The Public Expenditure allocated to the Action amounts to €15,000,000 and is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union and by National Resources, under the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) (Regulation No 651/2014).

The eligible subsidized budget for each investment project should be proportionate to the proposed research activity and may range from €50,000 to €300,000 or reach up to €400,000 in cases where two companies or more are involved.

It is a prerequisite that the total budget of businesses accounts for at least 30% of the total project budget and each business must actively contribute to the project, with a minimum participation of at least 15% of the total budget.
Each prospective Beneficiary may submit an investment proposal with a budget exceeding the maximum subsidized amount. In this case, although the excess cost will not be subsidized, the entire investment proposal will be subject to evaluation and monitoring-control and the entire excess cost should be covered exclusively through private participation.

• Businesses: 

Existing micro, small, medium-sized, and large enterprises that have an active business activity code (KAD) relevant to the subject of the research proposal, and operate exclusively in one of the following forms:
Sole Proprietorship, General Partnership (O.E.), Limited Partnership (E.E.), Limited Partnership (E.E.) by Shares, Limited Liability Company (Ltd.), Single-Member Limited Liability Company (M.E.P.E.), Special Transport Company Ltd., Société Anonyme (S.A.), Single-Member Société Anonyme (M.A.E.), Private Capital Company (I.K.E.), Single Member Private Capital Company (MIKE), Social Cooperative Enterprise under Law 4430/2016 as in force (KOINSEP), Limited Liability Social Cooperative (KOI.S.P.E.), Civil Profit Company, Agricultural Cooperative, Civil Profit Company, Pleasure Craft Marine Company (NEPA), Agricultural Cooperative, Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, Central Cooperative Association (KESE), Joint Venture of Agricultural Cooperative Organisations, Energy Communities, Civil Law Profit Organization, Civil Law Non-Profit Organization (A.M.K.E), other Legal Entity under Private Law (N.P.I.D.); and

• Research Institutions:

Research Institutions may participate as Partners within the framework of collaborative cooperation schemes.
These institutions may include Higher Education Institutions, Research Centres and Institutes, Technological Institutions, and University Research Institutes, regardless of their legal status (public or private law) or funding method, whose primary purpose is education, the independent conduct of basic research, industrial research, or experimental development, as well as the broad dissemination of research outcomes through teaching, publications, or knowledge transfer.

• Other Bodies:

Entities classified as “Other Bodies” and treated as Research Institutions may also participate as Partners within collaborative cooperation schemes, provided they complement the participation of at least one enterprise and one Research Institution, where deemed necessary for the pursuit of the project’s objectives.
Such entities may include: Public services of the central administration, Legal Entities under Public Law, Legal Entities under Private Law, or Public Benefit Foundations governed by Law 4182/2013.
Basic Prerequisite:
These legal entities must either be active or plan to become active in the Region of Epirus. In addition, they must undertake a research project (in the form of Industrial Research or Experimental Development) that falls within at least one of the regional specialization areas identified in the National Smart Specialization Strategy 2021–2027 (ESEE), as follows:

• Material – Construction and Industry 
• Tourism – Culture – Creative Industries
• Agri-food supply chain 
• Environment – Cyclical Economy 
• Biosciences – Health and Medicines 
• Sustainable Energy 
• Digital Technologies

Businesses:

• Large enterprises may participate in the Action only in collaborative projects in which it is absolutely necessary that at least one SME participates;
• Each business may submit only one (1) research project as the Coordinating Body/Lead Partner, but may participate in up to three (3) research projects in total, either as Lead Partner or Partner;
• They must actively contribute to the core activities of the research project, and may not participate solely in the provision of advisory or ancillary services. The necessity of each enterprise's participation must be clearly substantiated;
• They must have completed at least one full financial year prior to the proposal submission date, as demonstrated by their published financial statements or official tax records for 2024;
• They must maintain single or double-entry account books;
• They must not be subject to bankruptcy proceedings, liquidation or compulsory administration;
• They must not qualify as “undertakings in difficulty”, as per applicable EU regulations;
• They must not be subject to an order for the clawback of aid, following a prior decision of the European Commission, declaring aid unlawful and incompatible with the internal market;
• The proposed project or activity must not have commenced prior to the submission of the aid application under this call;
• The investment plans of businesses must include a distinct physical scope and expenditure, which has not been previously funded or included under any other programme financed by national or EU resources.

Research Organizations:

• Separate accounting records must be maintained for the specific project, as well as for the non-economic and (if applicable) economic activities of the organization.
• Participation in the cooperative scheme must not result in indirect state aid to participating companies through favorable cooperation terms.

Other Bodies:

• Their primary activities must not be financial in nature, in accordance with the European Commission’s Communication on the “Framework for State aid for research and development and innovation” (2022/C 7388, OJ C 2022/C 414/01).
• There is a provision for research activity in the Articles of Association of the institution.
• The participation of the institution in the research project concerns non-economic activity of the Institution and:
  • The research results of the specific project will be widely disseminated on a non-exclusive and non-discriminatory basis, for example through teaching, databases, publications or open access software, and
  • Any profits arising from the project will be reinvested in the non-economic activities of the institution.
  • Separate accounting records must be maintained for the specific project, as well as for the non-economic and (if applicable) economic activities of the organization.
  • Participation in the specific cooperative scheme must not result in indirect state aid to participating companies through favorable cooperation terms.

The main expenses covered by the Program relate to:

• Researchers and technical staff who are directly employed for the purposes of the project.

This includes personnel under permanent or fixed-term contracts, or project-specific leasing agreements, provided their roles are clearly linked to the implementation of the project.

• A flat rate of 40% is applied to cover all other eligible project-related expenses, including:
  • Costs for instruments and equipment;
  • Costs for buildings and facilities;
  • Costs for patents purchased or licensed from outside sources at arm's length conditions, as well as costs of consultancy and equivalent services used exclusively for the project;
  • Additional overheads and other operating expenses.

  The eligible costs are detailed in the Call File.

Research Institutions, as well as entities treated as such under the provisions of this Action, are not subject to State aid rules and may receive funding of up to 100%, provided that all applicable conditions are met.
For businesses, the aid intensity depending on the type of research activity, type of Body, and whether the project is carried out in cooperation with other entities, is outlined in the following table:

Type of Body/Category of Action	Aid Rates
	Large enterprises	Medium-sized enterprises	Small and micro enterprises
Article 25 “Aid for research and development”
Industrial Research	Up to 50%	Up to 60%	Up to 70%
Industrial Research under Conditions	Up to 65%	Up to 75%	Up to 80%
Experimental Development	Up to 25%	Up to 35%	Up to 45%
Experimental Development under Conditions	Up to 40%	Up to 50%	Up to 60%