Eligible Investment Projects
The purpose of this scheme is to support investment projects implemented in areas of the country facing significant economic and demographic problems, as analyzed in the following islands and Regional Units:
| Lesbos – Lemnos | Pieria – Pella | Preveza |
| Ikaria – Samos | Serres | Karditsa |
| Chios | Florina | Trikala |
| Evros | Grevena | Magnesia |
| Xanthi | Kastoria | Larissa |
| Rodopi | Ioannina | Ilia |
| Drama | Thesprotia | Evrytania |
| Kilkis | Arta | Phocida |
In addition, investment projects are subsidized on the following islands of the South Aegean: Kasos, Megisti, Halki, Symi, Nisyros, Psérimos, Tilos, Lipsi and Agathonisi.
This scheme aims to enhance investment projects that fall into one of the following categories:
a. Creation of a new unit/plant.
b. Expansion of the capacity of the existing unit.
c. Diversification of a unit’s production into products or services that it has never produced before, provided that the eligible costs exceed at least 200% of the book value of the assets, as recorded in the tax year prior to the application for inclusion of the investment project.
d. Fundamental change in the overall production process of the products or in the overall provision of services related to the investment in the facility.
Aid Types – Incentives
- Grant: constitutes the coverage by the State of part of the subsidized expenditure of the investment project.
- Leasing subsidy: it’s about the government covering part of the leasing payments for getting new machinery and other equipment, where the max duration can’t be more than 7 years.
- Subsidizing the cost of new job creation: refers to the subsidy from the State, part of the wage costs of new jobs created and linked to the investment project.
- Tax exemption: consists of exemption from income tax on pre-tax profits from all of the company’s activities.
In addition, eligible investment projects are provided with incentives for fast-track licensing with regard to the permits required for the execution of the projects.
Clarifications on Aid
- The aid in the form of grants, tax exemption and financial leasing subsidies shall be provided, individually or in combination, for all eligible investment projects.
- The total amount of aid per submitted Project may not exceed the amount of twenty million (20.000.000 €).
Eligible Entities
Eligible are existing or new enterprises that:
- They are established in Greece and take the form of a sole proprietorship, commercial company, cooperative or social cooperative enterprise.
Eligible Expenses (general)
Tangible Assets
- Expenditure on the construction, extension and upgrading of buildings and special/auxiliary facilities, up to 45% of the total investment project. The above maximum percentage is set at 70% for investment projects in the logistics sector.
For investment projects in the tourism sector, the above expenses cannot exceed 60% in total.
- Purchase and installation of new modern machinery and other equipment, including technical installations and means of transport operating within the unit’s premises.
- Leasing payments for new modern machinery and other equipment, the use of which is acquired on the condition that, under the terms of the contract, ownership of the equipment is transferred to the lessee.
- Purchase of all or part of existing fixed assets such as buildings, machinery and other business equipment, provided that the business has closed (ceased operations).
- Expenses for the modernization of special facilities (not related to buildings) and mechanical installations.
Intangible Expenses
- Includes the purchase of intellectual property rights, exploitation licenses, patents, know-how and unregistered technical knowledge, quality assurance and control systems, certifications, supply and installation of software and business organization systems, etc. (up to 30% of the total budget for large enterprises and up to 50% for small and medium-sized enterprises).
Wage Costs for New Jobs
- It includes the wage costs of new jobs that will be created as a result of the implementation of the investment project and covers a period of two (2) years from the creation of each job (type of aid: subsidy for the cost of creating employment).
Eligible Expenses (specific)
- Expenditure on consultancy services to SMEs (up to €70,000 and up to 5% of the eligible budget).
- Expenditure on energy efficiency measures. Eligible expenditure consists of the additional investment costs required to achieve the highest level of energy efficiency.
- Expenditure on the installation of efficient district heating and/or cooling systems.
- Expenditure on participation of SMEs in trade fairs.
- Expenditure on vocational
- The purchase of plots of land, fields and agricultural land is not subsidized.
Budget for investment projects
The minimum eligible budget for investment projects is set at €2,000,000.00.
It should be noted that Investment Projects are required to keep Category C Books at the start of the Investment implementation.
Private Participation (Equity)
Participation in the cost of the investment project may be through own funds or external financing, provided that 25% of the total cost of the investment project does not include any state aid, public support or provision. Own contribution may be covered in the following ways:
- Increase in share capital, from new cash contributions by shareholders.
