REMINDER - SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR BUSINESS COMPANIES FOR EXPORT PROMOTION IN 2023

DEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF SERBIA, by implementing this program, decided to support the improvement of the export potential of domestic companies, the improvement of their competitiveness and existing production capacities with the aim of increasing income from the export of selected production activities, balancing the balance of payments and improving the reputation of the Republic of Serbia in the international business community, as well as increasing the placement of domestic products on foreign markets.

DURATION OF THE PUBLIC CALL - DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

The public call was published on December 28, 2023, and applications for participation in the Program can be submitted no later than March 27, 2024.

AVAILABLE FUNDS

For the implementation of this program, a budget in the amount of 150,000,000.00 RSD.

Grants can be allocated to finance justified costs related to the implementation of activities within at least two different intervention measures.

Available funds are approved by contract to the Beneficiaries, by awarding state aid in a total amount that cannot exceed 10,000,000.00 RSD.

TERMS FOR PARTICIPATION

This program supports companies that carry out production and/or processing within the following activities:

• production of food products (primary agricultural production, canning of fresh fruit, nuts or vegetables, meat, poultry and fish products by freezing, as well as the production of sliced ​​and cleaned fruit and slaughterhouses are not supported by this Program);
• production of beverages (except mineral and other bottled water);
• production of metal products, except machines and devices (except for the production of weapons and ammunition);
• production of electrical equipment;
• production of computers, electronic and optical products;
• production of unmentioned machines and unmentioned equipment;
• production of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers;
• production of other means of transport;
• production of rubber and products plastics;
• production of pesticides and chemicals for agriculture
• production of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, graphic paints and putties;
• production of detergents, soaps and other cleaning agents, polishes, perfumes and toilet preparations;
• production of furniture;
• production of clothing;
• production of leather and articles of skin.

The right to participate and use grants is for companies that meet the following conditions:

• General conditions:

1. that the Applicant is registered in the appropriate register of business companies at the time of submitting the application, as well as that he is registered in the APR no later than January 1, 2020;

2. that the participation of capital in the public property of the Applicant is below the prescribed threshold of significant participation in the sense of the law governing companies;

3. that the Applicant has settled the due obligations on the basis of taxes and contributions;

4. that the Applicant is not in difficulties in accordance with the rules for granting state aid;

5. that the Applicant is not related to the buyer or potential buyer.

• Special conditions:

Technical capacity:

1. that the Applicant has a valid certificate of the ISO 9001 quality system, i.e. a valid certificate of the implemented HACCP food safety system in case the Applicant is engaged in the production of food products and the production of beverages.

Note: If the Applicant does not possess a valid certificate of the implemented quality system ISO 9001, i.e. HACCP, he has the option of being approved for participation in the Program, by applying for intervention and approval in addition to other measures grants for the implementation of this intervention measure for the implementation and certification of the ISO 9001 or HACCP quality system.

Business capacities:

1. that the Applicant is engaged in production and/or processing within the framework of production activities supported by the Program, namely:

- production of final products intended for end consumers;

- and/or production of product components that are integrated in an unchanged form into finished products intended for end consumers.

Staff capacity:

1. that the Applicant has a minimum of 15 employed persons, on the day of publication of the Public Call, according to CROSO records.

Financial capacities:

1. that during the 2022 business year, the Applicant generated income from the sale of products in the amount of no less than 35,000,000.00 dinars - AOP Income Statement item 1005 Income from the sale of products and services;

2. that the share of the Applicant's income from the sale of products in the Business income from sales (which for the purpose of this Program is considered as the sum of positions AOP 1002 - Income from the sale of goods and AOP 1005 Income from the sale of products and services) is greater than or equal to 50% in 2022;

3. that in the course of 2022, the Applicant achieved income from exports based on the sale of products of at least 12,000,000.00 dinars - AOP Income Statement item 1007 Income from the sale of products and services on the foreign market;

4. that the value of fixed assets, obtained as the difference between positions AOP 0009 (Real estate, plants and equipment) and AOP 0012 (Investment real estate) of the individual or consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2022. in the business year of the Applicant, is not less than 35,000,000.00 dinars;

5. that no previous bankruptcy proceedings have been initiated against the Applicant, no bankruptcy proceedings have been opened, no reorganization proceedings have been initiated or no liquidation proceedings have been initiated.

PURPOSE AND AMOUNT OF GRANT FUNDS

Supported intervention measures

This Program supports the financing of justified costs incurred in the implementation of activities within the following intervention measures:

1. Consulting support for the needs of creating a development strategy for market positioning

Grant funds within this intervention measure for the specified activity can be awarded in the amount of up to 60% of the value of justified costs for the activity in question, in an amount that cannot exceed RSD 2,000,000.00.

2. Consultancy support for export marketing activities

2.1 Development of a marketing plan;

2.2 Development of a conceptual solution/draft design and redesign of one or more products, packaging and packaging in order to adapt to the requirements of the target market;

2.3 Adaptation of a website for online sales or the purchase of a new platform intended for electronic commerce.

Grants within this intervention measure for the listed activities within this intervention measure can be allocated in the amount up to 60% of the value of the justified costs for the activity in question, whereby the amount at the level of the measure cannot exceed RSD 2,000,000.00.

