www.czechinvest.org. The application is currently only available in Czech.
Since preparing individual projects for grant applications can be relatively time-consuming, a high-quality business plan is a fundamental key to success, as is the applicant’s ability to implement and finance the project. Once the business plan is prepared on the CzechInvest and Ministry of Industry and Trade websites, information on possible support from the programmes as well as the currently open calls can be obtained.
Every call specifies the basic conditions pertaining to the particular call. Some conditions are the same for all programmes as they are derived from European rules for regional policy. An example of such a condition is that projects implemented in Prague cannot be supported. Projects also must not violate the European horizontal policies and their basic principles, particularly equal opportunities for men and women and sustainable development. One very important condition is the financial health of the applicant. Upon submission of the Registration Application, the applicant must also submit financial data for the past two years (two closed accounting periods), base on which rating evaluation is then calculated. All applicants must have at least a C+ evaluation. Other eligibility conditions are further specified in individual calls.
POTENTIAL PROGRAMME – CALL II
The second call of the Potential Programme was launched on 2 January 2008 and this time it also applies to large enterprises. Within this programme, support can be obtained for investment in the establishment or expansion of development centres (departments) aimed at research, development and innovation of products and technologies. Such centres should contribute to the introduction of technologically new or improved products, product lines, production processes and technologies. However, there must be a realistic expectation that the given centre’s results will be used in production. The most important condition of the project’s eligibility is minimum investment in the amount of CZK 5 million (CZK 10 million for large enterprises). Unlike other programmes, a newly created Czech entity can apply for support under the condition that the financial health of the entity (entities) having a controlling interest in the applicant is evaluated.ICT AND BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES - CALL I
The first call of the ICT and Business Support Services Programme is also opened to large enterprises. Creation and development of IS/IT solutions and applications (SW development), shared services centres, customer contact centres and high-tech repair centres for products and technologies are activities supported within this programme. The most important conditions for project eligibility include the creation of a minimum number of new jobs depending on the type of activity and the size of the enterprise. Furthermore, a minimum investment amount of up to CZK 5 million is required. Also for this programme, the condition pertaining to the financial health of the applicant can be fulfilled in the case of newly created entities by the entity (entities) having a controlling interest in the applicant.REAL ESTATE – CALL I
The first call of the Real Estate Programme, which is open to enterprises of any size, supports preparation of industrial zones, renovation of buildings and, to some extent, construction of rental buildings in the manufacturing sector or business support services and technology centres. Costs relating to, for example, project documentation, purchase price of property, land preparation, construction and renovation of business properties, demolitions of unused buildings or technical and transportation infrastructure are classified as eligible for support under this call. However, the users of the property must operate in the manufacturing industry, business support services or technology centres sector. A property that is eligible for support must be under the ownership of the beneficiary. Enterprises with two years’ history of business activity can apply within this programme. Projects must be in compliance with the land-use plan.TRAINING CENTRES – CALL I
Within this programme, companies can apply for subsidies relating to investment in the construction, renovation, acquisition or equipment of training centres or training rooms. The aim of the programme is to support entities that strive to create a quality background for education. However, there is the condition that the majority of employees educated in training centres must be those of companies operating in fields precisely defined in the call. Support can be obtained for costs associated with, for example, the purchase or modification of property, construction or renovation of buildings, technical and transport infrastructure, project documentation, training tools, machinery and equipment and intangible assets.INNOVATION – PROJECTS FOR PROTECTION OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY RIGHTS - CALL I
This programme supports and contributes to the protection of intangible assets. Within the first call of this programme, a subsidy in the maximum amount of CZK 300 thousand can be obtained for acquisition of patents, utility models, industrial designs and protected trademarks (only abroad). For this particular call, only small and medium-sized enterprises and natural persons, public research institutes and universities can apply. However, prior to submitting the application at the relevant national or international industrial property office, it is necessary to submit the subsidy application.Michala Hartová, CzechInvest