Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovations for Competitiveness

Basic information

Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovation for Competitiveness 2014 – 2020 is the successor of the OP Entrepreneurship and Innovations in the programming period 2007 – 2013. It has been allocated approximately 4,3 billions €  from the European Regional Development Fund for the projects within the OP EIC. Managing authority (Ministry of Industry and Trade) delegates the majority of the implementation-related tasks to CzechInvest, which serves as a primary intermediary for the financial support and is responsible for communication aid applicants and recipients. The communication is conducted through ISKP 2014+ (the information system for aid recipients). ISKP 2014+ serves for all operational programmes on the national level in the programming period 2014 - 2020.

Form of support

Although the grants are the main form of support, there is intended to provide, where appropriate, support in the form of the financial instruments (advantaged loans, guarantees and venture capital) or in the combined form, especially within the specific objectives 2.1, 3.2, 3.5.    

State aid rules

The support will be provided in compliance with the individual state aid rules. The state aid rules relevant for the support within OP EIC is comprised of 4 basic regimes:

• Regional state aid rules
• General block exemption regulation (GBER)
• Framework for state aid for research and development and innovation
• De minimis aid

The regime for the concrete support will be designated by the managing authority within the each call for proposals.

Regional State Aid

Maximum amount of aid from total eligible costs.

GBER

The regulation designates the basic thematic aid sections eligible for the general block exemption and sets up the aid intensity for the concrete support:

• SECTION 1 – REGIONAL AID (compatible with the guidlines on regional state aid rules – see above)
• SECTION 2 – AID FOR SMEs
• SECTION 3 - AID FOR ACCESS TO FINANCE FOR SMES
• SECTION 4 – AID FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION   

Framework for state aid for research and development and innovation (applied in case of inapplicable support within GBER)

Support within de minimis aid - use in the limited extent

Aid of max. 200 000 € in 3 fiscal years for single enterprise (undertaking). Single undertaking should be considered as all entities which are controlled (on a legal or on a de facto basis) by the same entity. Thus aid cumulating has to be taken into account. De minimis aid will be applied in a complementary manner.

Aid Recipient

Small or medium-sized enterprises are eligible to receive aid within OPEIC, though in some programmes large enterprises can also apply for aid.

Projects must be implemented within the Czech Republic, outside the City of Prague (the seat of the company can be located anywhere in the Czech Republic).

Applicants must be registered as an income tax payer uninterruptedly for a period of no less than two closed tax periods.

Another important criterion is that any project implemented within OPEIC must be implemented in the manufacturing industry and related services (generally in sectors CZ-NACE 10 – 33, see the particular Call).

Project Cycle

Applying for aid within OPEIC is usually a two-part process (Pre-Application and Full Application – in some Calls only the Full Application) via the MS2014+ internet application, which is available only in the Czech language. MS2014+ can be accessed via mseu.mssf.cz.

Successful registration requires a qualified certificate (electronic signature).

First step is to establish a user account.

Preliminary application contains basic information about the project and the applicant which undergo an evaluation of acceptability including an economic evaluation. The date on which eligible costs arise is given with the application.

Full Application includes required annexes (particularly business plan) within the stipulated time limit and according to the specific requirements of the particular Call).

Project undergoes further evaluation on the basis of clearly defined and publicly known criteria. After successful evaluation, the Terms and Conditions of the Decision to Provide Aid are signed.

The Conditions to which the applicant is bound to comply include, in particular:

• Selection of suppliers of orders for which aid will be provided from OPEIC in accordance with previously established regulations
• Sustainability of the supported project and work places for 3 (5) years after implementation of the project
• Assurance of publicity of supported projects during and after implementation of the project