Two new €6 million grant schemes for e-commerce and consultancy services launched

Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg has announced the launch of two additional grant schemes with a combined budget of €6 million, to promote access to consultancy services to SMEs and online selling

The two new schemes are the E-Commerce Grant Scheme and the SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme PHOTO: Clodagh Farrugia O’Neill
The two new schemes are the E-Commerce Grant Scheme and the SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme PHOTO: Clodagh Farrugia O’Neill

A further two schemes under the Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes initiative have been launched, parliamentary secretary for the EU Presidency 2017 and EU funds Ian Borg announced today.

The Business Enhance Grants Schemes, which is part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020, seek to support enterprises when undertaking investment projects aimed at securing sustainable business growth.

The two new schemes are the E-Commerce Grant Scheme, which has a budget of €5,000, and the SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme, which has a budget of €1,000.

Explaining the schemes, Borg stated that e-Commerce represents an opportunity for businesses to exploit their potential to increase their market share and reach new markets by considering incorporating online selling.

“At a time when local SMEs are still transitioning to e-commerce, the e-Commerce Grant Scheme will support SMEs through a maximum grant of €5,000 to develop an e-commerce website and/or a mobile application, with part-financing eligible expenditure up to 50%.”

Turning to the second scheme, Borg explained that the SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme will support SMEs through the provision of a maximum grant of €4,000. “It is aimed at facilitating SMEs’ access to consultancy services to develop business plans, feasibility studies, process and systems reviews and organisation and operations reviews.”

He added that these schemes will be managed on a demand-driven basis through an open rolling-call, and will be open to receive project proposals as from today.