- Share capital increase through capitalization of reserves, provided that the company has sufficient liquidity after deducting the amount of cash reserves to be used to cover the entity’s participation with equity capital.
- Consumption of existing reserves, provided that the company has sufficient liquidity after deducting the amount of cash reserves to be used to cover the entity’s contribution with own funds.
- Bank loans.
Aid rates per Region and Type of Aid
| REGION | Tax Exemption, Leasing, Cost of Job Creation | Grant * | ||||
| SIZE OF ENTERPRISE | SIZE OF ENTERPRISE | |||||
| LARGE ENTERPRISES | MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES | SMALL ENTERPRISES | LARGE ENTERPRISES | MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES | SMALL ENTERPRISES | |
| EASTERN MACEDONIA AND THRACE | 50% | 60% | 70% | 40% | 48% | 56% |
| CENTRAL MACEDONIA | 50% | 60% | 70% | 40% | 48% | 56% |
| WESTERN MACEDONIA | 60% | 70% | 75% | 48% | 56% | 60% |
| THESSALY | 50% | 60% | 70% | 40% | 48% | 56% |
| EPIRUS | 50% | 60% | 70% | 40% | 48% | 56% |
| WESTERN GREECE | 50% | 60% | 70% | 40% | 48% | 56% |
| NORTH AEGEAN | 60% | 70% | 75% | 48% | 56% | 60% |
| CENTRAL GREECE | 40% | 50% | 60% | 32% | 40% | 48% |
| SOUTH AEGEAN | 50% | 60% | 70% | 40% | 48% | 56% |
* With the exception of investment Projects implemented in specific areas (mountainous areas, areas within 30 km of the border, islands with fewer than 3,100 inhabitants), investment projects involving the reopening of industrial units that have ceased operations, as well as investment projects implemented in buildings designated as preservable, where the final subsidy is set within the limits of the tax exemption.
** Municipalities of Megalopolis, Tripoli, Gortynia, and Oichalia: 50%, 60%, and 70%, respectively.
*** Eastern Attica, Western Attica, Piraeus & Islands 25%, 35%, 45% respectively.
Submission Period & Implementation Schedule
Start Date for Submissions: 1 July 2025
Submission Deadline: 10 October 2025
Approved Investment Projects must be completed within three (3) years from the date of approval.
Beneficiaries are also required to implement at least 10% of the Project within the first 24 months.
Evaluation Method
The evaluation of Investment Projects is comparative, and the following criteria are used for scoring:
A) Investment Project Maturity (Project Licensing Stage),
B) Financial Data of the Entity (Company financial data for the previous two years),
C) Sustainable Development (Tourism: annual or seasonal operation, thematic targeting / Other Sectors: Exports),
D) Growth in employment following implementation of the investment.
Eligible Sectors and Branches of Economic Activity
Investments made in sectors such as:
- Mining of minerals and stones,
- Hotel industry *,
- Manufacturing sector **,
- Waste collection and processing,
- Software programming and development activities.
* Investment projects in the North Aegean, the island of Samothrace, and the islands of the South Aegean may be included in the tourism sector and involve:
- Establishment or expansion of hotel units with at least 4 stars.
- Modernisation of integrated hotel units that belong to or are being upgraded to at least a 3-star category, provided that five years have elapsed since the unit began operating or since the completion of a previous investment.
- Modernization and/or expansion of hotel units that have ceased operations for at least two (2) years, provided that they are upgraded to at least a 4-star category.
- Establishment, expansion, and modernization of Organized Tourist Campsites (camping), which are owned or upgraded to at least a 3-star category.
- Establishment and modernization of hotel units within designated traditional or preserved buildings, which belong to or are upgraded to at least a 3-star category.
- ‘Establishment of Glamping-style tourist accommodation in rural areas.
** Investment projects relating to logistics services (SIC 52.29.19.03), are eligible under this scheme provided that they meet the following conditions:
- Their place of installation should be distinct from the facilities of other business activities of the company or companies of the Group.
- The provision of services to companies within the same Group must not exceed 30% of the total services provided.
- For the establishment, expansion, or modernization of supply chain service units, a necessary prerequisite, if they do not already exist, is the implementation of investment projects for the installation and commissioning of integrated information and communication systems – telematics, to support storage, loading and unloading, and the general management of materials and goods.