- Advance preparation is a plus for success in the awarding of public aid.
- Determining which existing funding opportunities are the most appropriate for the needs previously identified by each company is a determining factor when applying for any public aid.
In the Logistop Webinar “How to take advantage of the Next Generation EU funds in 2022. Update of the aid and incentive plan” we present to the attendees the already published aid table, as well as the planned publication, with the aim that each participant can identify the opportunities that are of interest and application. All this taking into account that early preparation is always a plus to achieve success in the awarding of public aid.
For this, we have counted with the participation of Julio Fernández-Clemente García-Gascó and Óscar García Fidalgo, leaders of the public funding group of Logistop and General Director and Head of Market Development, respectively, at AROSA I+D, as well as with the presentation and moderation of Tomás de la Vega, Managing Director at Logistop.
Tomás de la Vega in his introduction, gives an update on the projects and activities that Logistop is carrying out, emphasising the unique moment in which we find ourselves. A moment that we must be able to take advantage of by opting for the aid that is being produced with the aim of carrying out logistical innovation projects. In this sense, at Logistop we are continuously working on the promotion and execution of this type of project.
National aid, tax incentives
In his speech, Julio Fernández-Clemente García-Gascó gave an update on the existing public funding opportunities, focusing on those that may be most interesting for logistics. Julio emphasised the importance of companies having the capacity to search for different financing opportunities among the range of possibilities available, without focusing exclusively on a single grant.
In addition to the PERTE calls for proposals or those linked to the recovery fund, which Óscar would later analyse, there are various channels such as the calls for proposals published by the CDTI, divided into two lines, one for R&D and the other for technological innovation, and in both cases, it must be taken into account that the application must be made before the start of the project.
Julio also reminded that companies have at their disposal the option of tax incentives, which are current solutions and which have the advantage over subsidies in that they can be applied for on activities and/or projects already carried out.
“We must have the ability to look for a mix of funding opportunities among all the options available to us, we should not focus solely on one programme”
Julio Fernández-Clemente García-Gascó, General Manager, AROSA I+D
NEXT GENERATION UE perspectives
Next, Óscar García Fidalgo focused his speech on where we are today, mainly with regard to the Next Generation Funds. He emphasised that this plan for recovery, transformation and resilience in Spain focuses on four basic pillars: ecological transition, digital transformation, gender equality and social and territorial cohesion.
Óscar, in the same line as Julio, stresses that these funds are a complementary mechanism to the existing ones. At the moment, they are the ones with the largest economic endowment, but we should not forget about the cohesion funds or the state’s own funds as available sources of financing.
With regard to the Next Generation funds, it should be borne in mind that, despite covering the period 2021 – 2027, the calls for proposals and the distribution will only last until 2024 and, from then until 2027, the deadline for completing the execution of the projects and the corresponding justification will be 2024.
In conclusion, Óscar recalls the importance of identifying in detail the roadmap of each of the companies, the projects and investments they want to carry out to position themselves and improve their competitiveness, and from there, he stresses the importance of having a partner specialised in identifying and managing existing funding opportunities, and those planned to be more appropriate for these previously identified needs, among other aspects to be taken into account.
“However, most of these funds will be distributed this year, as the forecast indicated that 70% of the funds would be distributed between 2021 and 2022, while 30% was planned for 2023 and 2024”
Óscar García Fidalgo, Head of Market Development, AROSA I+D
About Logistop
Logistop is the benchmark workspace for collective innovation through the realisation of projects hand in hand with our members. Transforming the entire supply chain into a more efficient and sustainable one. All this with the aim of articulating and carrying out innovation projects among the members, without excluding the possibility of collaborating with or receiving support from certain organisations outside Logistop.