On January 10, the Directorial Decree of the Ministry of Economic Development having as object contributions to internationalization consortia. Contributions to internationalization consortia play a fundamental role among Small and Medium Enterprises Italians that I want to promote theirs products and theirs services on foreign markets. Through these contributions, SMEs can receive substantial financial aid (there is, in fact, a minimum threshold below which disbursements are not envisaged) if the products and/or services they offer have an international vocation and are deemed attractive for markets outside the national one.
These are the main points of the decree:
recipients. The contributions envisaged by the DD of the MISE are addressed to the internationalization consortia, i.e. those consortia that involve at least five SMEs from three regions Italian. There are, however, some exceptions is preferably used for Sicilia , Valle d'Aosta: for these regions it is, in fact, possible to have one monoregional structure. SMEs applying for grants must be established in the form of consortium or cooperative company pursuant to articles 2602, 2612 and following of the Civil Code. They can access the industrial enterprises, handmade by, tourist, of services, food e agricultural that have based in Italy. However, agri-food companies can participate only if the DL n.145/2013 will be converted into law by next February 20th. Even the commercial enterprises they can apply for contributions but they do not participate to a greater extent than the others. The companies united in the form of a consortium must belong to the same sector or to the same supply chain and the participation of is granted public and private agencies and large companies (which, however, will not be able to take advantage of public funding). The participation fees in the consortium fund must not be less than €1.250,00 for SMEs. Naturally, consortia in liquidation or subject to bankruptcy proceedings cannot apply for a contribution.
loans. Those projects that envisage are eligible for funding promotional activities on foreign markets for the products and services of consortium SMEs. Specifically, the initiatives for which it is possible to apply for funding include: participation in Exhibitions e international salons, installing showroom temporary, the bilateral meetings among foreign operators, the shares of communication on the foreign market, the activities of training related to internationalization processes and the creation and registration of the trademark consortium. Consortia can submit projects ranging from a minimum of €50.000 a a maximum of €400.000 and will be able to obtain, if considered suitable, a grant which will cover up to Present in several = 50% of expenses incurred between 1 January and 31 December 2014. Of course, each consortium can submit only one application for funding (under penalty of exclusion of all applications).
Documentation. All documentation relating to the loan application must be sent, by March 15th 2014, to the Ministry of Economic Development, Directorate General for internationalization policies and the promotion of exchange, Division VIII, Viale Boston 25, 00144, Rome. There Closed envelope must contain the wording “Consortium Project for Internationalization – Year 2014” and must be sent by registered letter with return receipt or by courier. The documents necessary to compete for the award of the loan (which must be signed in original by the legal representative of the consortium) are: 1) the grant application, (as per Model A, available on the MISE website), 2) the internationalization project (Model B), 3) a certified copy of the deed of incorporation and statute of the consortium, 4) the self-certification “aid de minimis” (Model E) and 5) a photocopy of a valid identity document of the legal representative of the consortium. Projects carried out by consortia with a network contract must provide further documentation (for these, see the DD on the MISE website).
Valuation and liquidation. The evaluation of the applications is entrusted to the Evaluation Commission, set up at the Directorate General for internationalization policies and the promotion of exchanges. To obtain the grant, the consortium must obtain at least 18 points. Once the grant has been awarded, the consortium must, by 30 April 2015, present liquidation application (drawn up on plain paper according to Model C). The following must be attached to the liquidation request: 1) the report on the promotional activity carried out, including the items of expenditure (Form D), 2) a certified copy of the consortium's deed of incorporation and statute, 3) the declaration by the lawyer representative that each SME is in compliance with the "de minimis aid" legislation (Model E), 4) a copy of the 2013 financial statements approved by the Shareholders' Meeting and 5) a photocopy of an identity document of the legal representative of the existing consortium.
Contributions to internationalization consortia represent one of the most concrete aids to the growth of Italian companies in the export sector and we hope that many SMEs will be able to successfully seize the opportunities made available by the Ministry of Economic Development.
