MINIMIS AIDS AIMING AT INCREASING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

A new minimis aids scheme, aiming at increasing the energy efficiency of companies active in the industry sector has entered into force on 26 April 2017, further to the publication in Official Journal no. 298 of Order no. 2587 as of 26 March 2017.

This aid scheme will be applicable until 31 December 2020 and its total budged is estimated at 14,103,529 Euros.

Eligible beneficiaries and projects

This scheme’s beneficiaries are companies with an energy consumption of over 1,000 toe/year (Tonne of oil equivalent), active in the sectors provided at Section B – Extractive industry and Section C – Processing industry, as defined by the CAEN Rev 2 Classification (the Classification of Activities in the National Economy). Such activities are: extraction of coal, oil, minerals, sand, stones, salt, meat production and processing, vegetable and fruit processing and preservation, production of oils and fats, production of dairy products and cheeses, manufacture of bread, pasta, beverages, wines, textile fibres, wood processing or manufacture of furniture etc.

As an example, this scheme does not apply to companies active in fields such as: fishing and aquaculture, primary production of agricultural products, processing and sale of agricultural products (but only in certain conditions, in this latter case).

Eligible projects must include the implementation of energy consumption monitoring systems for industrial consumers. Furthermore, projects must be implemented in certain regions of Romania that are specifically provided in the Order: West, North-West, North-East, South-East etc. Projects implemented in the Bucharest-Ilfov region are excluded.

Eligibility conditions

To benefit from this minimis aid scheme, beneficiaries must cumulatively fulfil certain conditions, among which:

They must be incorporated in Romania, in compliance with Law no. 31/1990 on companies;

Upon submission of their funding application, thy must be doing business in the sectors mentioned above and on Romanian territory;

They must be financially healthy, they must not be subject to an insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy proceeding, they must have paid all their taxes and social security contributions to the State budget etc.;

If the beneficiary has already received minimis aids, the amount of such aids, together with the financial allocation granted under this scheme must not exceed the equivalent in Lei of 200,000 Euros (for 3 consecutive years, including the 2 previous fiscal years and the current fiscal year).

Eligible activities are:

Acquisition of energy consumption monitoring systems for industrial platforms;

Project preparation (elaboration of studies, permitting etc.);

Project management, project audit;

Information and publicity for the project.

Amount of the minimis aid

Under this scheme, minimis aids are granted under the form of a non-refundable grant.

The total maximum value of minimis aids that can be granted to an applicant for 3 consecutive years (the 2 previous fiscal years and the current fiscal year), cumulated with the value of the financial allocation already granted, cannot exceed the equivalent in Lei of 200,000 Euros.

The estimated maximum number of beneficiaries of this minimis aid scheme is 70 companies.