Често задавани въпроси
If the applicant company/enterprise carries out more than one activity, a statement is prepared indicating which economic activity generates the highest share of revenue. That activity is recorded as the principal one and the corresponding certifying document is issued.
The issuing institution is the National Statistical Institute, located in Sofia at 2 P. Volov Street.
Since the applicant/beneficiary form is submitted electronically, the electronic signature is required to certify that the intentions and ideas belong to the applicant. The signature may be registered to the company/enterprise or to an individual authorised to represent it.
The required extensions of the Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) differ per procedure, so it is critical to confirm that the available QES meets the eligibility requirements. The most commonly required extensions are p7s and p7m.
To obtain a more realistic picture of an enterprise's economic standing, a distinction has been introduced between different enterprise types, along with methods for calculating staff headcount thresholds and financial thresholds.
Three factors are used to determine the enterprise type: enterprise category, headcount (annual work units) and annual turnover / total annual balance sheet.
- Medium-sized: < 250 employees, ≤ €50 million turnover, ≤ €43 million balance sheet.
- Small: < 50 employees, ≤ €10 million turnover, ≤ €10 million balance sheet.
- Micro: < 10 employees, ≤ €2 million turnover, ≤ €2 million balance sheet.
While compliance with the headcount threshold is mandatory, an SME may choose to comply with either the turnover or the balance sheet ceiling.
Each applicant under an EU grant procedure may receive up to EUR 200,000 (BGN 391,166) under the "de minimis" regime. The aid may be used all at once or spread across several programmes, but the total must equal the amount above. The statute of limitations is 3 years.
Indirect "de minimis" aid – without a direct transfer of funds from a public authority to your enterprise, you receive an economic benefit by participating in joint, publicly funded activities — for example, international exhibitions and fairs, partnership in a project for training your company's staff, etc.
State / minimum aid may also include: loans at reduced interest rates or other preferential terms, loan guarantees on preferential terms, capital grants, tax/fee exemptions or other cost savings, and the supply or receipt of services or goods on terms differing from market conditions.
