The fourth quarter of 2017 is the estimated date of issue of the call for the action "Exploitation of Business Experience - Business Restart" which concerns the establishment of new businesses by unemployed people over 45 years old.

PURPOSE

The Action "Exploitation of Business Experience - Business Restart" concerns the creation of new businesses by unemployed people over 45 years old. In particular, it provides a framework of new business opportunities for unemployed people who have previously developed an entrepreneurial activity or have significant professional experience to do so, contributing to their reintegration into the labour market as well as exploiting the knowledge capital that these individuals possess.

60% of the approved projects will be in the manufacturing sector.

CAUSES OF ACTION

• The funding of modern entrepreneurial activities with clear orientations, emerging from and aligned with the priorities and strategic objectives of the ERDF and with more general European and/or international developments for the target group "unemployed people over 45 years old with previous entrepreneurial/professional experience".
• The revitalisation of entrepreneurial activity by tapping into the entrepreneurial skills and expertise of experienced business executives from industrial production and manufacturing or other related sectors.
• Reducing unemployment in the critical pre-retirement age groups (45 years and over), which have, however, particularly high levels of accumulated work experience and know-how

POTENTIAL BENEFICIARIES

The potential beneficiaries of the Action should be Unemployed persons registered in the unemployment registers of the OAED at the time of application and at the date of the start of their business activity, who will establish a business (or will be a major shareholder of a business) and will not acquire a paid employment relationship throughout the implementation of the business plan and who in the past:

• have participated in enterprises either in a self-employed capacity or as founding members of enterprises, or
• have at least 5 years of proven professional experience in relation to the subject matter of the business plan they are seeking to implement.

ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURE

The eligible costs of the supported business plans will include:

1)electromechanical and laboratory equipment
2)Building interventions - Small-scale interior design
3)Depreciation of fixed assets / equipment leasing (using a flexibility clause)
4)Purchase/financial leasing of mechanical and laboratory equipment
5)Operating costs (e.g. rent of business premises, electricity, fixed and mobile business telephone, water supply, heating, other common costs, costs of accommodation in incubators, etc.)
6)expenditure on third-party fees (legal, consultancy, accounting, incubator services, drafting and monitoring of business plans and vocational training, etc.)
7)Expenditure on promotion and participation in exhibitions
8)Insurance contributions of the beneficiary (entrepreneur/partners)
9)Salary costs for new post(s) (NCE)
10)Costs of preparation, submission, registration or renewal for a recognised industrial or intellectual property title, branding, product/service design.
11)Green development and eco-innovation actions
12)Expenditure on ICT applications - digital economy.

RATE OF GRANT

The Action supports business plans with an investment budget of between €15,000 and €60,000. The period for the implementation of the expenditure is up to twenty-four (24) months from the date of the decision to integrate the business plan.

The average aid rate for business plans is 65%.