New competition for grants to entrepreneurs and micro and small legal entities to subsidize the costs of purchasing machinery and/or equipment

The Secretariat is awarding non-repayable funds in the total amount of    75.000.000,00  dinars, allocated under the Provincial Assembly Decision on the Budget of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina for 2016. The public call for the allocation of funds serves as the basis for obtaining  de minimis  state aid. PURPOSE OF THE FUNDS The funds are intended to subsidize the cost of purchasing machinery and/or equipment in order to modernize production processes, stabilize production, and invest in new, modern tools and production equipment to support the development of the economy and entrepreneurship in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. Funds are approved for subsidizing the costs of purchasing machinery and/or equipment. The subsidized amount is approved on the basis of a submitted pro forma invoice or supplier/seller offer, or a preliminary contract with the seller for the purchase of machinery and/or equipment. The pro forma invoice must include only the value of the machinery and/or equipment, excluding delivery, installation, training, customs and other related costs. AMOUNT OF FUNDING Funds are granted in an amount of at least  500.000,00  dinars up to a maximum of  2.000.000,00  dinars (including VAT). ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Entrepreneurs and micro and small legal entities (hereinafter: applicants) are eligible to apply in order to improve their business activities and strengthen their competitiveness and capacity, provided that they meet the following conditions:

• that they have been registered for at least six months prior to the announcement of the Call and have their registered office in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina;
• to pay public revenue obligations regularly;

A participant may submit no more than one application to the Public Call. DOCUMENTATION TO BE SUBMITTED: 1) Completed application form for the Public Call, including a declaration of accuracy; 2) Supplier's pro forma invoice or offer, or a preliminary contract with the seller of the machinery and/or equipment; 3) Signed and certified written declaration of previously received de minimis state aid; 4) Extract from the Serbian Business Registers Agency (APR) showing the business entity's registration (original or photocopy); 5) Certificate from the competent organizational unit of the Tax Administration confirming that the applicant has settled all due public revenue obligations through 31 December 2015; 6) Signed and certified written statement from the applicant confirming that they employ one or more people with disabilities, and a decision assessing work capacity (if the applicant employs one or more people with disabilities). SECURITY DEPOSIT An applicant whose funding is approved must submit the following when signing the agreement with the Secretariat: -one blank solo promissory note with authorization to collect; -additional security: a bank guarantee for the amount of the subsidy. MAKING A DECISION The decision on the allocation of funds is made by the Provincial Secretary for Economy, Employment and Gender Equality, on the recommendation of the commission. The decision on the allocation of funds will be published on the Secretariat's website. After the decision has been made, the Secretariat will contact only those applicants whose funding has been approved. An applicant awarded funding shall enter into an agreement with the Secretariat, which will regulate their mutual rights and obligations, as well as the procedure for accounting for the approved funds. The approved funding amount includes VAT and may be less than the amount requested, but may not be less than 500.000,00 dinars. Preference in the decision-making process will be given to applicants who:

• which engage in manufacturing activities;
• whose founders are women and/or which are owned or majority-owned by women;
• that employ people with disabilities.

Applications to the Public Call must be submitted exclusively using the application form that forms an integral part of the Public Call and can be downloaded from the Secretariat's website: www.spriv.vojvodina.gov.rs. The form, together with the required documentation, must be delivered in a sealed envelope to: Provincial Secretariat for Economy, Employment and Gender Equality, Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 16, 21000 Novi Sad, marked on the front of the envelope: “Do not open – application to the Public Call for Entrepreneurship,” by post or in person through the registry office of the provincial authorities. The application deadline is   4 March 2016. Late and incomplete applications will not be considered. Legal entities organized as business companies (LLC, joint-stock company, general partnership, and limited partnership) are required to open a dedicated account with the Treasury Administration before signing the Agreement. Businesses in difficulty may not be awarded  de minimis  state aid within the meaning of Article 95, paragraph 2, point 3 of the Regulation on the Rules for State Aid Allocation (“Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, Nos. 13/10, 100/11,91/12, 37/13 and 97/13). Instructions concerning the Public Call are available on the Secretariat’s website www.spriv.vojvodina.gov.rs, and further information can be obtained on working days from the Secretariat, by calling 021/487-4072. Documentation: http://www.spriv.vojvodina.gov.rs/index.php/konkursi/javni-pozivi/87-javni-pozivi-cirilica/436-22-2016-j