Public financing in the logistics sector
Public funding, both nationally and internationally, is an important way for organisations to have the opportunity to finance their ideas and projects.
This type of funding is essential for the creation and development of R&D&I projects that will increase our country’s competitiveness in this field. When applying for these funding opportunities, it is important to highlight the importance of creating consortia as a strategic facilitating tool, becoming one of the most efficient ways to strengthen the individual capacities of each company, as well as to be able to cover all the established terms of reference or requirements. Therefore, our Public Funding Working Group will provide services to Logistop partners in the global management of public incentives related to R&D&I activities.
Logistop’s lines of action in the field of public funding
In order to achieve these objectives, Logistop is working on the development of the following actions:
Mapping of Logistop members.
Organisation of focus sessions to inform and explain to Logistop members about those grant programmes of interest, the feasibility of the opportunities presented and to define next steps.
Webinars to provide access to information to those persons or entities interested in this field.
Organisation of monthly meetings with the members of this Working Group in which the strategy of the different working groups that make up the Logistop ecosystem will be highlighted, establishing coordination at the level of interests, investments and R&D&I activities in the short, medium and long term.
Dissemination among Logistop members of news and information related to calls for proposals, conferences and other funding opportunities at regional, national and European level, with special attention to all news related to the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism and the EU Recovery Fund.
Carrying out free diagnostics exclusively for Logistop partners, which will include the main calls for proposals of interest and will define the financing strategy to be developed for the activities identified.
Organisation, whenever possible, of visits with the heads of the main Public Administrations to discuss the projects identified or defined.
Notifying the publication of calls for proposals and news so that Logistop’s members have detailed and up-to-date information on all matters relating to public funding in the field of R&D&I.
State of public funding in Spain and Europe
To mitigate the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, on 21 July 2021, a historic agreement was reached at the European Council to mobilise EUR 750 billion in response to this exceptional situation, financed through the issuance of EU debt, which together with the EUR 1.074 trillion of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, will allow an unprecedented volume of investments to be made in the coming years.
In addition, the new Next Generation EU Recovery Fund
will allow Spain to mobilise extraordinary investment to mitigate the economic and social effects of the pandemic and ccelerate economic recovery.
Within the framework of the Next Generation EU and the Spanish Government's Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan
a mechanism has been activated so that different companies can present their business projects with the aim of learning first-hand about the country’s needs and projects with a high transformational potential, which entail structural change and have a lasting impact on economic and social resilience, sustainability, long-term competitiveness and employment. This mechanism is called Expressions of Interest.
With regard to the General State Budget for 2021
the Spanish government has already incorporated a first tranche of these funds, amounting to 26,634 million euros. The total consolidated expenditure for the 2021 State Budget would reach 550,484 million euros, an amount which, excluding the first tranche of European funds, would imply a growth of 13.6% with respect to the amount allocated to the previous year’s budget. However, if the liquidity generated by the Next Generation EU recovery mechanism is included, the increase would be 19.4% compared to the 2020 accounts. Based on these figures, it is expected that 37.1% of the total Next Generation EU funds earmarked for Spain will be invested by 2022.
Public funding opportunities
Anticipating opportunities as far as possible facilitates strategic planning. Therefore, the detection of needs versus opportunities, at the level of financing in existing aid programmes, will be one of our priority objectives. This analysis will focus on R&D&I, business investment, energy efficiency, environment and recruitment.
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Dynamising R&D&I projects by creating technological and commercial synergies with companies, universities and technology centres through innovation will be the next step we will take. In addition, recommendations will be made regarding the strategy to be followed in terms of public funding in the field of R+D+i.
Providing the necessary support in the preparation and submission of applications for public aid and incentives, as well as in the whole process of management, monitoring, collection and justification, will be essential to achieve success.
Impact of public funding
Public funding should have an incentive effect, leading to an increase in the level of R&D&I activity by the beneficiary(ies). This may be reflected in the following parameters:
- Increase in the volume of the project, both in total cost and in the number of human resources employed.
- Increase in the scope of action.
- Increase in the speed of execution, reducing completion time.
- Increased investment in R&D&I.