Who can count on funding?
Energy-intensive businesses can count on government assistance due to rising electricity and gas prices. The government adopted the assistance program on August 8th of this year, and the program operator, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, is currently awaiting the launch of the application process.
Enterprises in the energy-intensive industry will be able to apply for funding, including:
a) whose electricity and natural gas costs in 2021 constituted at least 3% of their value of sold production and
b) which obtained at least 50% of their revenue or production value from activities in one or more PKD subclasses included in sections B (mining and quarrying) and C (industrial processing).
When will recruitment start?
The first round of electronic applications will likely begin in the second half of August this year. It will cover costs for the first half of 2023.
Entrepreneurs will have 14 days from the date of announcement of the call for proposals to submit an application for funding and submit the necessary documents.
What should be attached to the application?
The application for basic assistance must be accompanied by, among other things, a certificate of no arrears in the payment of taxes and contributions, a report from the beneficiary, and a report from an independent auditor regarding the assessment of the report in question.
Due to the relatively short deadline for submitting the application along with the necessary data and documentation, we encourage you to complete the data and the indicated documents as soon as possible, which will constitute the basis for obtaining funding.
Is it worth applying?
The current program's budget is PLN 5.5 billion. Businesses can receive up to EUR 40 million in support. The government estimates that approximately 3,000 energy-intensive businesses affected by significant increases in electricity and gas prices will receive assistance.
The amount of support granted will depend on the expenses incurred on gas and electricity purchases in subsequent quarters. The aid also assumes the establishment of maximum support limits. At this time, it is difficult to predict the amount of support granted, as it is calculated individually, and in the previous edition, this support was quite limited.
Who has already received help?
This is not the first program of its kind, as in 2022, aid was granted to 208 enterprises, including 14 micro and small enterprises, 55 medium-sized enterprises, and 139 large enterprises. In the previous edition of the program, PLN 2.409 billion was allocated to enterprises.
The largest beneficiaries of the previous program were a company in the fertilizer and chemical industry, which received the maximum total aid for capital groups, amounting to PLN 234.2 million. The company with the lowest amount of support, amounting to just PLN 3,600, was a company producing perlite (aggregates from volcanic minerals).
As the above indicates, obtaining funding is entirely possible and highly cost-effective. As a law firm, we provide comprehensive support throughout the entire application process and ensure its timely submission.
We cordially invite you to contact us!
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Legal status as of August 22, 2023.