3. Entering the target market and improving its position

3.1 Obtaining attestation, homologation, certification of products and production processes required for product placement on the target market;

3.2 Listing of one or more products in trade chains;

3.3 Listing of one or more products in global online stores or specialized online stores;

3.4 Implementation and certification/recertification of the system quality management ISO 9001 or HACCP, in case the Applicant is engaged in the production of food products and the production of beverages.

Grant funds within the scope of this intervention measure for the specified activities within the scope of this intervention measure can be allocated in the amount of up to 50% of the value of the justified costs for the activity in question, whereby the amount at the level of the measure cannot exceed RSD 2,000,000.00.

4. Consulting support for the improvement of export capabilities (conducting one or more trainings with the aim of acquiring knowledge related to sales on the foreign market)

Grant funds within the framework of this intervention measure for the specified activity can be allocated in the amount of up to 50% of the value of the justified costs for the activity in question, in an amount that cannot exceed RSD 1,000,000.00.

5. Independent exhibition at international fairs and business meetings

5.1 Independent exhibition at one or more international fairs;

5.2 Visit to a customer or distributor as part of the company's mission;

5.3 Participation in one or more online fairs, webinars and events).

Grants under this intervention measure can be awarded for the specified activities within this intervention measure in the amount up to 50% of the value of the justified costs for the activity in question, whereby the amount at the measure level cannot exceed RSD 3,000,000.00.

6. Improvement of production capacity

6.1 Analysis of the justification for the procurement of equipment;

6.2 Procurement of equipment, up to three years of age, counting by the time of publication of the Public Call.

For this intervention measure, grants are approved for the cumulative implementation of both activities, i.e. the applicant is obliged to report both activities simultaneously.

Grants within the scope of this intervention measure for the specified activity can be awarded in the amount up to 40% of the value of justified costs for the activity in question, in an amount that cannot exceed RSD 5,000,000.00.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are submitted electronically, by creating a user account at the link: https://prijave.ras.gov.rs/izvoz.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM

In connection with the procedure for the implementation of the Program of Support to Businesses for the Promotion of Exports in 2023, the terms and conditions related to its implementation, we invite you to take a detailed look Instructions for the implementation of the Program of Support to Businesses for the Promotion of Exports in 2023 .

APPLICATION DOCUMENTATION:

Mandatory documentation:

1. Form 1 - Program application form submitted electronically on the Agency's Portal;

2. Form 2 - Statement confirming submission of Form 1, fulfillment and acceptance of conditions for participation in the Program (issued under full material and criminal liability);

3. Form 3/Form 3a - Statement that the Applicant and his legal representatives have not been convicted of economic crimes and crimes against the economy;

4. A copy of the certificate of the competent authority of the tax administration that the Applicant has settled all due obligations on the basis of taxes and contributions, not older than one month from the date of submission of the Application;

5. An electronic copy of a valid certificate of the ISO 9001 quality system issued by a certification body accredited by ATS, or in the case that the Applicant is involved in the production of food products and beverages, submits an electronic copy of a valid certificate of the HACCP food safety system issued by a certification body accredited by ATS (certificates are submitted by Applicants who have implemented quality systems, in case they do not at the time of application, they have the option to apply for the activity under point 3.4 within the measure of intervention under order number 3 and how they could be approved for participation in the Program);

6. Agreement with the organizer of the international fair (General Terms and Conditions) (exclusively if the Applicant applies for the activity under point 5.1. within the intervention measure under order number 5);

7. Proof of the existence of a commercial relationship with the customer on the target market (exclusively if the Applicant is applying for the intervention measure under serial number 6).

Additional documentation:

1. Analytical gross balance, through a credible certified statement on the applicant's letterhead (If, based on a narrower set of forms, it is not possible to determine the fulfillment of the financial capacities defined in the section Special conditions/Financial capacities under points 1., 2. 3. and 4.);

2. Statement on the course of the production and distribution process within the group, on the basis of which it is possible to determine which member of the group produces and which distributes the products, the connection scheme within the group, as well as a statement on the existence of the obligation to implement financial consolidation or exemption from the obligation to implement financial consolidation (If the Applicant applies for participation in the Program as a group, i.e. as a parent company or subsidiary within the group, which performs the activity of manufacturing and selling products from supported sectors, externally, to an unrelated person for the purpose of proving the fulfillment of the Financial capacities defined in the section Special conditions/Financial capacities under points 1, 2, 3 and 4);

3. Agreement on the confidentiality of information signed with the electronic signature of the legal representative of the Applicant.

CONSTITUENT PART OF THIS PROGRAM WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION, ACTS AND THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS AND FORMS:

• Instructions for implementing the Program

1. Form 1 - Application form;

2. Form 2 - Statement confirming submission of Form 1, fulfillment and acceptance of conditions for participation in the Program (issued under full material and criminal liability);

3. Form 3/Form 3a - Statement that the Applicant and his legal representatives have not been convicted of economic offenses and crimes against the economy;

4. Form 4 - Plan of interventions;

5. Form 5 - Request for payment of approved grants;

6. 7. Instructions for verification of approved intervention measures.