The action "New Opportunity: supporting unemployed and employed people to start a business in Epirus",

is funded by the Programme "Epirus 2021-2027" and in particular under Priority 4B "Strengthening social cohesion and human resources", under the specific Objective ESO4.1 'Improving access to employment and activation measures for all jobseekers, in particular young people, in particular through the implementation of guarantees for youth, the long-term unemployed and disadvantaged groups in the labour market, and for economically inactive people, as well as through the promotion of self-employment and the social economy'.

Basic information:

1. The total public expenditure of the actions amounts to 3.500.000€It is co-financed by the European Social Fund + (ESF+) of the European Union and by National Resources, in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2831 (de minimis) on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid.
2. The main objective of the action is support for unemployed and employed people in economic and employment insecurity, aged up to 55 years, for starting a business activity, preferably related to their area of expertise, as self-employed or self-employed persons.
3. The call concerns two distinct sub-actions:

Sub-Action 1: Creation of new businesses in the context of the implementation of the Overseas Development Strategy

The sub-action contributes to the OCHE "Journey to Ancient Theaters, Nature and Culture in Epirus". It concerns exclusively the areas:

• North Pindos: Municipality of Konitsa
• South Pindos: Municipalities of North Tzoumerka and Central Tzoumerka
• Souliou - Acheron area: Municipal Units of Souliou and Acheron of the Municipality of Souliou

Sub-Action 2: Creation of new businesses under the regional dimension of the ESME

The sub-action focuses on the Sectors of the regional dimension of the National Smart Specialization Strategy 2021-2027 (NSS), which are:

• Materials - Construction and Industry
• Tourism - Culture - Creative Industries
• Agri-Food Chain
• Environment - Circular Economy
• Life Sciences – Health and Medicine
• Sustainable Energy
• Digital Technologies

4. The beneficiaries of the action are:

- legal persons or traders, i.e. any entity, irrespective of its legal form, which carries out an economic activity, while Beneficiaries are natural persons participating in the action as self-employed or self-employed persons. It should be noted that the establishment of cooperative schemes (companies) which will involve more than one beneficiary.

5. The Beneficiaries must:

• At the date of application they are either unemployed (registered in the Unemployment Register of the Public Employment Service) or employed (full-time, part-time or seasonal).
• Participate in the action as self-employed or freelance, i.e. they must not have a dependent employment relationship with an employer (e.g. full-time or part-time employment contract of indefinite duration, fixed-term employment contract) and must be employed exclusively by the funded entity throughout the implementation of the investment project.
• The income for the tax year 2024 should not exceed, depending on their family situation, 22,000€ for individual income or 35,000€ for family income.
• The age at the date of submission of the proposal must not exceed 55 years.
• Male Beneficiaries must have fulfilled or been legally discharged from their military obligations.
• Participate in only one start-up and submit only one proposal for funding
• Only for sub-Action 2 (enterprises in the context of the regional dimension of the ESEE) have at least a vocational specialisation, education and training degree at level 5 (awarded to graduates of the apprenticeship class of the VET schools) after certification and the qualification of study/training must be relevant to the activity (KAU) of the enterprise being set up. In the case of cooperative schemes, the condition must apply to at least one of the beneficiaries.

6. The Beneficiaries must:

• Legal entities must be an enterprise in the process of being established. Under-establishment means enterprises which will be set up by the beneficiaries of the action to start a professional activity and which will start their activity after the date of the final submission of their application for the action.
• In cooperative schemes, all partners must be beneficiaries of the action, each partner must participate in the enterprise with at least 30% shares and have draft articles of association signed by all of them.
• Start a business activity in a single business establishment within the Region of Epirus and within the eligible area for Sub-Action 1 (one place of business establishment, without branches).
• Start a business in a separate business premises and not co-locate with another business. It should be noted that the establishment of the business in organised business accommodation is permitted.
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7. The eligible costs are:

• Personnel expenses
• Expenditure on equipment, means of transport & instruments
• Expenditure on Buildings, Grounds, Facilities & Environment
• Expenses for the Provision of Services
• Operating Expenditure
• Software Expenses
• Advertising, Promotion & Networking Expenditure
• Indirect costs: 7% on the eligible direct costs of the investment project.

8. The subsidised budget of each investment proposal of a potential aid beneficiary can range from 10.000€ to 50.000€ or 60.000€ in the case of cooperating schemes.

9. The public expenditure per action is broken down as follows:

10. The funding rate will vary between 70%-90% of the subsidised budget.
11. The duration of the projects is up to eighteen (18) months, while the financing of jobs, rental of business premises, leasing of vehicles is for a period of up to twelve (12) months.

12. The evaluation of funding applications is comparative.