Youth Entrepreneurship (Law 3908/2011 )

This category of the Investment Incentives Law (3908/2011) includes investment plans filed to form and operate small and micro enterprises, over 50% of the share capital of which is held by private individuals up to the age of 40 who alone are responsible for the administration of the company. It should be noted that in this category all economic activities can benefit except those exempted in the Investment Law (3908/2011).

The minimum investment required is € 100,000 for micro-enterprises and € 150,000 for small businesses. The aid is granted during the first five years' trading after the company's formation, up to € 1,000,000 in total if use is made of facilities and equipment let in on leasing. In all other cases, aid is capped at a total of € 500, 000. The amount granted each year shall not exceed 33% of the total aid granted.

ELEGIBLE COSTS

Under the Youth Entrepreneurship special status no aid shall be granted for fixed costs of the investment. This aid is granted for costs incurred for legal, administrative support and consultancy services relating directly to the establishment of the enterprise and for costs incurred during the first five years after establishment for:

• Interest on external financing at a rate which does not exceed the reference interest rate;
• The costs of leasing production facilities and equipment and the costs of using technological infrastructures established with national and Community funding.
• The costs of energy, water and heating and administrative charges and taxes (other than VAT and corporation tax).
• The costs of letting in on leasing production facilities and equipment
• The costs of wages, including social security contributions, provided that no other aid has been granted for them

Particular attention must be paid to distinguish between Eligible Costs and Subsidised Expenditure under the Youth Entrepreneurship special status. The term eligible costs describes the total expenditure covering the costs of the investment project under Investment Law 3908/2011. This may include:

• Tangible Assets
• Non-tangible Assets
• R&D and Innovation Projects and Programs
• Costs related to leasing buildings and production equipment.

The term Subsidised Expenditure describes the total expenditure which can be subsidised under the Youth Entrepreneurship special status, as detailed above (section What is funded).

RATES ALLOCATION

The Youth Entrepreneurship special status does not provide for restrictions on the method to be used for financing the investment project. Fixed assets of the investment can be financed:

• Either by own funds.
• Or by external financing (bank loan).
• Or by State aid (in case the investment project has been subject to some other State aid scheme).

The institution must present supporting documents to demonstrate that they can cover at least 30% of the costs of the investment project (excluding Leasing expenses) in one of the above mentioned ways.