Recent years have brought many unpredictable events that have significantly impacted manufacturing companies. The pandemic, the disruption of the supply chain, and the war forced numerous changes in the way enterprises operated.
In addition, in order to meet the growing competition and increase the efficiency of the company, it is worth considering investments in the field of automation and robotization. Companies from the macroregion of Eastern Poland will have the opportunity to apply for such funds as part of a planned competition, which will soon be announced by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP).
The competition under the European Funds for Eastern Poland Programme will be conducted by PARP from 1 August 2024 to 26 September 2024.
For whom?
The competition will be intended for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) conducting business activity in the macroregion of Eastern Poland.
This macroregion covers the area of the following voivodeships: Lubelskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Świętokrzyskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Mazowieckie, excluding the Warsaw capital region (i.e. the capital city of Warsaw, and the following counties: Grodzisk, Legionowo, Mińsk, Nowy Dwór, Otwock, Piaseczno, Pruszków, Warsaw West and Wołomin).
For what?
The competition will include three types of supported activities that are intended to contribute to increasing the level of automation and robotization in enterprises:
- technological audit and development of a roadmap for the transformation of the enterprise towards industry 4.0;
- investment activities, i.e. purchase of vending machines, robots and other machines and devices, as well as software;
- supporting the process of installation and implementation of acquired assets through training and consulting.
Before submitting the application, it is necessary to conduct a technological audit along with a diagnosis of the digital maturity of the enterprise, i.e. identification of production, service or business processes that operate in the enterprise and may be subject to automation or robotization.
On what terms?
Support, depending on the type of cost, will be provided under three different types of aid. Basically, support will be provided in the form of a grant, in the case of regional investment aid it will be the so-called conditional grant.
This means that its return depends on whether certain conditions are met or not.
The maximum amount of support will be up to 85% of the eligible costs of the project (in the case of regional investment aid).
Projects with a minimum value of PLN 200,000 will be able to apply for support.
The maximum possible amount of the grant is PLN 3,000,000.
The maximum level of support depends on its purpose and is:
- Support in the scope of costs covered by de minimis aid (including preparation of a technological audit, digital maturity diagnosis) amounts to a maximum of 85% of eligible costs,
- In terms of costs covered by aid for consulting services, it amounts to a maximum of 50% of eligible costs,
Support in the scope of costs covered by regional investment aid - in accordance with the regional aid map (voivodeships outside the Mazowieckie Voivodeship 50%, the Mazowieckie Voivodeship from 25% to 40%, excluding Warsaw and the surrounding area).
PwC comment
Automation and robotization of production processes allows you to achieve many benefits. From cost reduction, through improving product quality to increasing production capacity.
Thanks to changes in the European Funds for Eastern Poland Programme, it has also become available for a significant part of Mazovia. Investments in automation and robotization are possible not only under this competition, but also under other support mechanisms, including discounted ones. The PwC State Aid Team will be happy to answer all your questions in this regard. We encourage you to contact us.
Autorzy:
