Support for the recruitment of managers to promote internationalisation – ERDF Notice No. 2/2024

This is a non-repayable grant under the 2021–2027 ERDF Programme, designed to support projects aimed at launching or strengthening an internationalisation strategy within small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs) and which involve the recruitment of a manager by the SME. 

The grant is governed bythe Call for Applications and bythe general provisions common to all measures under Provincial Law 6/2023.

Eligible initiatives

To qualify for the incentive, applicants must submit a project to launch or strengthen an internationalisation process that involves the recruitment of a manager on a permanent employment contract.

The requirements for the manager are as follows:

• they must be a highly qualified professional with advanced and specialist skillsin the design and/or management of projects aimed at enhancing the company’s competitiveness through internationalisation initiatives;
• they must have at least five years’professional experience in the activities for which the project is being submitted; 
• they must be employed under a permanent orfixed-term employment contract(full-time or part-time contract of at least 30 hours per week) for a duration of at least two years and, in any case, for a period consistent with the timeframe set for the implementation of the project;
• the applicant’s position must be no lower than that of a middle manager.

Please refer to point 3(b)of the Notice for the definition of ‘Manager’ and to point 6of the Notice for the timetable and deadlines.

Eligible expenditure and grant amount

Theminimum eligible expenditure is at least 200,000 euros.

The grant covers 50 per cent of the eligible expenditure, up to a maximum grant of 150,000 euros.

Expenditure strictly related to the implementation of the project is eligible, as specified below:

• the gross cost of the manager’sremuneration payable by the employer, as defined in point 3(c) ofthe Notice;
• overheads calculated by applying a flat rate of 7 per cent to the costs referred to in the previous point, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/1060.

For further information on eligible expenditure, please refer to point 7 ofthe Notice.

The operational unit operating within the province mustbe duly registered with the Companies Register by the date the initiative commences (i.e. the date on which the manager’s employment contract is signed). 

Within 30 days of the date on which the assessing bodynotifies the grant decision, beneficiaries are required to send the following to Trentino Sviluppo S.p.A. via certified email (PEC):

• the contract entered into with the appointed manager;
• a service order stipulating that the manager is to carry out their professional duties for the implementation of the project funded by the 2021–2027 ERDF Programme, also specifying the project’s CUP.

In return for the grant received, the company must comply with a series of obligations, as set out in point 14 ofthe Notice.

A summary of the main communication requirements applicable to beneficiaries of the 2021–2027 ERDF Programme calls for proposals can be found atthefollowinglink.

Applications may be submitted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs):

• which meet the requirements set out in point 3, paragraph 5 of the general provisions common to all measures under Provincial Law 6/2023;
• which are duly incorporated, registered and active in the Register of Companies by 31 December 2023;
• which have one of the ATECO codes listed in Annex 1 of the general provisions common to all measures under Provincial Law 6/2023, as recorded in the Register of Companies (see the list of ‘exclusions’ in point 4.1 ofthe Notice).

For further information, see point 4 of theNotice.

Assessment criteria

Applications will be assessed on a first-come, first-served basis, and projects will be awarded scores in accordance with the criteria set outin point 9of the Notice(general eligibility criteria, specific eligibility criteria, assessment criteria and bonus criteria).

Applications are admissible provided they achieve a minimum threshold of at least 60 points.

The assessing bodyisTRENTINO SVILUPPO S.P.A.

Submission of applications and deadlines

Applications may be submitted, including via a representative, from 3.00 pm on 27 February 2025 until 3.00 pm on 30 November 2026 viathe portal available below.

Full instructions on how to submit an application for the grant via the platform are available in this manual:

 User manual for submitting applications – SIFESR portal (ERDF Call 2/2024: Internationalisation Manager in SMEs)

To submit an application, you must have adigital identity system(SPID) or anelectronic identity card (CIE).

TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR THE PLATFORM

Anytechnical issuesrelating to the use of the platform must be reported by email toassistenzafesrtn@performer.it, specifying your name, the company’s tax registration number, a telephone contact number and the application reference number (if available).
Technical support is availablefrom Monday to Friday, from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm(excluding public holidays).

The procedural time limit for the adoption of concession measures is set at 120 days from the day following the submission of the application for the incentive, subject to any suspensions pursuant to Provincial Law 23/1992 and in accordance with point 8 of the general provisions applicable to all schemes.