Greening SMEs in the proximity and social economy ecosystem through transnational co-operation
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
The Single Market Programme (SMP) covers the single market, competitiveness of enterprises, including small and medium-sized enterprises, the area of plants, animals, food and feed, and European statistics. Specifically, the programme brings together aspects in order to streamline, exploit synergies and provide a better flexible, transparent, simplified and agile framework to finance activities aiming at a well-functioning sustainable internal market.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The action will support transnational partnerships to boost the capacity of social economy SMEs and entrepreneurs in the proximity and social economy ecosystem to green their operations to innovate their products, services and processes and therefore enable them to scale up their contribution to the green transition in the EU.
Detailed Call Description
Green growth can offer significant benefits but many SMEs active in this ecosystem still face barriers regarding the sustainable transition.
Activities will be carried out, for example, via training, coaching, capacity building, peer learning, consultancy, incubation, job shadowing and awareness raising activities.
Activities could fall under at least one of the following themes (not exhaustive):
- Improving social economy SMEs environmental footprint;
- Boosting the sustainable contribution of social economy entities to circular economy;
- Enabling the development of local green markets;
- Testing, implementing and scaling-up innovative green solutions by social economy SMEs and entrepreneurs;
- Capacity building and expertise sharing about environmental impact of social economy SMEs;
- Setting up investment or financial vehicles to finance the green transition of social economy;
- Fostering social economy SMEs’ capacity and skills to improve their use of new digital technologies for green purposes;
- Evaluating skills, infrastructure and investment needs required to enable social economy entities to meet climate targets in the long term.
Each consortium must deliver the following mandatory activities:
- Organisation of transnational capacity building activities bringing together different partners and stakeholders;
- Organisation of coaching, mentoring targeting social economy SMEs and entrepreneurs;
- Delivering capacity building through advisory services to support social economy SMEs and entrepreneurs in identifying and implementing sustainable changes;
- Providing financial support to the SMEs.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
The costs will be reimbursed at the funding rates fixed in the Grant Agreement (100% for the costs for providing financial support to third parties and 90% for all other costs categories)
Thematic Categories
- Environment and Climate Change
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
Eligibility for Participation
- Large Enterprises
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries – see page 15-16 of the call document
Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) which complies with the following conditions:
- at least six independent entities from at least three different eligible countries
- at least one social economy intermediary per participating country involved in the consortium;
- a minimum of one and a maximum of two support organisations active at EU level such as sectorial member federations and associations or networks representing social economy entities.
Τhe following types of entities are encouraged to participate in the consortia:
- public authorities or organisations acting on behalf of a public authority, responsible for or active in the fields of social economy, economic affairs, industry, business support, incubation, EU funding opportunities, sustainable finance, impact investing or related fields;
- non-profit organisations, non-governmental organisations and private organisations established at European, national, regional and local level as social economy associations, federations, financial institutions, impact investors, business incubators & accelerators, business support centres, innovation hubs, chambers of commerce, consultancy providing sustainability and financing advisory services;
- private and profit-making entities including social economy SMEs, mainstream SMEs and larger undertakings, and financial institutions;
- training and educational institutions, including universities, research and technology centres
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry
Industry and Technology Service
1421, Nicosia, Cyprus
Email: sit@meci.gov.cy
Contact Person:
Spyros Triantaphyllidis
Telephone: 22867333
Email: striantafyllides@meci.gov.cy
(Publish Date: 10/11/2022-for internal use only)
EU Contact Point
For questions should be sent by 7 February 2023 to the following email address: