From State Employment Service (DYPA) a call for proposals was launched for the action “Program for providing business initiatives for the employment of 3220 young freelancers aged 30 to 45 years in less developed regions and in the region of Western Macedonia with a focus on the digital economy.” The action is co-financed by Greece and the European Union under the Operational Program “Human Resource Development, Education and Lifelong Learning 2014-2020” with a total budget of 47,656,000 euros.

According to the published invitation, the purpose of the action is to promote the employment of the unemployed through their support for the creation of new enterprises. The emphasis will be on businesses actively participating in the digital economy. KAD related to the digital economy sector are detailed in the published invitation. In particular, the action concerns:

– 3,000 new businesses established by former unemployed people aged 30-45 from 01/01/2022 in the less developed regions of the country (regions of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Central Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly and Western Greece) and

– 220 new enterprises, respectively, created by former unemployed people aged 30-45 from 01/01/2022 in the region of Western Macedonia. The region of Western Macedonia was chosen due to the delignitization of the region and as a pilot project for the expanded implementation of the action in the rest of the transitional regions of the country.

The published announcement of the action identifies as “potential beneficiaries” beneficiaries young self-employed/entrepreneurs (unemployed before starting a new business) between the ages of 30 and 45 who apply for funding that includes a business offer plan. Beneficiaries, prior to submitting an online application for share funding, must collectively fulfill the following conditions:

– Completed the individual approach process and agreed on an individual action plan, and then,

– Begin activities in DOU (after 01/01/2022 and mandatory before the date of application for funding).

– Be a Greek citizen or a citizen of another EU state. or expatriates who have the right to live and work in our country, or third-country nationals who have a valid residence permit, at least for the duration of the program.

– Male candidates had to fulfill or be officially exempt from military service.

– Conduct your business legally in Greece and in particular in the respective regions of the invitation.

– Submit a single application for funding.

– Potential beneficiaries join the promotion either as individual entrepreneurs or as participants in legal entities of one of the following organizational and legal forms: Limited Liability Company (OO), Limited Liability Company (OO) for its general partner, Limited Liability Company (PBO), Private Equity Company (IKE), cooperative of workers according to article 24 chapter E of Law 4430/2016 (A’ 205).

Legal entities must be created by former unemployed partner members who meet the above conditions and manage corporate affairs either on the basis of the organizational structure, articles of association, or based on the decision of the general meeting of partners, they own 51% of the shares. corporate share and are legal representatives of the business, with the exception of cooperatives, to which the provisions of Law 4430/2016 (A΄ 205) apply.

According to published data, the duration of the grant is set at twelve months. A period of 12 months applies from the date of commencement of business with the DOU. The single aid amount for new businesses/beneficiaries of the action is 14,800 euros and is paid in three installments as follows:

1st payment of 4,000 euros after the decision to approve the financing of the proposal (stage A).

2nd installment of 5400 euros, after the end of the first half of the year from the beginning of the activity, after checking the operation for a period of 6 months (stage B).

3rd installment of 5400 euros, after the end of the second half of the year from the beginning of the activity, after checking the operation for a period of 6 months (milestone C).

The funding application (investment proposal) is submitted electronically to the State Assistance Information System (PSAI) provided by the Ministry of Development and Investment at www.ependyseis.gr/mis.

Detailed information about the competition can be found on the DYPA website www.dypa.gov.gr.

Online applications are accepted until December 2, 2022.

* Ms. Mary Paspalari is the Managing Director of AMBIO SA.